Arthur Owen

23/3/1915 - 13/4/2000

Record updated 23-Mar-07

Arthur Owen started competing in hill climb events in the Channel Islands during the mid 1950s. He made one Grand Prix appearance, the 1960 Italian Grand Prix. Driving a private 2.2-liter Cooper-Climax he went out with suspension damage.

Arthur Owen was born in Forest Gate, London. He moved to St Helier on the island of Jersey where he became the director of a jewellery business. As one would expect he gained his early competition experience on the Bouley Bay hill-climb in the early fifties with a Skinner special.

In the mid-fifties, he acquired a Cooper sports car and set a number of speed records at Montlhéry and Monza with his friend Bill Knight.

Though only an occasional circuit racer, Owen was invited to take part in the 1960 Italian Grand Prix, which was boycotted by the major English teams because the organisers insisted on including the banked part of the circuit. Driving a privately-entered Cooper, he retired from the race with suspension damage.

Arthur returned to hill climbing with his 2.2-litre Type 53 Cooper 'Lowline'. After coming close to taking the British Hill Climb title in 1961 he won the Championship the following year. In 1963 and 1964 Owen raced a Lotus 23 sports car and he was one of a select group of drivers invited to compete in the inaugural race held at the Suzuka circuit.



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