Cobb was born in Esher, Surrey, on 2 December 1899, near the Brooklands motor racing track which he frequented as a boy. He was the son of Florence and Rhodes Cobb, a wealthy furs broker in the City of London. He received his formal education at Eton College and Trinity Hall, Cambridge, before joining his father's firm and pursuing a successful career as the managing director of a number of companies in the trade, the personal financial resources from which he used to fund a passion for large capacity motor high speed racing. In 1924 he acquired a Royal Aero Club aviator's certificate, qualifying as a pilot on a Sopwith Grasshopper.[1]
Racing and speed records career
Cobb won his first track race in a 1911 10-litre Fiat in 1925, and raced in the Higham Special at Brooklands race track in 1926.
In 1928 he privately purchased a 10.5-litre Delage which was imported to England from the factory in Paris, which he raced at Brooklands from 1929 to 1933, breaking the flying start outer lap Record three times in these years, and being clocked at a top speed of 138.88 miles per hour on 2 July 1932. In 1932 he also won the British Empire Trophy at Brooklands.[2]
In 1933 he privately commissioned the design and construction of the 24-litre "Napier Railton" from "Thomson & Taylor", with which he broke a number of track speed records, including setting the ultimate lap record at the Brooklands race track which was never surpassed, driving at an average speed of 143.44 mph (230.84 km/h) achieved on 7 October 1935, having earlier overtaken the 1931 record set by Sir Henry "Tim" Birkin driving Bentley Blower No.1, and regaining it from his friend Oliver Bertram. In the 1934 RAC Tourist Trophy race on the Ards Circuit near Belfast the Lagondas of Cobb and the Hon Brian Lewis competed in the class for larger sports cars against Eddie Hall in a Bentley.[3]
Cobb returned to Bonneville salt flats again in 1947, where on 16 September he beat his own standing 1939 World Land Speed Record by reaching 394.19 miles per hour (634.39 km/h) (on one of the two runs he was clocked at having reached 403 miles per hour (649 km/h)),[6] earning him the press moniker "The Fastest Man Alive".[7] This record remained in place until 1963, when it was surpassed by the American Craig Breedlove.
Start of John Cobb's measured mile where he lost his life
After the 1947 achievement, Cobb turned his mind to becoming on water what he now was on land and went after the simultaneous World Water Speed Record. He commissioned from Vospers the jet-engine powered speedboat Crusader and selected the long water loch of Loch Ness in Scotland for the speed trial. On 29 September 1952 he was killed at the age of 52 whilst attempting to break the world Water Speed Record at Loch Ness whilst piloting Crusader at a speed in excess of 200 mph (320 km/h). During the run the boat hit an unexplained wake in the water and disintegrated about Cobb.[8] The 1975 Sunn Classic Pictures documentary The Mysterious Monsters offered the theory that the wake was caused by the Loch Ness Monster, or Nessie as it is called, trying to get out of the way of Cobb's boat. His body, which had been thrown 50 yards (46 m) beyond the wreckage, was recovered from the loch, and subsequently conveyed back to his home county of Surrey, where it was buried in the graveyard of Christ Church, Esher. A memorial was subsequently erected on the Loch Ness shore to his memory by the townsfolk of Glenurquhart.
In 2002 the remains of the jet engine speedboat Crusader were located on the bed of Loch Ness at a depth of 200 metres (656 ft) and the site was designated as a scheduled monument in 2005.[9] The wreck was filmed by a research team from National Geographic in 2019.[10]
Personal life
The memorial to John Cobb
John Cobb married Elizabeth Mitchell-Smith in 1947. Elizabeth died from Bright's Disease 14 months later.[11] In 1950 he married Vera Victoria Henderson (1917–2007).[12]
Cobb resided at 'Grove House' in Esher, an 18th-century mansion, which was demolished in the late 20th century for building development. A public green in Esher (located at 51.37933 -0.36472) was named 'Cobb Green' in tribute to his achievements. In 2013 an archaeological excavation of meadowland at Arran Way at Esher's Lower Green uncovered the foundations of Grove House.[13][14] In 2017 a Blue plaque was unveiled by Richard Noble to Cobb's memory at the newly re-built Cranmere Primary School which partially occupies the site of the former Grove House estate.[15]
^British Movietone Newsreel film of John Cobb winning the British Empire Trophy, 1932, (starts 12.34 mins on the film reel). Published on Youtube 4 August 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiREeMa2V9Q
^Rowbotham, William Arthur (1970). Silver Ghosts and Silver Dawn. London: Constable. pp. 84, 85.
^'Land Speed Record: The Fastest Men on Earth', by Tom Northey (1974), 'World of Automobiles', Vol. 10 (Pub. Orbis, London).
^"John Cobb". Flight. LXII (2280): 439. 3 October 1952. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
^'John Cobb & Railton Mobil Special', Pathe News film from 1947 of preparations for the World Land Speed Record. Published on Youtube 13 April 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWo5_tjrfpU
^John Rhodes Cobb (deceased), Racing Motorist. For services in attempting to break the world's water speed record, and in research into high speed on water, in the course of which he lost his life. "No. 39813". The London Gazette (Supplement). 27 March 1953. p. 1806.
john, cobb, racing, driver, john, rhodes, cobb, december, 1899, september, 1952, early, 20th, century, english, racing, motorist, three, times, holder, world, land, speed, record, 1938, 1939, 1947, bonneville, speedway, utah, awarded, segrave, trophy, 1947, ki. John Rhodes Cobb 2 December 1899 29 September 1952 was an early to mid 20th century English racing motorist He was three times holder of the World Land Speed Record in 1938 1939 and 1947 set at Bonneville Speedway in Utah US He was awarded the Segrave Trophy in 1947 He was killed in 1952 whilst piloting a jet powered speedboat attempting to break the World Water Speed Record on Loch Ness water in Scotland John Rhodes CobbAt BrooklandsBorn2 December 1899Esher Surrey UKDied29 September 1952 1952 09 29 aged 52 Loch NessCause of deathCrash during water speed record attemptResting placeChrist Church EsherKnown forSpeed record holderSpouse s Elizabeth Mitchell Smith 1947 1948 her death Margaret Glass m 1950 1952 his death Contents 1 Early life 2 Racing and speed records career 3 War service 4 Post war speed record career and death 5 Personal life 6 Awards 7 References 8 External linksEarly life EditCobb was born in Esher Surrey on 2 December 1899 near the Brooklands motor racing track which he frequented as a boy He was the son of Florence and Rhodes Cobb a wealthy furs broker in the City of London He received his formal education at Eton College and Trinity Hall Cambridge before joining his father s firm and pursuing a successful career as the managing director of a number of companies in the trade the personal financial resources from which he used to fund a passion for large capacity motor high speed racing In 1924 he acquired a Royal Aero Club aviator s certificate qualifying as a pilot on a Sopwith Grasshopper 1 Racing and speed records career EditCobb won his first track race in a 1911 10 litre Fiat in 1925 and raced in the Higham Special at Brooklands race track in 1926 In 1928 he privately purchased a 10 5 litre Delage which was imported to England from the factory in Paris which he raced at Brooklands from 1929 to 1933 breaking the flying start outer lap Record three times in these years and being clocked at a top speed of 138 88 miles per hour on 2 July 1932 In 1932 he also won the British Empire Trophy at Brooklands 2 In 1933 he privately commissioned the design and construction of the 24 litre Napier Railton from Thomson amp Taylor with which he broke a number of track speed records including setting the ultimate lap record at the Brooklands race track which was never surpassed driving at an average speed of 143 44 mph 230 84 km h achieved on 7 October 1935 having earlier overtaken the 1931 record set by Sir Henry Tim Birkin driving Bentley Blower No 1 and regaining it from his friend Oliver Bertram In the 1934 RAC Tourist Trophy race on the Ards Circuit near Belfast the Lagondas of Cobb and the Hon Brian Lewis competed in the class for larger sports cars against Eddie Hall in a Bentley 3 The Railton Special and John Cobb in the cockpit Driving the piston engined wheel driven Railton Special he broke the World Land Speed Record at Bonneville salt flats on 15 September 1938 by achieving 350 miles per hour He broke it a second time at the same site on 23 August 1939 achieving 369 miles per hour 4 War service EditDuring World War II he served as a pilot in the Royal Air Force and between 1943 and 1945 served with the Air Transport Auxiliary being demobilised with the rank of Group Captain He made an uncredited appearance in the wartime propaganda film Target for Tonight 1941 5 Post war speed record career and death EditCobb returned to Bonneville salt flats again in 1947 where on 16 September he beat his own standing 1939 World Land Speed Record by reaching 394 19 miles per hour 634 39 km h on one of the two runs he was clocked at having reached 403 miles per hour 649 km h 6 earning him the press moniker The Fastest Man Alive 7 This record remained in place until 1963 when it was surpassed by the American Craig Breedlove Start of John Cobb s measured mile where he lost his life After the 1947 achievement Cobb turned his mind to becoming on water what he now was on land and went after the simultaneous World Water Speed Record He commissioned from Vospers the jet engine powered speedboat Crusader and selected the long water loch of Loch Ness in Scotland for the speed trial On 29 September 1952 he was killed at the age of 52 whilst attempting to break the world Water Speed Record at Loch Ness whilst piloting Crusader at a speed in excess of 200 mph 320 km h During the run the boat hit an unexplained wake in the water and disintegrated about Cobb 8 The 1975 Sunn Classic Pictures documentary The Mysterious Monsters offered the theory that the wake was caused by the Loch Ness Monster or Nessie as it is called trying to get out of the way of Cobb s boat His body which had been thrown 50 yards 46 m beyond the wreckage was recovered from the loch and subsequently conveyed back to his home county of Surrey where it was buried in the graveyard of Christ Church Esher A memorial was subsequently erected on the Loch Ness shore to his memory by the townsfolk of Glenurquhart In 2002 the remains of the jet engine speedboat Crusader were located on the bed of Loch Ness at a depth of 200 metres 656 ft and the site was designated as a scheduled monument in 2005 9 The wreck was filmed by a research team from National Geographic in 2019 10 Personal life Edit The memorial to John Cobb John Cobb married Elizabeth Mitchell Smith in 1947 Elizabeth died from Bright s Disease 14 months later 11 In 1950 he married Vera Victoria Henderson 1917 2007 12 Cobb resided at Grove House in Esher an 18th century mansion which was demolished in the late 20th century for building development A public green in Esher located at 51 37933 0 36472 was named Cobb Green in tribute to his achievements In 2013 an archaeological excavation of meadowland at Arran Way at Esher s Lower Green uncovered the foundations of Grove House 13 14 In 2017 a Blue plaque was unveiled by Richard Noble to Cobb s memory at the newly re built Cranmere Primary School which partially occupies the site of the former Grove House estate 15 Awards EditBritish Empire Trophy 1932 Segrave Trophy 1947 Queen s Commendation for Brave Conduct 1953 16 References EditCitations Profile of John Cobb The Elmbridge Hundred website 2020 https people elmbridgehundred org uk biographies john cobb British Movietone Newsreel film of John Cobb winning the British Empire Trophy 1932 starts 12 34 mins on the film reel Published on Youtube 4 August 2015 https www youtube com watch v PiREeMa2V9Q Rowbotham William Arthur 1970 Silver Ghosts and Silver Dawn London Constable pp 84 85 Land Speed Record The Fastest Men on Earth by Tom Northey 1974 World of Automobiles Vol 10 Pub Orbis London John Cobb Flight LXII 2280 439 3 October 1952 Retrieved 26 May 2015 Cobb beats Land Speed Record British Movietone News September 1947 Published on Youtube 21 July 2015 https www youtube com watch v GvrBr R9K78 John Cobb amp Railton Mobil Special Pathe News film from 1947 of preparations for the World Land Speed Record Published on Youtube 13 April 2014 https www youtube com watch v hWo5 tjrfpU Pathe Newsreel report of the crash September 1952 Published on Youtube 18 June 2013 https www youtube com watch v aYrafKbTqV4 Historic Environment Scotland Crusader remains of speedboat in Loch Ness near Achnahannet SM11070 Retrieved 19 June 2020 Boat wrecked in tragic water speed world record bid found at bottom of Loch Ness Daily Record 18 September 2019 DFB The Automobile Obituaries November 2007 Remains of John Cobb house found during site dig Get Surrey online newspaper 3 July 2013 https www getsurrey co uk news local news remains john cobb house found 4868502 John Cobb Lower Green Esher Lower Green Esher 19 November 2019 Retrieved 27 March 2020 Blue plaque honours John Rhodes Cobb former world land speed record holder Get Surrey online newspaper 28 February 2013 https www getsurrey co uk news motoring motoring news john rhodes cobb blue plaque 12665671 John Rhodes Cobb deceased Racing Motorist For services in attempting to break the world s water speed record and in research into high speed on water in the course of which he lost his life No 39813 The London Gazette Supplement 27 March 1953 p 1806 Bibliography Davis S C H Sammy 1953 The John Cobb Story London G T Foulis External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to John Cobb motorist The Reluctant Hero by David Tremayne John Cobb at Find a Grave Location and Google Street View of John Cobb Memorial The video of John Cobb s death on YouTube Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John Cobb racing driver amp oldid 1106526208, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
