S H (Sammy) Newsome

Can anyone confirm or otherwise, that the Sammy Newsome who built the last version of the Hippodrome, and had a car dealership in Corporation Street, is the same Samuel H Newsome that took part in motor racing events from 1927-1935?

Hello Robin I'm surprised there's been no previous response to your post, so, after a little Googling this morning, I've come across this which confirms your thoughts about S H Newsome : "SH NEWSOME SAM NEWSOME'S venture into the garage business was a success story from the start. His training as a pilot during the First World War came to nothing, so he built his own single-seater racing car and turned his attentions to the race track. Early successes led to the setting-up of a motor garage on Walsgrave Road. Alongside sales and servicing for the family motorist he developed a tuning workshop for racing sports cars. After gaining a Standard dealership in 1925, it was only a matter of time before a move to larger premises in the centre of Coventry. After the Hales Street showroom came a new workshop and two-storey shop window in the city's new prestige thoroughfare, Corporation Street. By the mid-30s Sam Newsome had decided to concentrate on the sales and servicing for two local car makers - SS (now Jaguar) and Standard. In the late 50s as central redevelopment required Newsome's land for the construction of Smithford Way, a showroom was acquired on Belgrade Square. The main business was moved out of town to the Highway Garage on the Coventry by-pass" I have also found this : "Some time in 1938 S.H. "Sammy" Newsome a successful SS Jaguar Distributor who had been very successfully campaigning an SS 100 in rallies & hill climbs asked William Lyons to build a deluxe version of the popular SS 100 sports car. Lyons reportedly told Newsome he already had too many different models to build. Newsome contracted with the factory for 50 bare SS 100 chassis to build his idea for a deluxe SS 100 DHC with roll up windows & a wider body. Early in 1939 he had Avon Coach builders of Coventry build 2 prototypes. The first prototype "EHP 7" chassis 39109 is the car pictured in all the advertising with a folding windshield & was shown at the 1939 Earls Court Auto Show. Prototype # 2 "EVC 587" chassis 39115 had a fixed windshield. WWII cancelled any further production" Hope this helps

Midland Red - Many thanks for this, it clearly is the same man. My particular interest is that post-war he lived in Kenilworth for a while, many of the artistes that appeared at the 'Hip' tended to stay in Kenilworth hotels too. Thanks again.

Hi Robin. he was indeed the same man. There are many references to him driving Jaguars in the excellent book 'Jaguar the complete story' by Heiner Stertkamp, published by MotorBooks. There are a couple of pages in the book which refer to him as S.H. 'Sammy' Newsome. His brother(?), Noel worked at Harry Ferguson Research when I was there and once showed me some photos of the SS100 'Old Number Eight', which Sammy drove.

SAM NEWSOME'S venture into the garage business was a success story from the start. He first trained as a pilot during the First World War but that came to nothing, so he built his own single-seater racing car and turned his attentions to the race track. Early successes led to the setting-up of a motor garage on Walsgrave Road. Alongside sales and servicing for the family motorist he developed a tuning workshop for racing sports cars. After gaining a Standard dealership in 1925, it was only a matter of time before a move to larger premises in the centre of Coventry. After the Hales Street showroom came a new workshop and two-storey shop window in the city's new prestige thoroughfare, Corporation Street (this was located close to the Belgrade and what is now the Bella Italia). By the mid-30s Sam Newsome had decided to concentrate on the sales and servicing for two local car makers - SS (now Jaguar) and Standard. In the late 50s as central redevelopment required Newsome's land for the construction of Smithford Way, a showroom was acquired on Belgrade Square. The main business was moved out of town to the Highway Garage on the Coventry by-pass. Sam Newsome also owned the Coventry Hippodrome. Vitessesteve blog Standard Triumph Works Directory

After just re-reading post 2, I'm getting Deja-vu!

He is buried in London Road Cemetery - right by the Anglican Chapel IIRC