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Alan Fairless
United Kingdom
6 Posts |
 Posted - 23/10/2013 : 13:33:31
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| I'm trying to research a pre war trials driver, GF Horan. I know very little about him other than he once owned my car,which is an Austin special. From Cowbourne I know he went on to drive MGs in trials,and later,Singers. I'd be very grateful for anything anyone knows. |
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George Eagle
United Kingdom
3299 Posts |
Posted - 23/10/2013 : 18:42:49
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Hi Alan
Welcome to the Triple-M forum.
We have some very knowledgeable members who will I am sure give you some information.
George
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JMH
United Kingdom
934 Posts |
Posted - 23/10/2013 : 19:00:44
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I believe he trialed an F Type (F1445)& possibly owned an M Type at some point (chassis not known). His brother may have been J M Horan, who trialled J3661 a fair bit & that sometimes they partnered or double entered.
JH |
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Alan Fairless
United Kingdom
6 Posts |
Posted - 23/10/2013 : 20:40:16
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| That's interesting. I thought JM and GF might be brothers. They both trialled Austin 7s until about 1933 when they got MGs. JM came from London, but I believe by 1933 GF lived in the midlands. Hagley or Stourbridge, to be precise. It would be really interesting to know who they were. So far I only know their initials. |
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LewPalmer
USA
3333 Posts |
Posted - 23/10/2013 : 20:58:22
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A Google search revealed that GF was awarded a Premier Award in the Torquay Rally and Trial 26th-27th July 1935. There is also a reference to JM and GF running in an Austin 7 (NR8560).
"(NR8560) built by one Ben Cutler who ran Central Garage in Hagley and has quite extensive competition history in trials pre-war driven by GF and JM Horan and later by Ben Cutler's nephew, Ray Cutler".
Lew Palmer
PA1169, PB0560 |
Edited by - LewPalmer on 23/10/2013 20:59:18 |
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Alan Fairless
United Kingdom
6 Posts |
Posted - 23/10/2013 : 22:22:58
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| Yes. NR8560 is my car. The comments about Ben cutler I posted on an austin seven website, but that's about all I know about its prewar history. There is reference on the internet to a JM Horan who was a naval surgeon, and a GF Horan died in Stourbridge during the war. However Horan is not an uncommon name. |
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Mike the M
United Kingdom
485 Posts |
Posted - 24/10/2013 : 10:57:38
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According to Cowbourne, GFH started in an Austin in 1929, and then in a 1271cc Magna for the 1933 Exeter. However from the 1935 Colmore he is recorded as in 1250cc Magna until the end of 1936, again for the Exeter the switched allegiance to a 1 1/2 ltr Singer until he finished in late 1937.
J. M. Horan Started on the 1933 Exeter in the J2 and retired, but was back for the 1934 Lands End and Edinburgh trials.
Interesting that GFH used a J2 in the 1934 Brighton Beer. I wonder if JMH was navigating in his car.
Hope this is of interest.
Mike Dalby |
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JMH
United Kingdom
934 Posts |
Posted - 24/10/2013 : 11:42:35
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| Not this one Mike! |
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Alan Fairless
United Kingdom
6 Posts |
Posted - 24/10/2013 : 12:35:45
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| I met ray cutler who had my Austin after Horan. He told me that it had suffered a terminal supercharger failure and Horan gave it to him. Presumably that's when he acquired the MG. the Austin had a works supercharged engine. Love to know how they came by that. |
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Vitesse
United Kingdom
234 Posts |
Posted - 24/10/2013 : 14:03:33
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If I've traced the right chap, he was George Frederick Horan of 'Bidbury', Worcester Rd, Pedmore, Stourbridge. Died September 11th 1943, aged about 44. Possibly born in Limerick in Ireland in 1899 - son of the County Surveyor, John Horan - but there's no sign of a brother with initials JM on the 1911 census. This GFH's mother was English (perhaps from Yorkshire), although it's unlikely she had any more children as she was then 48 and her husband 57. GFH had an elder brother called Charles and a sister called Edith.
He had married Dorothy Kathleen Curtis in Bromsgrove in 1929: she appears to have been born in Oswestry in about 1900, daughter of a railway official. Can't trace any issue from their marriage though. No idea what Horan's occupation was either, but his estate was worth nearly £2000, a not inconsiderable sum at the time. |
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Alan Fairless
United Kingdom
6 Posts |
Posted - 25/10/2013 : 09:18:39
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If that is the same family, the 1911 census records that they had 4 children living, then. The census only lists three. These Hiram's were clearly well to do. The address is a posh one, in limerick. I wonder if JM was away at school.
Thanks for that, it's really interesting. |
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Vitesse
United Kingdom
234 Posts |
Posted - 25/10/2013 : 10:41:56
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Bit of a punt, this, but Ancestry has a 1932 travel record from Tangier to Plymouth for a John Michael Horan, whose address was given as 190 High St, Harlesden NW10. Worked in advertising and seems to have been travelling with his secretary, a Miss Leask from Richmond.
Born May 1st 1897 (not on Ancestry, so perhaps in Ireland?) - death registered in St Pancras 1976. Probably lived in Russell Court, Woburn Place WC1 in the 1960s. |
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Alan Fairless
United Kingdom
6 Posts |
Posted - 25/10/2013 : 11:06:22
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| Right. The Worcester road address for gfh is just around the corner from Cutler's garage in Hagley. I'd guess he's the right one. The only thing I know of jmh is that he might have lived in London. If the limerick thing is correct they weren't brothers. H senior had 3 sons Henry Charles and George, and two daughters. |
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G.F. Horan
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