Leonard Frank Lukey (1921 - 1978)

Born 21 Dec 1921 in Saint Kilda, Victoria, Australia

Ancestors

Husband of Helen Barbara (Dove) Lukey — married 1949 in Victoria, Australia

Died 27 Oct 1978 at age 56 in Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia

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Biography

Len Lukey was born in Victoria, Australia

Leonard 'Len' Frank Lukey was born on 21st December 1921 in St Kilda, Victoria, Australia. He was the firstborn child of Frank Lukey and Elizabeth Wells. ^[1]

Len Lukey is a Military Veteran.
Served in the Royal Australian Navy 1945-1946

With the (Second World) War over in Europe but still raging in the Pacific, Len enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy. His enlistment is listed as 5th June 1945, which would put him at 23 years of age. His father was listed as next-of-kin. He was demobilised at HMAS Cerberus, Melbourne, on 24th October 1946 as an Able Seaman. ^[2]

Len married Helen Dove in 1949 in Victoria. ^[3] He and Helen lived at 236 Chesterville Road, Moorabbin, fifteen kilometres south-east of the Melbourne Central Business District.

In the 1950s he opened the highly successful Lukey Mufflers Pty Ltd at 1142 Nepean Highway, Highett, another kilometre to the south-east.

He made his motor racing debut in 1953, aged 31 years, at the wheel of a side-valve Ford Mainline Utility, ^[4] moving on to a Ford Customline soon after. He took hillclimbing class records at the Victorian circuits, Rob Roy, Hepburn Springs and Templestowe. In October 1956 he purchased a Cooper T23 Bristol which he first raced in the 1956 Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park, finishing ninth (won by Stirling Moss in a works Maserati 250F). The following year in the Cooper he set a new Category E Australian National Speed record of 147.4 mph (237.2 kph) for the flying kilometre. ^[5] Driving his Cooper T23 Bristol, he finished fifth in the 1957 inaugural Australian Drivers' Championship and improved to third the following year. ^[5]

Acquiring an advanced Cooper T45 from Jack Brabham in early 1959, ^[5] Len won the twelve-race 1959 Australian Drivers' Championship – the 'CAMS Gold Star' – by two points. His final race was the 1960 New Zealand Grand Prix, after which he retired from active participation at the age of 38, to pursue his business interests. Len provided financial support to various competitors, including Jack Brabham, whose Formula One 1966 and 1967 World Championship-winning Brabham BT19 ‘620’ and BT24 ‘740’ used Lukey exhaust systems. ^[6]

In 1964 Len purchased the property which included what is now the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit in Victoria for £13,000 ($26,000), on the condition that the Phillip Island Auto Racing Club (PIARC) re-commenced race meetings four times a year and paid Len $2 per year in rent. The circuit re-opened in 1967 following extensive repairs and modifications, ^[6] and has been the venue for the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix 1989-90 and 1997 onwards. Ownership was retained by the Lukey estate until 1984. Turn 9 on the circuit is named Lukey Heights in his memory. ^[7]

Aged 56 years, he passed away on 27th October 1978 in the Mercy Hospital (now Austin Hospial), Heidelberg, Victoria. ^[8] He was survived by Helen and their children.

Sources

1. ↑ Victoria Birth Index #8185-1922
2. ↑ Department of Veterans' Affairs nominal roll: PM8515 Able Seaman Leonard Frank Lukey; accessed 6 May 2022
3. ↑ Victoria Marriage Index #11953/1949
4. ↑ Tuckey, W P. The Book of Australian Motor Racing. K G Murray Publishing Company
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2} Blanden, John B. Historic Racing Cars in Australia, 1979
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} Promotipo, 26 Dec 2019: 'Len Lukey, Australian ‘Gold Star’ Champion'; accessed 6 May 2022
7. ↑ Monument Australia; accessed 6 May 2022
8. ↑ Victoria Death Index #12707/1978; registered at East Melbourne

See also

• Wikipedia: Len Lukey; accessed 6 May 2022.