Joel Woolf Barnato

Woolf Barnato was the son of a wealthy family who had the money and time to partake in, and usually to excel at, a number of sports including motor boat racing and county cricket – he was wicket keeper for the Surrey County team.

He was an officer in the Royal Field Artillery in WW1 and served in France, Egypt and Palestine.

Barnato took up motor racing seriously in 1921 and in the next 10 years had numerous successes, including at Brooklands. He was one of the infamous 'Bentley Boys' and rescued W.O.Bently's company from bankruptcy, eventually becoming Chairman. He won the 24 Hours of Le Mans race three times in 1928, '29 and '30. W.O. Bentley regarded him as "The best driver we ever had… the best British driver of his day."

During WW2 Barnato was a wing commander in the RAF, protecting aircraft factories from enemy bombing raids.