freeze frame

The second volume of work from a gifted amateur photographer evocatively captures motorsport in the early 1970s. Here are some highlights

IN THE MARCH 2021 issue of Octane we showcased the superb 1960s work of amateur motorsport photographer EV Starr. His canon came to light only four years after his death, when enthusiast Tim Beavis bought two boxes of colour slides from a Charterhouse auction in 2004. As Beavis delved further into the collection, he was astonished by the breadth and quality of the archive and started to research the man behind the lens.

Edgar Vernon Starr, known as 'Twink' (from Twinkle Twinkle...), was a West Country aircraft engineer who, even without an armband or privileged access, had a real knack for getting himself into the heart of the action in pitlane and paddock. The result is a selection of often candid and relaxed snapshots of the stars as well as on-track action.

Twice married, he worked for the Bristol Aircraft Company, then Westland in Yeovil, and was an active member of the Cheltenham Motor Club, competing in his Riley. Since the first book, some family friends have emerged who regaled the authors with tales of Twink building a 750 in an upstairs bedroom and then having to remove the windows to get it out.

For his 60th birthday treat he motorcycled to Monza with his camera; paying visits to friends and touring Canada in a VW Beetle were further excuses to take more motorsport pictures in North America.

Beavis teamed up with publisher and author Guy Loveridge with the intention of sharing the EV Starr treasure trove with the public. When the pair delved into the slides they found enough raw material for not one book, but five!