Tim Rose Richards

Tim Rose-Richards
1902 - 1940

Renowned Welsh racing driver, Thomas Essery "Tim" Rose-Richards competed in sportscar and Grand Prix racing between 1929 and 1936. Born in Mayals, Glamorgan, Wales, in 1902, he was the only son of T. P. Rose-Richards, chairman of the shipping and coal-exporting firm bearing his name. A stockbroker by trade, Tim Rose-Richards used to say he raced "for racing's sake and for the fun of the thing."

Tim Rose-Richards achieved great success in sportscar racing. Five-time starter in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, three years in a row he secured third place overall; in 1931, sharing with Owen Saunders-Davies a 3-litre Talbot AV105, entered by the British automobile importer Arthur Fox; in 1932, paired with Brian Lewis in the same car, and in 1933, once again with his friend Lewis, this time in a private Alfa Romeo 8C 2300, third Alfa Romeo car in the first three places, along with the winners, Sommer-Nuvolari and second placed Chinetti-Philippe de Gunsburg who raced under the nom de course of "Philippe Varent".

Later in 1933, at the RAC Tourist Trophy held at the Ards circuit nearly Belfast, Tim Rose-Richards came also third, setting the fastest lap of the race in the Alfa Romeo 8C 2300, close behind the winning MG Magnette K3 of Tazio Nuvolari and Hugh Hamilton, second in another MG. And in the first edition of the Isle of Man's Mannin Moar, held in July 1933, he challenged Lewis' powerful Alfa Romeo Monza 2300 for the lead until late in the race, when he lost a gear on his Bugatti T51, finishing runner-up. Rose-Richard scored a fine fourth place with his Bugatti at the Grand Prix de Dieppe in 1934, then the next year he campaigned a works ERA-B and finished a remarkable third in the voiturette class in the 1935 ADAC Eifelrennen at the Nürburgring. By the end of the year, he was awarded the British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC) Gold Star.

Tim Rose-Richard was remembered for his association with John Cobb, with which he built up a strong friendship. He earned his career's final victory in the 1935 International 500 Miles Race at Brooklands, driving with Cobb a Napier-Railton. They also took a notable series of long-distance records in the 500Hp Napier-Railton, at Linas-Montlhéry, France, and at the Bonneville Salt Lake, Utah, United States, holding at one time every World's speed record from 1 to 24 hours. In September 1936, the Napier-Railton driven by Cobb and Rose-Richards, partnered with other drivers such as Charles Brackenbury, Charlie Dodson and Johnny Hindmarsh, established four new records, including averaging 150.16 mi/h (241.66 km/h) over 24 hours, covering 3,604 miles (5,800 kilometers).

An experienced flier as owner of a private plane, at the outbreak of World War II, Tim Rose-Richards enlisted in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR) serving as a Lieutenant pilot. He lost his life on active service, on Monday, 07 October 1940. He was stationed with the 765 Squadron RNVR at Lee-on-Solent, Hampshire, England, and with another officer in the Fleet Air Arm, he attempted to rescue a baled-out German airman from the sea, piloting a Supermarine Walrus seaplane. While flying out to sea, two Heinkel 111 German planes came out of the clouds and shot them down. Rose-Richards died when his aircraft crashed into the sea, eight miles south of Anvil Point, Dorset.

Thomas Essery "Tim" Rose-Richards was 38 year old. He had married Miss Bettina Paterson of Capetown, South Africa, a few years before his death and the couple had two daughter