1952 British Formula Libre Racing Photo Archive Featuring Maserati, Ferrari, and Connaught A-Type

Early racing photography at Boreham Motor Racing Circuit on June 21, 1952, during a notable Formula Libre race. Archive of 17 vintage gelatin silver photographs with each image measuring approximately 3.5" x 2.75", black-and-white. One photo is annotated on verso in period hand: “MASERATI, CONNAUGHT, ERA, PARNELL, DOWNING, WHITEHEAD (3rd, 4th & 2nd Parade Libre) Boreham 21/6/52.” The set captures mid-century Grand Prix-era open-wheel racing on a temporary circuit adapted from a World War II-era airfield in Essex, just north of London.
The photographs show multiple vehicles in motion, cornering past hay bales and spectators under scattered skies, (truncated) with visible flags above a corrugated-roof grandstand. Car no. 10 is prominently captured mid-race in one image, bearing the wide-tread Dunlop tires and front cowling typical of the early postwar Maserati design. Other vehicles bear streamlined bodies with long hoods and open cockpits, identifiable by their low-profile rear ends and characteristic exhaust routing along the side—details consistent with both ERA (English Racing Automobiles) and Connaught chassis of the period. One image offers a clear shot of a solo car accelerating on a long straight with spectators closely lining the track behind minimal barriers, emphasizing the pre-safety-era intensity of early Formula Libre races. The photographic clarity varies, with some images showing light motion blur, conveying the dynamic pace and spontaneity of amateur documentation.
This photographic archive offers a rare vernacular record of an event at the short-lived Boreham Circuit, established in 1949 on the site of RAF Boreham airbase. Operated by the British Racing Drivers’ Club, Boreham was known for its flat, fast layout and open paddock atmosphere. It hosted prominent Formula Libre races—non-championship events that permitted a wide range of vehicles. This June 1952 race was among the final public meetings at Boreham before Ford Motor Company purchased the property for its test track in 1955. Captured here are several notable cars and drivers of the early 1950s British racing scene. Identified in the handwritten caption are Reg Parnell, driving a Maserati 4CLT/48; Eric Thompson or Tony Rolt piloting a Connaught A-Type; and Peter Whitehead, most likely in a Ferrari 125 or ERA E-Type. The event also holds documents notable drivers of the era. Reg Parnell was one of Britain’s premier racers, later instrumental in developing Aston Martin’s Formula One program. Peter Whitehead, often racing for Ferrari, was a skilled privateer known for co-driving the winning Jaguar C-Type at Le Mans in 1951. Their presence at Boreham indicates the prestige and transitional significance of such regional circuits in the postwar development of professional motor racing in Britain.

A few surface scratches and creases to prints, one with a chip at upper left corner; otherwise very good, with rich contrast and minimal fading. Images moderately curled, but in very good condition overall. A vivid, firsthand archive of early 1950s British motorsport at a now-defunct RAF airfield circuit, capturing important figures and legendary machines from the dawn of international Formula racing. (Inventory #: 21762)