J. G. Parry-Thomas
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| John Godfrey Parry-Thomas | |
| Born | 1884 Wrexham, Denbighshire, Wales |
|---|---|
| Died | 1927 Pendine Sands |
| Cause of death | Decapitation in motor-racing accident |
| Burial place | Byfleet, Surrey |
| Nationality | Welsh |
| Education | Oswestry School, The City and Guilds College London |
| Occupation | engineer and motor-racing driver |
| Employers | Leyland Motors |
John Godfrey Parry-Thomas (April 6, 1884 – March 3, 1927) was a Welsh engineer and motor-racing driver.
Parry-Thomas was born in Wrexham, Denbighshire, Wales, the son of the curate of Rhosddu. The family moved to nearby Oswestry when he was five years old and he was educated at Oswestry School. He later went on to study engineering at The City and Guilds College in London.
Parry-Thomas became chief engineer at Leyland Motors, a company whose main products were commercial vehicles. However, in the late 1910s he and his assistant Reid Railton designed the Leyland Eight luxury motor car which was intended to compete with Rolls-Royce. He also filed for and received a number of patents, in the fields of electrical and automotive engineering.[1] He gave up his career with Leyland to become a professional motor-racing driver at Brooklands in Surrey.
He was killed at Pendine Sands, Carmarthenshire, Wales while trying to break the world land speed record. His car, Babs, used exposed chains to connect the engine to the drive wheels while the high engine cover required him to drive with his head tilted to one side – the right. On his final run the right-hand drive chain broke at a speed of 170 mph, partially decapitating him.[2] [3] [4] The car, also called the "Higham Special", was powered by a huge 27-litre Liberty aero-engine, and had been purchased by Parry-Thomas from the estate of Count Louis Zborowski.
Parry-Thomas was buried in Byfleet in Surrey, close to the Brooklands circuit. His car, Babs, was buried at Pendine Sands close to where he died. Some 40 years later, it was recovered and over the next 15 years restored by Owen Wyn Owen.[5] It is now on display at the Pendine Museum of Speed, Carmarthenshire.
In 1980 the UK based pop group The Tea Set released a single entitled "Parry Thomas" on Waldo's records (Waldo's PS 006), which recounted Parry-Thomas's demise.
[edit] References
- ^ Parry-Thomas family archive (updated 2008).
- ^ History of Pendine.
- ^ Babs being recovered from the sand, showing the missing fatal drive chain (photograph).
- ^ Remaining drive chain on the left-hand side (photograph).
- ^ Parry Thomas and Babs at Pendine Sands.
[edit] External links
- [1]Parry-Thomas family archive (updated 2008).
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