Brian Shawe-Taylor

Brian Newton Shawe-Taylor (January 28, 1915 - May 1, 1999): A British racing driver born in Dublin, Ireland, whose aristocratic background and promising motorsport career were permanently derailed by a devastating accident. Born as the younger of two sons of Francis Manley Shawe-Taylor, a magistrate and high sheriff for County Galway, Brian came from the Anglo-Irish ruling classes. He was related to playwright and Abbey Theatre co-founder Lady Gregory and was a cousin of Sir Hugh Lane, who founded Dublin's gallery of modern art. Following his father's murder by Irish nationalists in 1920, the family moved to England, where Shawe-Taylor attended Shrewsbury School.

He began racing before World War II, winning the Nuffield Trophy in 1939, demonstrating early promise. After the war, he campaigned an ERA, attempting to enter the 1950 British Grand Prix. When race organizers deemed his car too old, he circumvented the decision by sharing Joe Fry's Maserati 4CL, displaying the determination that characterized his racing approach. His entry was accepted for the 1951 British Grand Prix despite still racing his elderly ERA, and he finished eighth as the top privateer, a creditable performance.

That same year, he competed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, sharing an Aston Martin DB2 with George Abecassis and finishing fifth. However, his promising career ended abruptly during the Daily Graphic Trophy race at Goodwood. On the second lap, Shawe-Taylor collided with Antonio Branca's Maserati and was hurled from his ERA. He remained in a coma for many weeks, and though he eventually made a full recovery, he never raced again.

Following his retirement from motorsport, Shawe-Taylor went to work at GCHQ in Cheltenham, trading the excitement of racing for the secret world of British intelligence, where he served until his later years.