Researching 50s/60s UK rally results

[Grrrmachine]

I'm digging into my family history, and a common tale is that my grandmother (surname Tatham or McGuire) was Pat Moss' navigator at some point, and that they came second in a rally together.

Trouble is, I can't find any record of Pat Moss racing together with anyone of that name, and I'm not quite ready to blow 50 quid on the only copy of Pat's autobiography on eBay.

For those in the know, are there any searchable places I can find historic rally/race results? I know my grandfather (A J Tatham) did the Monte Carlo and the Tulip Rally in the 50s too, so there should definitely be some surname results out there.

(Apologies if it sounds like I'm asking others to do the legwork for me; I'm really just trying to narrow down the thousands of google results).

[Riley Blue]

Start here: https://www.ewrc-results.com/season/1950/772-erc-l...

ETA: there's no mention of Tatham or McGuire in Pat Moss's international results list in 'Harnessing Horsepower' nor in the index.

Edited by Riley Blue on Monday 12th September 11:55

[andrewcliffe]

This site has an increasing number of historic rally results - but its very much a work in progress and concentrating mostly on the biggest events (world and european rally)

https://www.ewrc-results.com/profile/51206-pat-mos...

If its club level, then its going to be harder. Archives of local newspapers, Motoring News, Motorsport, Autosport. The organising club may have an archive if they still exist.

[nicanary]

Pat Moss drove almost exclusively for BMC prior to her marriage to Erik Carlsson. There is a comprehensive list of events and results in the index of Marcus Chambers' book "Seven Year Twitch" and there is no sign of a Tatham or McGuire.

[Allan L]

It is worth reminding younger folk that in the 1950s/1960s there were a lot of clubs running a lot of club rallying which was well supported.
To give a sense of the scale, Motor Sport's "Events for November" in 1955 listed 28 Rallies but most were not written up by that magazine (or any other) so by now leave no trace.

[Grrrmachine]

Thanks for all the tips so far folks, it's very much appreciated. I've been getting my hands on old Autosport mags and browsing the results, but not found anything so far.

To pique your curosity (and to thank those who answered), here are a few pics from back in the day: https://imgur.com/a/QzCrQvc

For those zooming in on the plates: at least one rally was the Daily Express rally in (I think 1951). Stirling Moss was a close family friend at the time and older relatives still photos of him and my grandfather around the dining table, including one with a (very young) Roger Moore. The trouble is, the first-hand witnesses at the time were kids then and pensioners now, so their memories of who, when, and where are very unreliable. One relative thought that Pat was Stirling's wife...

[droopsnoot]

If you're on Facebook, there is the "Golden Years of Rallying" group that might be worth looking in : https://www.facebook.com/groups/goldenyearsofrally...

[leyorkie]

Blue sky thinking 🤔

Was a Competition Licence required then ?
If so would the RAC have records that could show if they were competing
Just a thought

[coppice]

It is also worth asking on the Autosport Nostalgia Forum , which is a mine of useful information and populated by some serious names from the world of motorsport. And randoms like me

[Allan L]

leyorkie said:

Was a Competition Licence required then ?

Without looking it up my recollection is:
For Closed to Club and Closed co-promoted a licence was not needed as ones Membership Card (of an RAC-recognised Club) had the necessary disclaimers printed on the back.
Further up the status scale, Navigators/co-drivers did not need competition licences unless the co-driver was expected to drive.