Fred Hayes, Triumph TR3, #8, Hockley Valley Hill Climb, Spring 1956
Fred Hayes, Triumph TR3, #8, Hockley Valley Hill Climb, Spring 1956

By Rupert Lloyd Thomas © 2012-2014

An event organised by the British Empire Motor Club, held during the years 1953-1962. The course was about a mile long, near Orangeville, Ontario. “The Hill Climb sponsored each year by the BEMC was held on the 3rd line, just off the Hockley Road.” [1] See: N43 59.285, W80 2.787

1953: For the Spring event there were 38 entries – 1st Vern Jeffries (Jaguar XK120M) 1.237 min; 2nd Grant Farrow (Jaguar XK120) 1.250 min; 3rd Tommy Hoan (MG TC) 1.275 min. Among the other runners were 5th William Infantino (Jaguar XK120), =9th Ian Sword (Aston Martin); 13th Tom Pearce (MG TC); 15th Fred Hayes (MG TC); 27th Pat Sword (MG TC); 28th Don Hambly (MG TD); 35th Peter Dillnutt (Austin A-30). The course was discovered by Don Albertson. [2]

1954, Spring: “The hill climb at Orangeville sponsored by the British Empire Motor Club might be classed as “rained out”. Although many varied and interesting cars made one practice run and one timed run up the hill, the event was voted as no contest due to the numerous accidents on one slippery corner.” [3]

1957: The spring event was declared a “no contest” after spectators trampled on the timing gear putting it out of action, when four entrants had not recorded a time. “Unfortunately, the re-run of the Spring Hillclimb has been scrubbed. The residents around the hill will not agree to a run in the summer months because of the dust situation and as another climb is scheduled for October anyway, the Car Committee has voted to cancel the re-run altogether.”

1958: “Peter Hayes achieved his ambition of fastest time of the day with the Ace Bristol winding up beautifully as we heard him snick it into second gear. No records were broken as the hill was rather loose, and very dusty.” [4]

1959: On October 17, 1959, Don Haddow, Jordan Special, won the Hockley Valley hill climb, in a time of 1 min, 1.64 secs. The car built by Herb Jordan was a F3-like special powered by a Vincent Black Shadow motorcycle engine. C. Bovaird was runner-up in his MGA Twin-Cam in 1:13.47, third being Dave Graham in an MG-TC 1,500 c.c. in 1:16.03 sec. The course was on a muddy unmade road.” Dick Shelton won the up- to-1,100 c.c. sports car prize in a Sebring Sprite in a time of 1:20.73. In the sedan categories, John Carter’s Morris was the under 1,100 c.c. winner in 1:26.03; John Eakins won the 1,100-1,300 class in an Okrasa-equipped 1,286 c.c. Volkswagen; and Roger Proulx, Borgward Isabella, took the over 1,300 c.c. hardware. [5]

1960: “Roaring up the one-mile course in a best-time of one minute, 6.6 seconds, Dan Shaw won the British Empire Motor club’s spring hill climb at Hockley Valley Saturday. Shaw’s time in a Jordan Special was 3½ seconds ahead of his nearest competitor, Ludwig Heimrath’s Porsche. Dave Graham was third in an MG TC at 1 minute, 11.6 seconds.” [6]

1962: At the spring event Don Haddow, Jordan Special, was fastest overall, on his second run, in a time of 1:04.50 sec. Norm Namerow, from Montreal, was second in the Chevrolet Corvette in 1:10.72 sec. Third and fourth overall were the Porsches of Horst Kroll, 1:11.02, and Klaus Bartels, 1:11.05.
“The British Empire Motor Club’s Fall Hill Climb held in the past at Hockley Valley, was switched to Mosport and successfully run on Sunday, October 28th.” [7] This was billed as a Flat Hill Climb, an event that in England would be known as a sprint. “The start for this is at Moss corner and the cars will travel in a reverse direction to the start-finish line.” [8]

Table of winners

Year Event Driver Vehicle Time Notes
1953 Spring Vern Jeffries Jaguar XK120M coupe 1.237 min R [9] Saturday May 23.
Fall Peter Hayes Jaguar XK120M coupe 1.179 min R [10] Saturday August 29.
1954 Spring Rained out [11] Saturday June 5.
Fall Peter Hayes Jaguar XK120M #6 1:09.045 sec [12] October 3.
1955 Spring Fred Hayes Triumph TR2 1:14.385 sec [13] Sat May 14.
Fall Fred Hayes Allard-Cadillac 1:07.83 sec [14] October 15.
1956 Spring Fred Hayes Triumph TR3 #8 1:12.37 sec [15] May 12.
Fall Fred Hayes Allard-J2X-Cadillac #16 1:08.25 sec [16] Oct 13.
1957 Spring Fred Hayes Allard-J2X-Cadillac 1:06.28 sec [17] May 11.
Fall Ed Leavens Chevrolet Corvette 1:07.40 sec [18] Oct 19.
1958 Spring Peter Hayes A.C. Ace Bristol 1:10.30 sec [19] Saturday May 17.
Fall Don Haddow Jordan Special 1:08.91 sec [20] Saturday November 1.
1959 Spring Rained out [21] Saturday May 23.
Fall Don Haddow Herb Jordan Vincent Spl 998cc 1:01.64 sec R Saturday October 24.
1960 Spring Dan Shaw Jordan Special 1:06.60 sec [22] Sat April 30.
Fall Don Haddow Jordan Special 1:03.70 sec [23] Sat October 22.
1961 Spring Rained out [24] Saturday April 29.
Fall Dan Shaw Sadler-Chevrolet 1:06.19 sec [25] Saturday October 21.
1962 Spring Don Haddow Jordan Special #30 1:04.50 sec [26] Sat May 5.
Fall Cancelled October 27.

R = Record

  1. ^ Orangeville Banner, Thursday, October 26, 1961, “39 Men and a Girl, Hockley Hill Climb.”
  2. ^ Globe and Mail, May 26, 1953, Page 19; Ewart Willis, Small Torque, B.E.M.C., Vol 6, Issue 6, June, 1953, (via J. Scott Morris).
  3. ^ H.S.M.C. Clutch Chatter, Vol.1 No.4, June, 1954.
  4. ^ Eve White, Small Torque, B.E.M.C., June, 1958, Pages 19-20.
  5. ^ Roger Proulx, Competition Press, Vol.III-No.9, Nov 14, 1959, Page 3; see also Roger Proulx, A MILE OF MUD, Road & Track, February 1960, Pages 76-77.
  6. ^ Toronto Star, Monday, May 2, 1960, Page 16.
  7. ^ Canada Track & Traffic, December 1962, Page 53.
  8. ^ Toronto Star, Wednesday, October 9, 1968, Page 19; see also Globe and Mail, Monday, June 22, 1964, Page 28; Globe and Mail, Monday, June 29, 1964, Page 35; Globe and Mail, Tuesday, May 4, 1965, Page 42.
  9. ^ Alice Fergusson, Canadian Speed Special, Friday, June 5, 1953, Page 6. For a photograph of Vern Jeffries see Globe and Mail, Monday, July 6, 1953, Page 22.
  10. ^ Alice Fergusson, Canadian Speed Special, Friday, September 11, 1953, Page 6.
  11. ^ Document: Annual Speed Hill Climb, Hockley Valley, Saturday, June 5, 1954: “abandoned due to inclement weather.”
  12. ^ Roy Baker, Small Torque, B.E.M.C., Vol 7, Issue 12, December, 1954.
  13. ^ Document: BEMC Spring Hill Climb, Hockley Valley, Saturday, May 14, 1955; see also advertisement, Toronto Star, Tuesday, May 24, 1955, Page 20.
  14. ^ Small Torque, B.E.M.C., Vol 8, Issue 10, November, 1955.
  15. ^ Document: BRITISH EMPIRE MOTOR CLUB SPRING HILL CLIMB, HOCKLEY VALLEY MAY 12/56, OFFICIAL RESULTS.
  16. ^ Toronto Star, Tuesday, October 16, 1956, Page 28; Dermott Marnell, Small Torque, B.E.M.C., Vol 9, Issue 10, November, 1956.
  17. ^ Jack O’Donoghue, Autosport, June 14, 1957, Page 756.
  18. ^ Document: BRITISH EMPIRE MOTOR CLUB INC. Fall Hill Climb, October 19, 1957, Official Results; see also Orangeville Banner, October 31, 1957, Page 11.
  19. ^ Competition Press, July 16, 1958, Page 7.
  20. ^ David Grenier, Toronto Telegram, Tuesday, November 4, 1958, Page 15.
  21. ^ Tom Gilmour, Small Torque, B.E.M.C., Vol 12, Issue 12, December, 1959.
  22. ^ Globe and Mail, Monday, May 2, 1960, Page 21; A.G. Hill, Small Torque, B.E.M.C., Vol 13, Issue 6, June, 1960, Pages 28-30, see also Page 8 and centre spread photos by Tony Hall; Canada Track & Traffic, July 1960, Pages 32-33.
  23. ^ Globe and Mail, Monday, October 24, 1960, Page 20; Competition Press, November 12, 1960, Page 6; Canada Track & Traffic, January 1961, Page 43.
  24. ^ Small Torque, B.E.M.C., Vol.14, Issue 7, July 1961, Page 5.
  25. ^ Toronto Star, Friday, October 20, 1961, Page 16; Bill Wordham, Toronto Telegram, Monday, October 23, 1961, Page 21; Canada Track & Traffic, Vol 3, No. 4, December 1961, Pages 46-47.
  26. ^ Toronto Telegram, Monday, May 7, 1962, Page 19; Canada Track & Traffic, June 1962, Page 49.