A major tourist attraction in Bourne is its connection with international motor racing during the middle years of the 20th century and one of the first tasks by the Civic Society when it was formed in 1981 was to commemorate this link.

The result was that in 1999, a memorial room dedicated to the life and times of Raymond Mays, the motor racing pioneer who lived in the town, was opened at the Heritage Centre on Sunday 24th August by the local MP, Mr Quentin Davies, the member for Grantham and Stamford.

Since then, the room has been expanded regularly and the display now includes the racing goggles worn by Raymond Mays and an impressive display of old photographs reflecting his career but, more importantly, there are also four large glass cases of magnificent silver trophies won by the BRM team on racing circuits throughout the world.

The centre attracts many visitors from at home and abroad who are interested in motor racing and the BRM particularly and in July 2011 a group of enthusiasts made the journey from Mexico. They were members of Scuderia Rodriguez, Mexico's Legion of Honour in motor sports, who were particularly interested in the success of their countryman, Pedro Rodriguez, who drove the BRM from 1968-71 in many international events and eight of his magnificent silver trophies are on show, including the winner's cup for the 1970 Belgium Grand Prix at Spa.

Rodriguez (1940-71), who was born in Mexico City, began his career by racing bicycles and then motor cycles, becoming national champion in 1953-54, but three years later he made his debut in cars and was soon clocking up successes at the wheel of a Ferrari. By 1967, he had become a permanent fixture in Formula One, driving for BRM in 1968, 1970 and 1971. He was considered to be one of the bravest drivers on the international scene, surviving several hair-raising episodes on the track, but was killed on 11th July 1971 at the age of 31 while driving an Interserie sports car at the Norisring circuit in Nuremberg, Germany, where a bronze memorial plaque commemorates his death.

The Mexican party, headed by organiser Carlos Jalife, had been to the German track to pay their respects before driving on to Bourne to see the trophies won by their hero which are part of the collection in the care of the Civic Society at the Heritage Centre based in Baldock's Mill in South Street. They were entertained throughout the day by society officials and they also met local man Ben Casey, former BRM employee who was chief mechanic to Rodriguez during his spell driving the company's cars and who was made a brother of the Legion of Honour.

REVISED JULY 2011

 See also The BRM trophies 

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