H.J. Aldington

5/9/1902 - 1/4/1976

Record updated 05-Sep-07

H.J. Aldington

------- note this bio is still being worked on -------

Harold John Aldington was born in Walworth, South London, the middle of three brothers. His father, Henry, who worked for the Post Office, went to fight in Northern Italy and the Dolomites in 1914. He returned suffering from snow blindness. Harold hated his name and insisted on being called Aldy and when his eldest brother Bill went to off to Tasmania to start fruit farming, it was left to Aldy to start work, taking an apprenticeship in Civil Engineering before joining GN as an apprentice in the greasing shop, lured away by his fascination with motor cars.

He used to buy and sell motorcyles on the side and when his apprenticeship finished, he joined two ex-GN Directors in Great Portland Steet, London as a salesman at Black and Fitch. Another ex-GN mand was Archie Frazer Nash and so when he started making his own cars it was natural for Black and Fitch to become agents. Aldy then joined Frazer Nash as a salesman in 1925. Eventually they had a parting due to differences in customer relations, Archie being an engineer and Aldy unmistakably a saleman.

He then set up his own garage and was joined by his younger brother, Don. Their business flourished however thing were not going so well for Archie Frazer Nash. With poor health and financial troubles, the company entered receivership in 1927 and re-emerged as AFN Limited. It was restructured with Aldy and Don taking over as Directors in 1928 with Aldy assuming the role of Managing Director in January 1929. The majority of AFN was acquired by Aldy in 1932 and run by the three Aldington brothers. Aldy’s son, John Aldington was the last of the family owners/directors until AFN Ltd was sold to Porsche GB.

In 1934 Aldington became a director of British Anzani after buying a large number of shares with a view to having BA make a new SOHC engine for Frazer Nash popularly known as the Gough.

In 1936 Aldington bought British Anzani and the company became a fully integrated member of A.F.N. making a living doing special development work and race engines for Frazer Nash, engine refurbishments, spares for the old engines plus their perennial contract work.

After WWII Aldington brought the BMW designer Fiedler to England where he updated the 328 design for Bristol as the 400, 401, 402 and 403 models and helped Frazer Nash develop the now muh sought after Le Mans Replica, Targa Florio, and Sebring models.

Aldy had started competing in trials in the early 1920s competing in long distance trials such as the London to Lands End. He was also a regular competitor at Brooklands.

In 1928 he entered the International Tourist Trophy, Handicap race at Ards, Belfast, driving with Eric Burt in aFrazer Nash Saloon (1204 YW9099). Unfortunatley they failed to finish. He was back at Ards the following year, this time with a Frazer Nash Super Sports (1071 PE7378) thoughhe once again went out with engine problems.

In 1930 he raced a Frazer Nash Boulogne (2005 MY4864) driving with his brother in the Junior Car Club Brooklands Double Twelve Hour Race at Brooklands. They finished 5th in the 1.5 litre class.

He was not classified in either the Junior Car Club Brooklands Double Twelve Hour Race in 1931 driving with Maurice Harvey or the International Tourist Trophy at Ards driving a Frazer Nash Boulogne II (2026 MV159) with his brother Harold.

He finally had sone sucess at Ards in 1932 when once again driving with Harold they finished 9th overall and second in class with a Frazer Nash TT Replica (2061 MV3079).

He won the 1933 Woking Junior Long Handicap at Brooklands from Richard Marker's 4.5 Litre Bentley and finished runner up in the BRDC Track Star rankings.

His somewhat limited racing program continued alongside his comercial activities and in 1936 he set the best time at the MCC Members day at Brooklands driving a 328 TT BMW averaging 98.52 mph. He also entered the Grand Prix de l'Automobile Club de France des Voitures de Sport at the Circuit Routier de Linas-Montlhéry with A. F. P. Fane in a BMW 328 Frazer Nash.

He entered a team of BMW 328 Frazer Nash for the RAC International Tourist Trophy, Handicap race that year with Bira, Fane and himself. Fane won the 2 litre class and finished third overall with Bira 2nd in class and Aldy picking up a class third.

He made the trip to Le Mans in 1937 with Fane but their BMW 328 Frazer Nash went out with mechanical problemss and they also failed to finish the Donington 12 Hour race at Donington Park in July. Aldy came 8th in the TT race at Donnington in September.

He finished second in the Brooklands 3 Hour Handicap race on the Campbell Circuit at Brooklands in July 1938 with a Frazer Nash - BMW and took another class second at the TT Race at Donington Park beating his team-mates Richard Seaman and Price Bira.



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