W.T. Clifford Earp, crash at 1904 Gordon Bennett Trials

Date(s): 1904

Scope & Content: Walter Thomas Clifford Earp (1879–1921) was a pioneer racing motorist. He crashed his Napier into the Villa Marina wall. Notice the police constable.

'Mr Clifford Earp, the injured motorist, has so far recovered from his injuries that he was able on Sunday to leave the hospital for some time. It is expected that his brother, who was more seriously injured will be out during the next fortnight. He put his side brakes on very hard and locked his wheels; that is to say, the wheels, instead of continuing to revolve, skidded along the ground. That is not an uncommon occurrence; but the point is this, immediately you put on your brake the car may not steer properly, and you correct that by taking the brake off and letting the wheels revolve again. Earp tried to take the brake off he could not do so. Just before the race he had a little accident with his car, had broken the ratchet which, is used for holding the brake on. He had left the ratchet on, and had tied it up with a bit of wire meaning to be independent of it: but the wire had no doubt stretched and fallen down, and kept the brake on.

Finding he was getting too near the crowd at the barrier to pull up in time, and being unable to turn to the left because Hargreaves was in the way, he steered his car for the wall. He intended to scrape the side of the wall, but the back wheels, being locked, made his car swerve...His brother, who had nothing to hold by, was thrown out first, and he (Sir Clifford Earp) fell when the car rebounded and smashed up. He makes very light of his fall, and said he was used to that sort of thing. He remembered nothing after he struck the wall until he found himself in bed in the Hospital, surrounded by doctors and nurses. Considerable speculation was indulged in on the Tuesday when Earp was seen racing in the trials without goggles. It appears that he had been working up to two in the morning getting his car in perfect order and while exerting his strength on part of the machinery, he was precipitated on his face, and sustained an injury to his nose which entirely prevented him wearing glasses. He raced, therefore, under considerable disadvantages: and the fact he took first place is all the more creditable to him. He believes that his time from Ramsey to Douglas in the fifth round was the fastest record of the day. He attributes his success to the fact that he was using Palmer tyres.' (Isle of Man Examiner, 21 May 1904, p.3.)

Language: eng

Extent: 30.3 x 24.6 cms

Item name: photograph

Collection: Photographic Archive

Level: ITEM

ID number: PG/5407

Subject tags : #TT&MOTORSPORT

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