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MIKE HAWTHORN HONOURED 
The people of Mexborough honoured one of their most famous sons on
Saturday, December 16 2006.A plaque commemorating the Formula 1 world champion was unveiled on Hope Street in the town centre, by Mike's one-time fiancee Jean Ireland. There was a carnival atmosphere to the day, as the main shopping street was lined with spectacular cars, including Feraris.  The
plaque was the brainchild of Giles Brearley and Ken Wyatt; Giles
told the large gathering that "this was a project we had to deliver."Down in Farnham, Surrey, there are commemoratives to Mike's achievements, but at the end of the day, he was a Mexborough son. He was born in this town he came from Alexandra Road, and there wasn't any evidence of that in the town. So it had to be. "At least now, when you walk down the High Street, you'll be able to see the plaque up there and say 'Yes, that's Mike Hawthorne. he was the first World Champion - what an achievement."  Ken
said "The project was put together because it was felt we ought to
have some kind of commemoration in the town, Mike's home town. This
building was chosen because it would have been a premise he would
have known as a child, it's a nice stone-built building and
it's nicely on this junction with High Street and the library." Focus
of much media attention was Jean Ireland, whose warm personality and
winning smile made the occasion so special for the town.Before unveiling the plaque, Jean (on her first visit to the town) said: "I am so pleased that Mexborough has honoured the memory of Mike. Being born in Yorkshire made him a cut above the others as shown in his determination to be the best in his field. Although he left Yorkshire as a small boy, he still remained a Yorkshireman at heart. And before he asked my father for my hand, he reminded him that he was a true-born Yorkshireman. So my father gave us permission to marry." |
Ken Wyatt, Giles Brearley, Jean
Ireland, Nigel Webb the owner of the D-type Jag which Mike drove to
success in 1955, and Jaguar representative Andrew Jeffrey. |
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