Theo Page

Don Grant has sent over some fine pictures from his collection featuring the work of Theo Page. Page is listed amongst the contributors of Speed & Power where he produced at least one cut-away drawing. This was almost certainly a reprint from another magazine but excuse enough for me to be interested in him.

Don also supplied the above photo, and I can do no better than quote him: "I have dug out some pics depicting the Autosport staff on a works outing to, I think, Le Mans in 1966 and featuring John Bolster [Technical Editor of Autosport] telling a filthy story to the amusement of Theo Page, in the white shirt, George Phillips, chief photographer, Gregor Grant, sitting down, Jabby Combac, foreign correspondent in flat cap, Jack Fairman, ex-F1 and Aston Martin driver, sitting next to GG. I can't remember the name of the man in the foreground with the straw hat, dammit. The photos were taken by a lovely man called John Talbot Frith from Enniskillen in Co. Fermanagh, who was part of the 'team'.

Theo Page was Autosport's technical artist who drew amazing cutaway drawings of racing cars.

As well as being an incredible technical artist, he was also a magnificent forger, as Don relates:

I remember once turning up at Le Mans on my own another year, having hitch-hiked down from Paris. I sought out my dad, which was not too difficult as he was having a drink outside Gruber's Restaurant with the usual suspects again: Bolster, Jabby Crombac, George Phillips, Paddy MacNally, Dick Jeffreys of Dunlop, Theo Page and a few more of the usual suspects. When it transpired that I had no pass, Theo was detailed to provide one.

We went up to his room in the Hotel des Ifs, where, using coloured paper, inks, a John Bull printing kit and enormous skill, he was able to produce a perfect facsimile Photographe-Cinéaste pass, including Gendarmerie Nationale and Syndic AFPA stamps, number, accreditation and signature, which, when put in a plastic wallet and hung around my neck, along with one of Phil's cameras, allowed me to go anywhere around the circuit all weekend.

Theo was an exceptionally gifted artist and could sketch the most complicated piece of machinery on the spot with terrifying accuracy—and no rubbing out.

Don sent over a couple of book covers painted by Theo, saying, "Both show how he was able to 'loosen up' and get away from the strict disciplines required by technical illustration. He also did drawings for Autosport at race meetings, called 'Page in the Pits', showing details of racing cars, sketched on the spot."

Illustrated Books
French Vintage Cars by John Bolster. London, Autosport in association with B. T. Batsford, 1964.

(* With thanks to Don Grant for the photo and the scans. Don recently added some additional information on another artist, Raymond Groves.

And also to Simone Grant, who steps in to save any family embarrassment... "The man in the straw hat in the group pic is Tommy Wisdom, serious funster and gentleman, great driver and, of course, wonderful wordsmith.")