Torbay's Formula 1 racer duelled with the best before hotel trade beckoned

Bruce Henley Halford became a Torquay hotelier, although born at Hampton in Arden on May 18th 1931. His parents Philip and Robina owned a small hotel in Bournemouth while Philip managed the locally based Pickfords removal service there. Eventually, the family moved to Wellswood, Torquay and Philip became employed at Pickfords on Teignmouth Road.

Educated at Blundells, the prestigious public school in East Devon, Bruce would reside with his parents at Warberry Hotel on Higher Warberry Road, Torquay.  Then when called to do National Service in 1950 Bruce joined the Royal Artillery returning to Torquay in 1952.  He played rugby for Torquay Athletic, although his interest was always sailing and in joining the Torquay Corinthian Sailing Club. He was selected for the two-man crew on the Dragon Class Royal Yacht Bluebottle, a boat owned by Prince Philip and Her Majesty the Queen which would win its first race in Torquay in 1952. 

Yet in 1954, Bruce had a new interest, when getting involved with motor racing and driving firstly a Riley Sprint and then a Cooper-Bristol sports car at many tracks around Britain. But again, his real ambition was to become a Formula 1 Racing Driver so that he could compete in Formula I (F1) championships being held all around the Western World. Firstly, he completed many races at Silverstone in the late 50s in a second-hand Maserati before securing sixth place at Brands Hatch and the following season then coming third at Caan and sixth at Naples Italy.

Like his son, Philip had been a racer. He then supplied Bruce with a second-hand Maserati purchased from Prince Bari of Siam, no less. Bruce toured the continent in his converted Royal Blue Coach and its fitted beds leaving sufficient room for the sports racing car.  He had to rely on sponsorship for spare parts and to pay his mechanics and he eventually made his debut as an F1 driver at Silverstone, where sadly he was forced to retire as the engine suffered piston failure. Three weeks later, he came fourth at the German Grand Prix race at Nurburgring in spite of noxious fumes permeating his cockpit, when the exhaust pipe fell off.                

His career now spanned no less than nine F1 races before then competing in five consecutive Le Mans 24-hour races between 1957 and 1961. But then with romance in the air and impending marriage with air stewardess Patricia "Patsy" Fancott, at age just 30 he ceased all racing.  The couple were married in March 1962 and ran the Lord's Cafe at Princetown on Dartmoor until the birth of their first child Peter in 1967. 

Bruce and his family now moved back to Torquay to purchase the High Dene House in Higher Warberry Road until, in partnership with his younger brother David, they ran the Warberry Hotel after Philip's retirement in 1975.  As working Directors of the Hotel, they eventually sold the business in 1984 and started to invest in trawlers operating out of Brixham.  Bruce even then acted as a duty skipper on the Brixham Pilot boat. Having lived at the prestigious Greenmarch House at Churston, the new owners eventually allowed the Society to unveil a Blue Plaque to honour the life of Bruce Henley Halford. He had died in December 2001 and would now be known as the man of Torbay who had raced competitively against most of the most memorable drivers of the world like - Jack Brabham, Jim Clark, Juan Fangio, Mike Hawthorn, Graham Hill and even Sterling Moss. 

The Society's Blue Plaque was unveiled by the Chairman of Brixham Town Council  Councillor Michael Roseveare on October 26th 2023. Present owners Mr and Mrs Dolby then allowed all guests into their home where Mike Holgate presented a little of the unknown history of Mr Halford to our members and local people before refreshments were served.