Bristol Rovers Football Club are a professional football club in Bristol, England. They compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system. They play home matches at the Memorial Stadium in Horfield, they have been competing there since 1996. They spent 89 years in the heart of North Bristol between 1897 to 1986 at the Eastville Stadium. Following a sale of the land they spent ten years at Twerton Park in Bath. The club's official nickname is "The Pirates", reflecting the maritime history of Bristol. The local nickname of the club is "The Gas", derived from the gasworks next to their former home, Eastville Stadium. This nickname originally began as a derogatory term used by fans of their main rivals, Bristol City, but was affectionately adopted by the club and its supporters. Cardiff City and Swindon Town are considered their second and third biggest rivals. Other rivalries include; Cheltenham Town, Exeter City, Forest Green Rovers, Plymouth Argyle, Torquay United and Yeovil Town. These rivalries are considered West Country Derbies and are often heated encounters. The women's team play in the Gloucestershire County Women's League.
The 1952 Formula One season was the sixth season of FIA Formula One motor racing. In comparison to previous seasons, the 1952 season consisted of a relatively small number of Formula One races, following the decision to run all the Grand Prix events counting towards the World Championship of Drivers to Formula Two regulations rather than Formula One. The Indianapolis 500, which also counted towards the World Championship, was still run to AAA regulations as in previous seasons.
Roy Francesco Salvadori was a British racing driver and team manager. He was born in Dovercourt, Essex, to parents of Italian descent. He graduated to Formula One by 1952 and competed regularly until 1962 for a succession of teams including Cooper, Vanwall, BRM, Aston Martin and Connaught. Also a competitor in other formulae, he won the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans in an Aston Martin with co-driver Carroll Shelby.
Joseph Gibson Fry was a British racing driver and distant member of the Fry's Chocolate family. He became the primary driver for the highly successful Shelsley Special "Freikaiserwagen", created by his cousin David Fry and Hugh Dunsterville, with help from Dick Caesar. The original car was built in Bristol in 1936 and featured an Anzani engine which was replaced in 1937 by a Blackburne engine. Joe set a number of hill records during the late 1930s including an unofficial outright record at Prescott when he climbed in 47.62 seconds in the 1,100 c.c. Freikaiserwagen, on 27 August 1938. At the outbreak of World War Two he held both the blown and unblown 1,100 c.c. records at Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb in 41.52 and 42.58 seconds respectively.
Ninian Sanderson was a Scottish car dealer, sports car racing driver, and winner of the 1956 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The I Avon Trophy was a non-championship Grand Prix which was held at the Castle Combe Circuit on 1 October 1955, three weeks after the end of the season. It was the inaugural running of the Avon Trophy, and the last race run to Formula One regulations to be held at the circuit.
The 2nd Daily Telegraph Trophy was a motor race, run to Formula One rules, held on 3 September 1955 at Aintree Circuit, Merseyside. The race was run over 17 laps, and was won by British driver Roy Salvadori in a Maserati 250F. Salvadori also set fastest lap, and Stirling Moss was on pole position in a 250F but retired with engine problems. Bob Gerard was second in a Cooper T23-Bristol and Horace Gould third in another 250F.
The 2nd Curtis Trophy was a motor race, run to Formula One rules, held on 5 June 1954 at Snetterton Circuit, Norfolk. The race was run over 10 laps of the circuit, and was won by British driver Roy Salvadori in a Maserati 250F, who also set fastest lap. Bill Whitehouse in a Connaught Type A-Lea Francis and Jimmy Somervail in a Cooper T20-Bristol were second and third.
The 1st BARC Formula 1 Race was a motor race, run to Formula One rules, held on 7 June 1954 as part of the Whitsun Trophy meeting at Goodwood Circuit, West Sussex. The race was run over 5 laps of the circuit and lasted just over 8 minutes, making it one of the shortest scheduled Formula 1 races ever run. It was won by British driver Reg Parnell in a Ferrari 625. Roy Salvadori in a Maserati 250F and Jimmy Somervail in a Cooper T20-Bristol were second and third, with Salvadori setting fastest lap.
The 2nd Crystal Palace Trophy was a motor race, run to Formula One rules, held on 19 June 1954 at Crystal Palace Circuit, London. The race was run over two heats of 10 laps and a final of 10 laps.
The 2nd RedeX Trophy was a motor race, run to Formula One rules, held on 14 August 1954 at Snetterton Circuit, Norfolk. The race was run over 40 laps, and was won by British driver Reg Parnell in a Ferrari 625, setting fastest lap in the process. Bob Gerard in a Cooper T23-Bristol was second and Don Beauman in a Connaught Type A-Lea Francis was third.
The 3rd Joe Fry Memorial Trophy was a non-championship Grand Prix held at the Castle Combe Circuit, Wiltshire on 28 August 1954. The race was won by Horace Gould in a Cooper T23, with Bill Whitehouse and John Riseley-Prichard second and third in their Connaughts. Bob Gerard set fastest lap in his Cooper.
The 4th Richmond Trophy was a non-championship Formula One motor race held at the Goodwood Circuit on 14 April 1952. The race was won by José Froilán González in a Ferrari 375, setting fastest lap in the process. Mike Hawthorn in a Cooper T20-Bristol was second and Duncan Hamilton third in a Talbot-Lago T26C.
The 4th Lavant Cup was a non-championship Formula Two motor race held at Goodwood Circuit on 14 April 1952. The race was won by Mike Hawthorn in a Cooper T20-Bristol, setting fastest lap in the process. Alan Brown and Eric Brandon in the same model of car were second and third.
The 1st Ibsley Formula 2 Race was a non-championship Formula Two motor race held at Ibsley Circuit, Ibsley, Dorset on 19 April 1952. The race was won by Mike Hawthorn in a Cooper T20-Bristol. George Abecassis was second and set fastest lap in an HWM-Alta and Bill Dobson in a Ferrari 125 was third.
The 1st National Trophy was a non-championship Formula Two motor race held at Turnberry on 23 August 1952. The race was won by Mike Hawthorn in a Connaught A Type-Lea Francis, who started from pole. John Barber and Ninian Sanderson were second and third in their Cooper T20-Bristols.
The 1st West Essec CC Formula 2 Race was a non-championship Formula Two motor race held at Boreham Circuit on 21 June 1952. The race was won by Reg Parnell in a Cooper T20-Bristol, who also set fastest lap. Kenneth McAlpine was second in a Connaught Type A-Lea Francis and Bill Dobson was third in a Ferrrari 125. Ken Downing in another Connaught Type A started from pole position and finished fourth.
The 1st Newcastle Journal Trophy was a non-championship Formula Two motor race held at Charterhall on 11 October 1952. The race was won by Dennis Poore in a Connaught Type A-Lea Francis, leading home his teammates Kenneth McAlpine and Mike Oliver. Tony Gaze set fastest lap in his HWM-Alta.
The 6th Ulster Trophy was a non-championship Formula One motor race held at the Dundrod Circuit on 7 June 1952. The race was won from pole position by Piero Taruffi in a Ferrari 375, setting fastest lap in the process. Mike Hawthorn in a Cooper T20-Bristol was second and Joe Kelly third in an Alta GP.
The 2nd Daily Mail Trophy was a non-championship motor race held for Formula One and Formula Two cars at Boreham Circuit on 2 August 1952. The race was won by Luigi Villoresi in a Ferrari 375, who also set pole and fastest lap. Chico Landi was second in another 375 and Mike Hawthorn was third in a Cooper T20-Bristol, and highest place Formula Two entrant.
Roy Salvadori