17th Grand Prix of Europe
On the morning of Saturday, July 20th, the windows were rain-streaked after a steady downpour, leaving a leaden sky which dragged across Liverpool's glistening roofs and smoking factory chimneys, but the forecaster was correct. By lunch-time the sky cleared, the sun broke through, the circuit dried and the flags and bunting began to quiver in a light breeze.
After practice Moss plus Vanwall held the "pole" position with a time of 0.2 sec., 89.85 m.p.h., his neighbours being Behra and Brooks. Rarely has there been so magnificent a start. There was no rushing at the time, all engines were running, the starter's flag was raised . . . dropped, and in an ear-splitting, vibrating thunder of shattering sound the entire grid moved as one. All held the same position. Then Behra, with smoking wheels, forged into the lead, all the stars behind, with Fangio in seventh place. Then Britain's idol, Stirling Moss, streaked into the lead with Mr. Vandervelt's Vanwall.
On the seventh lap Moss led by 5 sec. and the puzzled Lewis-Evans sped past world-champion Fangio. Lap after lap Moss sped on, chased by Behra, Hawthorn, Collins, Brooks and Musso. On the twenty-second lap Moss came in and Behra flashed into the lead. They worked on the Vanwall. It did a lap and Moss was back to board Brooks' car. Now began the grimmest chase we have seen for years. Behra fled on at an ever-increasing average, but in 10 laps Moss had regained ½ minute. Moss was knocking off "fastest laps" one after another just under 90 m.p.h. Lap by lap Moss rapidly reduced the margin between himself and the leader. At 56 laps it was 45 secs. At 57, 43 secs., at 60 laps 40.8 secs. Behra could travel no faster. Moss tossed in a lap record of 90.3 m.p.h. Six laps at this speed ended in a new record at 90.6 m.p.h. Forty secs, behind Behra and 30 laps to go. At 69 laps Behra's bolt was shot. He came slowly to the pits to an uproar of cheering, to retire, clutchless. Moss immediately shot past team mate Stewart Lewis-Evans into the lead. At 79 laps Moss dashed in for a make-sure top up for fuel and set off 41 sec. ahead of Musso who was 20 sec. ahead of Hawthorn. On the last 10 laps Moss slowed down. We were all gnawing our knuckles and biting our nails. Would a last minute defect ruin this fine victory? Musso was closing in rapidly, driving with the utmost dispatch. The 40 sec. became 30 ... 28 ... 27, but it was too late. Moss went on his serene way watching the signal board and the rev. counter. All was well. He came home 25.6 secs. in the lead to as wildly cheering a crowd as we have heard at a British outdoor meeting. The Vanwall had done it at last. A British car had worn the green over the line in a championship Grand Prix, the Grand Prix of Europe marking the R.A.C.S. Jubilee Year.
C. Cunnington, VI.Sc.
Women
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Women are such talkative things, They go down to the sewing class, They walk around the busy shops |
| S. D. Brierley, 3G. |
The Dream
| Amid the wild torrential storm, There came a weird and ghostly form. I saw at last it was a horse, It raised its hooves and with all force They crashed upon the ground. As the wind howled with a frightful sound There came a piercing crack, And then a dead tree fell upon the poor white horse's back. A horrible thing then did it seem Till I awoke from my strange Dream. |
| J. A. Eveniss, 1A. |
The Warwick Vase
In June, 1956, when returning from a holiday in the South, we stopped in the ancient city of Warwick and as the chance might not recur decided to visit the famous castle which is the family seat of the Grevills. The castle, dating from pre-Norman days, contains many art treasures, amongst them the unique Warwick Vase which is housed in a specially built conservatory in the gardens where also dwells a family of peacocks.
This huge circular white marble vase, which stands approximately 10 feet high and 5 feet in diameter is supported by a marble base which bears its history engraved in Latin. It was found at the bottom of a lake in the grounds of Hadrian's villa at Tiber, which is about 12 miles from Rome, in 1770 by Sir William Hamilton, the English ambassador to the court of the King of Naples. It was then acquired by George, Earl of Warwick, and at his expense shipped to England and mounted in its present position.
The vase has two large handles formed by intertwining branches of vines from which the leaves and bunches of grapes are spread around the rim. The main design on the vase is a panther skin complete with head and claws. Above this are the heads of Satyrs except for one. An Italian sculptor made it into a likeness of Lady Hamilton but he quarrelled with her and consequently he gave her a Fawn's ear. The heads are interspaced with the vine-clad wand of Bacchus and the crooked staff of the Augurs.
J.P.M.