Mercedes 60hp 1903 at the memorial to Count Zborowski died 01 April 1903
Mercedes 60hp 1903 at the memorial to Count Zborowski died 01 April 1903
Count William Eliot Morris Zborowski (1858–1903) was a racing driver, and died in a racing crash, in 1903 at La Turbie Hillclimb in France near Nice. His wife was a wealthy American heiress, born Margaret Laura Astor Carey.(1853–1911), a granddaughter of William Backhouse Astor, Sr. of the prominent Astor family. She had been Baroness de Stuers before her divorce and marriage in 1882 to Count Eliot Zborowski.
Wednesday April 1st 1903
A gloom has been cast over the meeting by the fatal accident which occurred to Count Zborowski. He was driving his Mercedes in the La Turbie hill-climbing contest, which took place to-day, and in taking the sharp turn where Bauer came to grief two years ago he upset and was thrown against a rock and instantly killed. His companion was terribly injured, and was taken to the hospital where it is reported he has since died. The race was at once stopped, and it seems probable at the moment that the meeting will be abandoned entirely.
The famous mountain begins on the outskirts of Nice and rises to the village of La Turbie - a distance of 9.6 miles. The road is fairly well graded, but the turnings are nevertheless sharp and very dangerous for cars travelling at racing speed. For only about half the way does the road rise about eleven per cent. Here and there the incline is very severe, but the latter half of the road grades tip slightly to the village which gives the route its name. Count Zborowski succeeded in doing the journey in 25m. 21s. last year, when the fastest time was 15m. 4s. There is no doubt that with the high powers of modern racing cars, La Turbie is not a suitable hill. It is not steep enough to reduce the speed of the motors sufficient to make the very sharp bends safe, and while racing must always be dangerous, it appears that La Turbie is unduly so.
Mr. E. M. C. Instone, who knew Count Zborowski well, writes: "The news of Count Zborowski's death will come as a shock to the automobile world, in which he for all too brief a period played so prominent a part. In common with many other notable automobilists, he commenced his career on a De Dion tricycle, and then in the spring of 1900 purchased one of the first 28 h.p. Daimlers constructed at Cannstatt [This vehicle was illustrated in The Autocar of January 6th, 1900. ED.], and similar in type to the vehicle upon which Bauer was killed while participating in La Turbie of 1900. Although I never had the opportunity of driving with the Count on the more recent types of racing cars driven by him, I accompanied him on several occasions on the 28 h.p. Daimler in France and therefore was not at all surprised to read of his subsequent racing successes, for his skill as a driver was beyond question, and he was endowed with that combination of sang froid and prudence which avoids all unnecessary risk and tackles the in evitable with resolution. Count Zborowski was interested heart and soul in the movement, and I was always ready to examine anything new that might be brought to his notice."
His son, Count Louis Zborowski (20 February 1895 – 19 October 1924)
After the death of his father in 1903, in 1910 his mother bought the Higham Park estate at Bridge near Canterbury in Kent. Paying £17,500 to the executors of the estate of London banker William Gay, the sale included a farm, 225 acres (91 ha) and twelve houses. Mrs Zborowski immediately commissioned a £50,000 refurbishment of the house from the architect Joseph Sawyer.
On her death in 1911, 16 year old Louis instantly became the fourth richest under-21-year-old in the world, with cash of £11 million and real estate in the United States, including 7 acres (2.8 ha) of Manhattan and several blocks on Fifth Avenue, New York.
Early racing career
Zborowski's career as an amateur racing driver encompassed a wide experience of marques and events. He was an early patron of Aston Martin, and raced for them at Brooklands and in the 1923 French Grand Prix.
Zborowski designed and built four of his own racing cars in the stables at Higham Park, assisted by his engineer and co-driver Captain Clive Gallop, who was later racing engineer to the "Bentley Boys".
The first car was powered by a 23,093 cc six-cylinder Maybach aero engine and called "Chitty Bang Bang".[2] A second "Chitty Bang Bang" was powered by 18,8828 cc Benz aero engine. A third car was based on a Mercedes 28/95, but fitted with a 14,778 cc 6-cylinder Mercedes aero engine and was referred to as the White Mercedes. These cars achieved some success at Brooklands.
Another car, also built at Higham Park with a huge 27-litre aero engine, was called the "Higham Special" and later "Babs" and was used in J.G. Parry-Thomas's fatal attempt for the land speed record at Pendine Sands in 1927.
In January 1922 Louis, his wife Vi, Clive Gallop and Pixi Marix together with a couple of mechanics took Chitty Bang Bang and the White Mercedes across the Mediterranean for a drive into the Sahara Desert, in the tracks of Citroen's Kégresse-track-equipped expedition.
In the 1923 Indianapolis 500 Zborowski drove a Bugatti. He drove in the 1923 Italian Grand Prix at Monza in a car designed by American engineer Harry Arminius Miller, the single-seat "American Miller 122".
Zborowski joined the Mercedes team in 1924 but died in one of their cars, after hitting a tree during the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. He was just 29 years old.
Zborowski was a railway enthusiast and a 15 in (381 mm) gauge railway circuit, the Higham Railway, was built around his estate in Kent. This line was part of the inspiration behind the joint decision by Zborowski and his racing friend Captain J.E.P. Howey to construct a long-distance passenger-carrying railway line in the same gauge. Many locations were investigated, but this eventually led to the founding of the 14-mile (23 km) long Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway in Kent, which remains a popular tourist attraction and means of local transport. Zborowski ordered a steam locomotive from Bassett-Lowke, which ran on the Higham Railway in 1924. The locomotive was purchased by the Fairbourne Railway in Wales following the Count's death and named "Count Louis" in his honour. The locomotive remained at the Fairbourne until 1988. Zborowski also ordered the first locomotives for the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway from Davey Paxman & Co. of Essex. The order (and the project) was continued by Capt Howey alone, following the Count's death.
The children's book by Ian Fleming, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and the subsequent musical film, were inspired by the romance of Zborowski's exploits. Fleming had watched Zborowski race at Brooklands as a school boy.
Mercedes 60hp 1903 at the memorial to Count Zborowski died 01 April 1903
Mercedes 60hp 1903 at the memorial to Count Zborowski died 01 April 1903
Count William Eliot Morris Zborowski (1858–1903) was a racing driver, and died in a racing crash, in 1903 at La Turbie Hillclimb in France near Nice. His wife was a wealthy American heiress, born Margaret Laura Astor Carey.(1853–1911), a granddaughter of William Backhouse Astor, Sr. of the prominent Astor family. She had been Baroness de Stuers before her divorce and marriage in 1882 to Count Eliot Zborowski.
Wednesday April 1st 1903
A gloom has been cast over the meeting by the fatal accident which occurred to Count Zborowski. He was driving his Mercedes in the La Turbie hill-climbing contest, which took place to-day, and in taking the sharp turn where Bauer came to grief two years ago he upset and was thrown against a rock and instantly killed. His companion was terribly injured, and was taken to the hospital where it is reported he has since died. The race was at once stopped, and it seems probable at the moment that the meeting will be abandoned entirely.
The famous mountain begins on the outskirts of Nice and rises to the village of La Turbie - a distance of 9.6 miles. The road is fairly well graded, but the turnings are nevertheless sharp and very dangerous for cars travelling at racing speed. For only about half the way does the road rise about eleven per cent. Here and there the incline is very severe, but the latter half of the road grades tip slightly to the village which gives the route its name. Count Zborowski succeeded in doing the journey in 25m. 21s. last year, when the fastest time was 15m. 4s. There is no doubt that with the high powers of modern racing cars, La Turbie is not a suitable hill. It is not steep enough to reduce the speed of the motors sufficient to make the very sharp bends safe, and while racing must always be dangerous, it appears that La Turbie is unduly so.
Mr. E. M. C. Instone, who knew Count Zborowski well, writes: "The news of Count Zborowski's death will come as a shock to the automobile world, in which he for all too brief a period played so prominent a part. In common with many other notable automobilists, he commenced his career on a De Dion tricycle, and then in the spring of 1900 purchased one of the first 28 h.p. Daimlers constructed at Cannstatt [This vehicle was illustrated in The Autocar of January 6th, 1900. ED.], and similar in type to the vehicle upon which Bauer was killed while participating in La Turbie of 1900. Although I never had the opportunity of driving with the Count on the more recent types of racing cars driven by him, I accompanied him on several occasions on the 28 h.p. Daimler in France and therefore was not at all surprised to read of his subsequent racing successes, for his skill as a driver was beyond question, and he was endowed with that combination of sang froid and prudence which avoids all unnecessary risk and tackles the in evitable with resolution. Count Zborowski was interested heart and soul in the movement, and I was always ready to examine anything new that might be brought to his notice."
His son, Count Louis Zborowski (20 February 1895 – 19 October 1924)
After the death of his father in 1903, in 1910 his mother bought the Higham Park estate at Bridge near Canterbury in Kent. Paying £17,500 to the executors of the estate of London banker William Gay, the sale included a farm, 225 acres (91 ha) and twelve houses. Mrs Zborowski immediately commissioned a £50,000 refurbishment of the house from the architect Joseph Sawyer.
On her death in 1911, 16 year old Louis instantly became the fourth richest under-21-year-old in the world, with cash of £11 million and real estate in the United States, including 7 acres (2.8 ha) of Manhattan and several blocks on Fifth Avenue, New York.
Early racing career
Zborowski's career as an amateur racing driver encompassed a wide experience of marques and events. He was an early patron of Aston Martin, and raced for them at Brooklands and in the 1923 French Grand Prix.
Zborowski designed and built four of his own racing cars in the stables at Higham Park, assisted by his engineer and co-driver Captain Clive Gallop, who was later racing engineer to the "Bentley Boys".
The first car was powered by a 23,093 cc six-cylinder Maybach aero engine and called "Chitty Bang Bang".[2] A second "Chitty Bang Bang" was powered by 18,8828 cc Benz aero engine. A third car was based on a Mercedes 28/95, but fitted with a 14,778 cc 6-cylinder Mercedes aero engine and was referred to as the White Mercedes. These cars achieved some success at Brooklands.
Another car, also built at Higham Park with a huge 27-litre aero engine, was called the "Higham Special" and later "Babs" and was used in J.G. Parry-Thomas's fatal attempt for the land speed record at Pendine Sands in 1927.
In January 1922 Louis, his wife Vi, Clive Gallop and Pixi Marix together with a couple of mechanics took Chitty Bang Bang and the White Mercedes across the Mediterranean for a drive into the Sahara Desert, in the tracks of Citroen's Kégresse-track-equipped expedition.
In the 1923 Indianapolis 500 Zborowski drove a Bugatti. He drove in the 1923 Italian Grand Prix at Monza in a car designed by American engineer Harry Arminius Miller, the single-seat "American Miller 122".
Zborowski joined the Mercedes team in 1924 but died in one of their cars, after hitting a tree during the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. He was just 29 years old.
Zborowski was a railway enthusiast and a 15 in (381 mm) gauge railway circuit, the Higham Railway, was built around his estate in Kent. This line was part of the inspiration behind the joint decision by Zborowski and his racing friend Captain J.E.P. Howey to construct a long-distance passenger-carrying railway line in the same gauge. Many locations were investigated, but this eventually led to the founding of the 14-mile (23 km) long Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway in Kent, which remains a popular tourist attraction and means of local transport. Zborowski ordered a steam locomotive from Bassett-Lowke, which ran on the Higham Railway in 1924. The locomotive was purchased by the Fairbourne Railway in Wales following the Count's death and named "Count Louis" in his honour. The locomotive remained at the Fairbourne until 1988. Zborowski also ordered the first locomotives for the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway from Davey Paxman & Co. of Essex. The order (and the project) was continued by Capt Howey alone, following the Count's death.
The children's book by Ian Fleming, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and the subsequent musical film, were inspired by the romance of Zborowski's exploits. Fleming had watched Zborowski race at Brooklands as a school boy.