RACING TRAVELS:   During the 1960s my dad travelled all over Europe with his racing team.  The header photo shows him with his VW van with his racing car on the back.  He usually took two mechanics with him who were friends of his who just loved racing and volunteered their services for a free holiday abroad!  He went to all the big racing circuits:  Hockenheim, Nurburgring and Monza, travelling across Europe to get to them.  He always came back with lots of funny stories to tell.  Because the van he used wasn't brand new it would sometimes break down but at least he had two mechanics with him - however, getting parts wasn't easy in the 1960s, especially if they were in the middle of nowhere and they often had to fix things using anything they could get their hands on.  They also had a few spare parts with them for the racing car.

The places they stayed in en route were very basic - probably an inn with a couple of rooms to let, as my dad never wanted to spend too much money!  At one place they were kept up all night as the innkeeper and his customers kept the bar open long into the night.  At another place the innkeeper's wife made a pass at them - I don't think they were very interested as she was well past her prime and rather large!  But I think she fed them well as my dad always had some treat on him that he would give to the owners.

From each country that he went to he brought home a doll in that country's traditional costume.  This amounted to quite a collection eventually and below is a photo of most of them.  I wonder if you recognise your own country's costume and if you can tell me where they are from as I have forgotten some of them after all these years!  The matador and his bull are obviously Spanish and other countries represented are Germany, Switzerland, Ostende, Greece, Portugal and Florence (the lady with the lace).

 

 

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More photos next week!

 

 


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Hallowe'en Hauntings #100

| 29th October 2025 | Growing Up In a Stately Home

Hallowe'en Hauntings  #100

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| 24th September 2025 | Growing Up In a Stately Home

Hoar Cross Hall meets Downton Abbey  #99

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| 19th August 2025 | Growing Up In a Stately Home

Skools out for Summer  #98

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| 25th June 2025 | Growing Up In a Stately Home

Anyone for Tennis?  #96

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