A parade and memorial service to mark the 50th anniversary of the death of Mike Hawthorn will be held in Surrey on Sunday 25th January.
Hawthorn won the world championship in 1958, becoming the first British driver to do so. He retired from the sport after that victory, but was killed in a road accident on January 22nd 1959.
Event details are as follows:
Mike Hawthorn memorial service next Sunday 25th January
£30m+ worth of cars to take part in town centre parade
To mark the 50th anniversary of 1958 World Champion driver Michael Hawthorn’s death in January 1959, a memorial service is to be held in his home town at St Andrew’s Parish Church, Upper Church Lane, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 7PW on Sunday, 25 January 2009.
This is the nearest Sunday to 22 January, which marks exactly 50 years since Mike fatally crashed his 3.4 Jaguar on the Guildford by-pass. All those who wish to remember Mike Hawthorn are invited to attend and it is envisaged that a number of Mike’s former friends and fellow drivers will be present. The service is scheduled for 1.30pm but an early arrival is recommended as there is already heavy pressure on the approx. 600 places available.
A special Order of Service has been printed.
Spectacular parade of cars
Afterwards, from about 2.30pm, Farnham will be treated to a police-escorted parade around the town centre of some 50 cars associated with Mike Hawthorn. The parade will take the cars into Downing St, right into The Borough, right at the lights into South St, then right into Union St and so back into Downing St. Several laps of the town centre will be completed.
A spectacular array of cars worth a combined £30m – £40m will be taking part. Expected are an Alfa Romeo 8C Le Mans, vintage Bentley 3.0 litre Red Label, Riley Ulster Imp, Riley Sprite, Fiat Topolino, Lancia Aprilia, Lancia Aurelia, C-type Jaguar, D-type Jaguar, Ferrari 166 Barchetta, Ferrari 2.0 litre Inter, Ferrari 250 TR58, Ferrari 246 Dino, Ferrari Tour de France, Jaguar XK 120 and XK 140, Jaguar 3.4 saloon, Jaguar Mk VII and Mk VIII, Healey Silverstone, AC Ace Bristol, Sunbeam Talbot Alpine, Cooper ‘bob-tail’, Lotus XI Le Mans sports-racing car, Triumph TR2, 3 and 3A, and a Wolseley 6/90 ex-police car.
You can find this information, together with some related photos of the church and area, on the Memorial Web Site.
Read more: Mike Hawthorn biography
