he had two children. The Furness family ran a shipping line in Liverpool. By the mid-1950s he had married well


for a second time. His new bride was Jean Owen, of the wealthy family that lent its name to the hugely successful Rubery Owen motor company in the Midlands. Within a few years Louis had become involved in the motor racing business to such an extent he became Chairman of the BRM racing team, the major British Formula 1 contender in the 50s and 60s. In 1974 the Owen organisation withdrew its funding but, not one to be put off, Louis founded Stanley-BRM with the generous financial support of a woman who has been described as “his plainly loving but dominated heiress wife”. It was often said of Louis that he


wandered around with the air of royalty. His wife always drove the family car as if such an activity was beneath him. The fact that he once signed himself into an American hotel as “Lord Stanley” is another strong clue as to the nature of his personality. Although Louis’ F1 adventure ended


ultimately in abject failure, he did make a major


contribution to the sport.


Partnering with Sir Jackie Stewart he improved the safety of racing circuits and the quality of medical care for drivers. Eager to find out more about Louis


58 ROYAL LIVERPOOL GOLF CLUB MAGAZINE 2 017


The fruit of a scandalous relationship


T. Stanley, Hoylake member, I searched diligently through


the membership


books of the 1930s and 40s but in vain. Nothing. There was no record of the man with the fantastic swing ever winning a competition (which is hardly surprising if his membership was a myth). As he was born in Wallasey I made enquiries at that great Club, but again, no mention. One can only conclude that it suited


Louis for certain people to believe he was a Royal Liverpool member, so that was what he told them. So here was a mysterious man, very


well known in the worlds of golf, rugby and motor racing, a fine writer, but prone to egomania and making enemies. What made him tick? The answer seems to lie in the book


written by one of those enemies, his step daughter, Bobbie Neate. It’s called “Conspiracy of Secrets” and, in what can only be described as an act of revenge, tears apart any reputation Louis T. Stanley may have built up in his lifetime. Amongst many shocks, Bobbie suggests that Louis was the illegitimate son of the last British Liberal Prime Minister, Herbert Asquith, and socialite, Venetia


Stanley. Louis, she says, came into the world in Wallasey in 1911 or 1912, the fruit of a scandalous relationship. Venetia was the youngest daughter of Edward Stanley, 4th Baron Sheffield and Stanley of Alderley. Asquith began writing to her in 1910, since she was a friend of his daughter, Violet. According to Bobbie Neate, Louis was brought up by a foster mother paid jointly by Asquith and Stanley. Herbert Asquith’s love affair with


Venetia took place before and throughout World War One. He often wrote letters to her during cabinet meetings while the country was in peril. Did this have any effects on the course of the war? Was Asquith concentrating on his young lover when he should have been thinking about strategy? Whatever, he was soon disposed of the premiership. Having been born into a lie it is perhaps


no surprise that Louis T. Stanley had some difficulty


understanding exactly


who he was and had a tendency to be “economical with the truth”. But that can’t undermine the fact


that he wrote some pretty marvellous books. ■


Above: The Royal Liverpool clubhouse in 1928


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