![]() ![]() The team subsequently upgraded to Formula Two and then, reasoning that he was spending so much money in racing's lesser leagues, Hesketh suggested a move to Formula One - which would, surely, be even more fun? Other than that, the dashing and mischievous ex-public schoolboy had the perfect credentials for a position with Hesketh Racing - and, in no time at all, he and Horsley had written off both Hesketh's F3 machines. Until, that is, Hesketh met a young driver called James Hunt who was struggling to find work, having established a reputation as a somewhat reckless crasher of racing cars. The duo quickly attracted a few similarly well-bred kindred spirits - the van driver was Charles Lucas, grandson of the architect of London's Albert Hall catering was by Tom Benson, a successful Chelsea restaurateur, and Christopher Simon Sykes (later a top society photographer) captured the whole, jolly affair on film.įor several months, they travelled Europe's race circuits with great enthusiasm but little actual success. So, in 1972, Hesketh Racing was formed with the large and ebullient Hesketh as 'team principal' and Horsley as its not especially brilliant 'pilota'. It's little wonder, then, that 22-year-old Lord Alexander Fermor-Hesketh proved entirely amenable when, during a society wedding, he met a kindred spirit called Anthony 'Bubbles' Horsley who suggested he set up (and pay for) a Formula Three racing team in order to give them both something to do at the weekends. ![]() It had a colour pattern unlike any other British species, with a red-brown thorax and a black abdomen with a white tip.Īfter a bit of detective work (and some help from local bee expert Ivan Wright) the arrival of the tree bumblebee in Oxford was confirmed.Hesketh met a young driver called James Hunt who was struggling to find work We first became aware of this new bee in Oxford in 2008 when Steven Williams, one of our regular volunteers, brought in a strange-looking bumblebee which none of us recognised. This species is believed to have colonised the UK naturally from France and since its arrival about 10 years ago is spreading rapidly across Britain. Unfortunately, attempts to re-introduce these New Zealand bees have been unsuccessful because they are too inbred, but by introducing short-haired bumblebees from Sweden the species is establishing again in Kent (more details about the short-haired bumblebee re-introduction can be found at )Īlthough we have lost some species we have recently gained one more, the tree bumblebee ( Bombus hypnorum). Although extinct in the UK, descendants of some British short-haired bumblebees still survive– in New Zealand! These bees originate from a deliberate introduction to New Zealand in the late 19 th Century for pollination of clover crops. The short-haired bumblebee ( Bombus subterraneus) has been the focus of recent conservation efforts. ![]() In the UK 28 species of bumblebee (species of Bombus) have been recorded, although several species are sadly now extinct or have been seen only a few times. Bumblebees and honeybees are also closely related, both belonging to the order Hymenoptera, family Apidae. James Hogan, of the Museum’s Hope Entomological Collections.īumblebees and honeybees busily working away are one of the iconic visions of summer. This week’s What’s on the van? comes from Dr. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |