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We are now a few weeks away from sending the discs to the printer for proofing - some example thumbnail pages appear below. Due to the volume
of information that has come in, content will likely now be in excess of 450 pages, possibly 500,
with a very large number of unseen photographs (images total over 800 currently) of Mike at work and play, some taken only a day or two before his death. Many
people who knew Mike have talked to us freely, including his fiancee to be, now Jean Ireland. There are over 120 listed contributors.
New witnesses to the crash scenario have come forward and we also have a report of the Post Mortem that
discloses previously unpublished facts. We have to thank those photo archives that have generously donated
much of their relevant content for the book and many other people for all the time and energy put into assisting progress
in various ways. The book includes the first ever attempt at providing race car numbers for all races Mike took part in,
an invaluable aid for identifying and dating photographs.
There will hopefully be a book launch party late this year, possibly at the Farnham Maltings where there is adequate free
parking and the needed facilities. Please note that everyone who has expressed an interest in the book via the form
on this site will receive details of how to order when the time comes later in the year. Please watch this page for
updates. Tony Bailey
Since the Tribute Site was created in 2006, we've been completely taken aback by the volume of visitors and also really pleased with the amount and quality of information that's been sent to us from people who knew Mike or encountered him while at events and so on.
In particular, we have had contact with a number of people who actually worked with or knew Mike over longer periods – and this is
in addition to those we were already aware of. Several of these were Tourist Trophy Garage employees and they have not told
their story before.
Using these memories and those of others, we are pleased to announce that a new book on John Michael Hawthorn’s life is now in its final stages.
It will be published in advance of the 50th Anniversary of his death
(22nd January 2009) and will also include the initial pioneering research on Mike undertaken by Paul Roach in the early 1990s. We have
a number of well known authors on board to make this an enthralling read including Doug Nye and co-author Paul Skilleter.
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This book will primarily concentrate on Mike's personal life together with full details of his racing career introduced
by respected journalist Doug Nye. We will have much input from many who actually knew him in daily life and have come forward with their stories.
It will also include some relevant articles that have been previously published only
in specialist magazines. As well as a standard edition, there will be a signed leather bound Limited Edition presented in a slip case. The title is now 'Mike Hawthorn – Golden Boy'.
His motor racing career will be covered with many photographs, and the book will single out for close examination
his special relationship with Jaguar – the cars and the company. This includes a detailed examination of Mike’s
role in the 1955 Le Mans disaster, for which many believe he was unfairly blamed, and the circumstances
surrounding his death in VDU 881, the 3.4L saloon he fatally crashed on the Guildford by-pass on 22 January 1959.
His many personal cars that he owned and also in some cases, raced, are covered in as much detail as possible.
Existing owners are being interviewed worldwide for period photos and facts from the time of Mike's ownership.
New facts
New information emerges about both these episodes including eye-witness accounts
from the Hawthorn's cottage 'daily' and an on-the-spot TT Garage employee. These start
early on the morning of his fatal crash, detailing events inside his home
up Folly Hill through to when he left the garage for the Guildford bypass
and on to what happened at the TT after the crash - these accounts have
never been published before.
We have also had access to many personal handwritten letters from Mike to his family while he was away - even to telegrams advising of Leslie's
crash and subsequent death. These are all reproduced and transcribed in the book.
This will be a large format, 400 page plus hard-bound publication printed on semi-gloss art paper with jacket, size approx.
225mm x 297mm and with many hundreds of illustrations – the majority never seen in any book before. It is being produced in
conjunction with Paul Skilleter Books - Paul wrote and published the best selling acclaimed book on Norman Dewis, for which he recently
won the Guild of Motoring Writers Montagu Award for the best researched and written motoring book of the year.
He also published the recent major Ecurie Ecosse history by Eric Dymock.
The Mike Hawthorn book will be of similar high
quality to these books and will form a companion volume to these. Due to the specialised nature of the book, only a limited number of the standard edition will be produced,
together with a very special leather-bound edition with slip case,
signed by the authors and someone closely connected to Mike, for those who want the best.
For six months now, the project has taken on a life of its own with offers of help and information arriving daily from all
over the world, some of major interest and importance to Mike's memory. Artist Paul Dove has kindly allowed use of the
striking cover portrait that inspired the book's title and the book also features his latest painting 'Victory under the Sun'.
Stuart Spencer has also donated a custom rendering of Mike in the 1955 Jaguar D-type for the book.
We would very much like to hear back from you if you feel you would possibly purchase the book so we can advise you ordering details when the book is printed.
The cost of the standard edition is highly dependent on the print run,
but would hopefully be in the order of £45 plus shipping for the initial pricing.
The Special Edition will cost around £150.
The current guide to content is:
| Title: Mike Hawthorn - Golden Boy |
| Introduction | |
| Preface | |
| Chapter One: | The impossible dream - Mike's school days and adventures |
| Chapter Two: | The Family Business - The Tourist Trophy Garage Ltd |
| Chapter Three: | Life with the Hawthorns |
| Chapter Four: | Mike's Personal Cars |
| Chapter Five: | Le Mans 1955 |
| Chapter Six: | A Special Jaguar - VDU 881 |
| Chapter Seven: | The Road to the World Championship |
| Chapter Eight: | A Champion's Girl |
| Chapter Nine: | What really happened in 1959? |
| Chapter Ten: | Saying Goodbye |
| Chapter Eleven: | Memorials |
| Chapter Twelve: | Memorabilia |
| Chapter Thirteen: | The Mike Hawthorn art gallery |
| Chapter Fourteen: | Recollections |
| Chapter Fifteen: | Potpourri |
| Appendix One: | Career Results in depth 1950 - 1958 |
| Bibliography | |
| Index | |
Mike on advertising duty for Smiths Watches. The young boy is John Shaw whose father worked at the watch company.
John kindly sent us this and other photos - do you have anything similar that we could use in the book?
If you are interested in the book then please let us know via our Interest page.
We'll keep all Registered Members and anyone who responds informed on progress.
The book will contain much information kindly provided by visitors to the web site. This peice also informs you that if you supplied photos and or
text or even just comments to us for use on the site, we will likely use such material in the book
(unless you stated conditions for other use at the time such as for photographs).
We will naturally provide attribution for all material used (but not e-mail addresses of course).
If you have any problem with this, or wish to impose conditions then please contact us as soon as possible.
On the other hand, if you have further material or memories that you think could be included in the book, please also contact us.
We particularly need anything you may have on the following:
a) The Hawthorn's House called Greenfields up on Folly Hill in Farnham - photos etc. Did you even live near it possibly? Did any of you know Michael as a child or at school?
b) The Tourist Trophy Garage in East Street, Farnham - we need contemporary photos plus any memories you have of the garage even if you just used it
c) Anything else that you think might be useful and that is related to personal knowledge of Mike
In the May issue of Jaguar World Monthly, out in April, you will find an article by the site's Tony Bailey on an amazing find - Mike's original School 'Tuck Box' from the war years likely at Ardingly College. This has been unseen for over 50 years and I had full access to it via its current custodian. Read how it came to the family that owns it and what was in it .... This will naturally also be covered in the book but in more depth.
"Somehow, when you first look at and touch
this little wooden box, with the name ‘J M
HAWTHORN’ painted in black on the lid, you can’t
help but think how the legendary Mike Hawthorn
must have used this so often as a youngster,
possibly sitting on it to sort his cigarette cards.
The chest itself is sturdily built in wood with
metal corners and reinforcing plates. It has a lock
but no longer a key. The remains of a luggage
label on the side indicates that the trunk was sent
on the Southern Railway from Farnham Station,
most likely to Ardingly College in Sussex where
Mike spent the war years from 1942 as a boarder ..."
“... I was on my way to School with Michael - there was a set of traffic lights in Farnham at the
bottom of a hill on the way to the school. I remember
Michael stopping there once and another car
pulled up alongside us. Michael obviously knew
the other driver and that he was indicating he’d
like to race Michael away from the lights and up
the hill! Michel didn’t, though, and I assume that
was because I was in the car.
“I didn’t know him as a racing driver, of course -
he was just a man to me, but very amiable and he
seemed to get on with almost anyone.”
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