Framlinghamian 2022 - Flipbook - Page 173
OBITUARIES
not suffered a serious back injury which finished his career and
from which he suffered for the rest of his life.
He adored racing cars, and was a keen and accomplished
exponent. For his 90th birthday party, held at the clubhouse
of BRDC, Silverstone in 2018 his grandson produced a book
of photographs. An article in “Motor Sport” of March 2005,
referred to his racing days under the heading, “A law unto
himself” – then subtitled, “Family fur business in the winter,
motorsport come the summer.” Delving amidst much technical
automotive detail, we gather that Michael made his way
through a range of Jaguar, Lotus, Ace-Bristol and Lister models,
with various specifications and adventurous modifications,
and that he raced on a whole series of world-famous circuits
including Goodwood, Oulton Park, Silverstone, Monza, Bari,
Brands Hatch and Reims, with varying degrees of success. He
vied with, and knew the top names in the sport, such as Colin
Chapman of Lotus fame, with whom he knew both friendship
and conflict. Mike’s mechanical expertise and resourcefulness
shine through and he achieved no little success, his greatest
claim to fame being, in his own words, the fact “that I
survived”. In the years when he was racing, over 100 drivers
that he knew were killed. Perhaps it is no wonder that he had
changed his name from Rosen, so as to protect his real identity.
In summary, the ‘Motor Sport’ item concludes: “Having been
lumbered with a limp by a rugby injury, this Outside Centre had
been happy to carry his shirt number, 13, on his race cars. If it
was unlucky for others, it might be lucky for him, he reasoned.
The pictures show him at Goodwood in 1998 – but not with
No 13, and driving a Lotus.
It worked and he did indeed survive and lived an active life
through to a good ripe age. The family connection with the
College and Brandeston remained strong. Mike’s brother,
Brian, taught at Brandeston, and Mike’s grand-daughter,
Maddie, who had been Head Girl at the Leys, Cambridge was,
until the lockdown, assisting on the staff at Brandeston Hall.
- Obituary compiled from information from Brian Rosen
(S40-46), James Ruddock-Broyd and Norman Porter.
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