Woolf Barnato

Le Mans drivers
Name = Woolf Barnato


Nationality = flagicon|UK British
Years = 24hLM|1928-24hLM|1930
Team(s) = Bentley Motors Ltd.
Best Finish = 1st (24hLM|1928, 24hLM|1929, 24hLM|1930)
Class Wins = 3 (24hLM|1928, 24hLM|1929, 24hLM|1930)

Joel Woolf Barnato (27 September 1895 – 27 July 1948) was a British financier and racing driver, one of the "Bentley Boys" of the 1920s. He achieved three consecutive wins out of three entries in the 24 Hours of Le Mans race.

He was the son of Barney Barnato, who had made a fortune as a "Randlord" in South African diamond and gold mining. He inherited a multi-million pound fortune at the age of two. He was educated at Charterhouse School and Trinity College, Cambridge and served as an officer in the Royal Field Artillery, British Army in World War I.

Bentley

In the 1920s he was a member of a social set known as the "Bentley Boys", daredevil drivers who favoured the cars of W. O. Bentley. Many were independently wealthy, often with a background in military service. Barnato was nicknamed "Babe", in ironic deference to his heavyweight boxer's stature.

Inspired by the 1924 Le Mans win by John Duff and Frank Clement, Barnato agreed to finance Bentley's business, and became majority shareholder and chairman in 1925.

Barnato went on to be Duff's co-driver when he set the world 24 hour record at 95.03 mph at Autodrome de Montlhéry.

With renewed financial input, W. O. Bentley was able to design another generation of cars, the six-cylinder 6½ Litre. However, the supercharged 4½ Litre (the famous "Blower" Bentley), which Barnato pushed through against Bentley's wishes, had poor durability and failed on the track.

The Wall Street Crash affected the Bentley business greatly, and Barnato and Bentley were forced to sell to arch-rival Rolls-Royce.

Le Mans

As a driver, Woolf Barnato won the 24 Hours of Le Mans race three times:
*1928 — with Bernard Rubin in a Bentley 4½ Litre
*1929 — with Sir Henry "Tim" Birkin in a Bentley Speed Six ("Old Number One")
*1930 — with Glen Kidston in a Bentley Speed Six ("Old Number One")

As these were the only years in which he entered the race, Barnato is the only Le Mans driver with a perfect wins-to-starts ratio.

Bentley, under his chairmanship, also won the race in 1927, with Dr. J. Dudley "Benjy" Benjafield and S. C. H. "Sammy" Davis in a Bentley 3 Litre.

Le Train Bleu

In March 1930 Woolf Barnato accepted a challenge to race his Bentley against an express train, "Le Train Bleu", from Cannes to London. Barnato wagered £200 that at the wheel of his Speed Six, he could arrive in London before the French train had arrived at Calais. At 17:45, "Le Train Bleu" left the station at Cannes, and Barnato drove off in his Bentley Speed Six, accompanied by amateur golfer Dale Bourne. They maintained an average speed of 43.43 mph across a distance of over 570 miles, and reached Calais at 10:30 the next morning. After crossing the English Channel by ferry they arrived at the Conservative Club in St. James’ Street, London at 15:20. "Le Train Bleu" arrived at Calais station at 15:24, four minutes adrift of Barnato's time.

It has lately been established that the car Barnato used for the "Blue Train Run" was a Le-Mans-specification chassis with a four-door body by coachbuilder H.J. Mulliner and not the iconic Gurney-Nutting coupé shown in the famous picture by Terence Cuneo. Both cars were diligently restored by owner Bruce McCaw. For the 75th anniversary of the event in 2005, Bentley Motors Ltd. recreated it with assistance from Bruce McCaw and enthusiasts from around the world.

Barnato also played first-class cricket, appearing as wicket-keeper with Surrey County Cricket Club from 1928 to 1930.

Barnato's daughter Diana Barnato Walker MBE learned to fly at the Brooklands Flying Club (based in the centre of the car racing circuit) in 1938 at age 20 and went on to ferry Spitfires, Hurricanes and Wellingtons with the Air Transport Auxiliary during World War Two

Further reading

* Malcolm Bobbitt - "W.O. Bentley: The Man behind the Marque" (2003) ISBN 1-85983-352-7
* Diana Barnato Walker - "Spreading My Wings: One of Britain's Top Women Pilots Tells Her Remarkable Story from Pre-War Flying to Breaking the Sound Barrier" (2003) ISBN 1-904010-31-8

External links

* [http://www.historicracing.com/drivers.cfm?driverID=2555&AlphaIndex=B Biography at Historic Racing]
* [http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/england/content/player/9546.html Biography at Cricinfo]
* [http://www.maisonblanche.co.uk/bntlyboy.html "Bentley Boys"]
* [http://www.autoaficionado.net/issue/0101-38.html Blue Train Bentley - "Auto Aficionado"]
* [http://www.hartlana.co.uk/bphoto/c246.htm Photo: Woolf Barnato and Jack Dunfee in Bentley Old No. 1 after winning the Brooklands 1929 Six Hour Race]