ERA People

The British Racing Motors (unofficial) information centre.

- The E.R.A. People -

(Thomas) Raymond Mays CBE (1st August 1899 – 6th January 1980)

The son of a wool merchant and fertiliser manufacturer, was born on 1st August 1899. The family home was Eastgate House, Bourne and is marked by a plaque on the front wall stating that he was born there and that it was his lifetime home. He was a successful racing driver and hillclimb champion and ran English Racing Automobiles (ERA) during the 1930s and 1940s from workshops built on the orchard adjoining his home. After gaining support from many areas of British industry he launched British Racing Motors (BRM) on the long road to the 1962 World Championship. Mays was awarded with a CBE for his services to motor racing in 1978. He died at the age of 81 in 1980 as one of the "elder statesmen" of British motor racing. For more details, visit the ...Raymond Mays timeline.

V1.1 21 June 2011.