Walter Thomas Clifford Earp (1879–1921) was a British pioneer racing motorist.
He was born in 1879, in Lambeth, South London. His parents were Arthur Clifford Earp (1855–1886), a sculptor, and Emily Wood. He attended Ardingly College, Sussex.1891 Census. His surname was often spelled Clifford-Earp. He had a brother, also Arthur Clifford Earp, born 1 January 1883, who was also a racing motorist, and on occasion acted as his riding mechanic. He was a protégé of S. F. Edge and sometimes faced adversity, being considered a 'trade' professional in an age of amateurs.
During the eliminating trials for the Gordon Bennett Cup at Douglas, Isle of Man, in 1904 Clifford Earp, with brother Arthur acting as riding mechanic, crashed into a stone wall on the promenade, both being hospitalised.The Manchester Guardian, 13 May 1904, p. 7; The New York Times, 13 May 1904, p. 6; For a photograph of the wrecked car see: The Autocar, 20 September 1963, p. 527.
In July 1905, Earp on a hp Napier finished eighth in The Gordon Bennett Cup on the Auvergne circuit in France.The Advertiser, Adelaide, South Australia, Friday 7 July 1905, p. 8.
In July 1905 Earp, on a 90-horsepower Napier, completed the flying-start kilometre in 23 seconds at the inaugural Brighton Speed Trials.The Manchester Guardian, 21 July 1905, p. 12. Earp won the Daily Mail Challenge Cup.
On 27 January 1906, Earp broke the world record for 100 miles' distance in a race for the Minneapolis Automobile Club trophy at Ormond-Daytona Beach, Florida on a 90 hp Napier in a time of 1 hour, 15 minutes and 40.4 seconds,State, South Carolina, 28 January 1906, p. 1. with riding-mechanic H. H. Baker.The Sands of Time, William P Lazarus, Sports Publishing, 1 March 2004, p. 37. At about the 35-mile mark he shed his rear tyre and completed the rest of the race on the rim.
In 1907, Earp drove his 60 hp Thames car at Brooklands to four new world records:The Manchester Guardian, 11 December 1907, P3; State, South Carolina, 14 December 1907, p. 4.
DistanceTime50 miles39 min 10 s150 miles1 h 58 min 34 s TimeDistanceOne hour76 miles 453 yardsTwo hours151 miles 146 yards
The Thames motor car was manufactured by the Thames Ironworks, Shipbuilding, and Engineering Company Ltd., of Greenwich.The Sydney Morning Herald, Tuesday 14 January 1908, p. 10.
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