Horrific death of Grand Prix mechanic that changed motor racing for good

THE name Tom Barrett will mean little – even to those many fans of motor racing. Yet it was Wolverhampton-born Barrett’s horrific death on the dirt tracks of Spain in 1924 that led to a fundamental change in the sport’s rules.

Following the mechanic’s terrible death – he was decapitated after being flung from his car – engineers were banned from riding as passengers in the souped up machines. Drivers had to go it all alone.

To an extent, Barrett paid the price for Wolverhampton car company Sunbeam’s bid to be the very best on the Roaring Twenties’ racing circuit. But he was not the firm’s only victim at the San Sebastian Grand Prix.

His driver, Kenelm Lee Guinness, suffered severe head injuries and committed suicide on April 10, 1937. An inquest into the tragedy recorded a verdict of “suicide while of unsound mind”.

Formula One is today considered dangerous. Back then the risks were cranked up tenfold. Just three weeks before Tom lost his life, Dario Resta died when Sunbeam’s new, powerful six-cylinder car turned into a fireball at the Brooklands track.

Barrett was born in Prestwood Road, Wolverhampton, on November 21, 1891. He was one of nine children and his father, George, was a factory worker.

Young Barrett began his working life alongside his father at pumpmakers Joseph Evans and Sons.

During World War One, Barrett was an employee of Guys Motors, famous makers of buses and lorries. During the conflict he was making depth-charge fuses at the Wolverhampton factory – a job considered so important he was excused military service.

In 1915, Barrett – devoutly religious and a member of St John’s Church choir – married local girl Lillian Ivy Worthington-Roberts and they set up home in Burleigh Road.

Three years later, Barrett took on a new job, working for the company on aero-engines.

When Guys stopped the aeroengine branch of their business, Barrett moved to Sunbeam, making engines for airships.

But high-profile crashes pretty much destroyed public interest in airships and the young mechanic was switched to Sunbeam’s “experimental department”, tasked with building the brand’s motor racing empire.

Sunbeam’s interest in the sport had been fuelled by Frenchman and chief engineer Louis Herve Coatalen, who saw the advertising opportunities of making sure the Wolverhampton manufacturer was featured in the world’s top races. Coatalen had, himself, raced cars.

And Sunbeam certainly made their mark. In 1923, they registered their biggest success when Henry Segrave won the French Grand Prix while his team-mate, Albert Divo, came second. Sunbeam’s other driver, Kenelm Lee Guinness of the famous brewing family, crossed the line in fourth place.

In those days, it was vital a mechanic took the passenger seat because there were no and running repairs on were often needed.

The gods were against Barrett at San Sebastian on September 27, 1924. He was not supposed to share Guinness’ car, but was drafted in when the driver’s usual mechanic, Bill Perkins, was injured in the Brooklands fatal crash.

It rained heavily before the San Sebastian race and the organisers, in the hope of making the many curves less treacherous, ordered that sand be scattered across the course. Unfortunately, no sand was available locally and instead clay from the surrounding field was spread on the circuit. This only served to make the course even more slippery and dangerous.

Disaster struck on the 11th lap. Guinness lost control of his car, probably after hitting a rut in the road, and it left the track.

Both driver and mechanic were thrown clear and landed in a railway cutting. Guinness received severe head injuries but survived – Barrett was not so fortunate.

Barrett’s great-nephew, Philip Tonks of Wombourne, Staffordshire, takes up the story.

“He was decapitated,” said Philip. “The story that my dad always told me was that his mum was playing at their home and Barrett suddenly appeared to her.

“He told her he had come to say goodbye. It was several days before the family learned he had been killed, but it was at the moment he was killed that he had appeared.” pit-stops the road

Driver and mechanic were thrown clear and landed in a railway cutting. Guinness received severe head injuries – but Barrett was not so fortunate....