Ian Appleyard

The son of Ernest Appleyard, founder of the famous Yorkshire Appleyard Group of motor vehicle dealers, Ian Appleyard eventually replaced his father at the helm of the company. In the early part of World War II, Ian attended Bradford Technical College before gaining a First Class engineering degree from London University. He then served in the R.E.M.E. (Royal and Military Engineers) where he became a major by the age of 23. Having been brought up in the Alps on family skiing holidays, Appleyard, who re-joined the family business after his military service, discovered that the Alpine car rally had been revived in 1946, and he borrowed an old Jaguar from the company to take part in the race.

That was the start of Appleyard’s love affair with rallying, and in the 1950s he gained a reputation as one of the best rally drivers in Britain. He won the then popular Tulip Rally in 1951, and the RAC International Rally in 1951 and 1953. He also competed in the Monte Carlo Rally, and won the coveted Coupe-des-Alpes (Alpine Cup) five times for penalty-free runs in the Rallye des Alpes (Alpine Rally). In addition, he was also awarded the Coupe d’Or (Gold Cup) for achieving penalty-free runs on three consecutive occasions, a feat achieved only by two other men, Britain’s Stirling Moss and the Frenchman Jean Vinatier. Appleyard drove a distinguishable white Jaguar XK120, and his co-driver throughout most of his triumphs, was his wife Patricia, daughter of Sir William Lyons, the founder and chairman of Jaguar cars.

Despite gaining a reputation as a fine rally driver, Appleyard was originally chosen as a reserve for Alpine skiing events at the 1948 Olympics. However, he eventually took part in the slalom and downhill events, with a 55th position in the former being his best result. Appleyard was also a good tennis player as a youngster, and represented Yorkshire at county level. He retired from business in 1988, and enjoyed another of his loves, ornithology, in the North Yorkshire Moors. He was a leading authority on the Ring Ouzel, a member f the thrush family. Appleyard was a former president of the Motor Traders’ Association, president of the Leeds Rotary Club, and chairman of the Leeds Chamber of Commerce.