Wheatcroft Appeal

Sir,

I am proud to be writing the biography of Mr Tom Wheatcroft who owns the Donington Park racing circuit and the world famous Donington Grand Prix collection in Derbyshire and am anxious for help from your readers.

Tom was born in Knighton, Leicester in 1922. I am particularly interested in anecdotes of his time at school there and his early days in the building trade that he joined as a plasterer’s apprentice in 1936.

He attended his first Grand Prix at Donington as a 13-year-old and each one until the last pre-war race in 1938 when he watched the sensational win by Tazio Nuvolari in the Auto Union. Any knowledge of this time would be appreciated if any school friends or workmates ever went with him.

Called up in 1939, he served with the 52nd Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery, attached to the 8th Army, seeing action in most theatres of operation including El Alamein. Contacts with anyone with whom he served would he particularly welcome.

Finally, I am interested in anecdotes of his building up of Wheatcroft and Sons, the building firm in Derby he started in 1946, or any details of his reopening the Donington race circuit in 1971 and the Grand Prix collection in 1973. I know there are many difficulties to overcome before he could fulfil these dreams.

Any photographs or details of memorabilia would be given due credit.

My telephone number is 01768 864190 (day), 01768 898764 (evening) and I would be delighted to visit anyone who can help.

I am, yours, etc. Tony Brunskill, Penrith, Cumbria