Sir Leslie Lynn Marr of Sunderland, 2nd Baronet (14 August 1922 – 4 May 2021) was a British landscape artist, painter and racing driver.
Early life, education and military service
Marr was born in Durham, England, the son of Lieutenant Colonel and brevet Colonel John Lynn Marr (1877–1931), OBE, TD, of the Royal Garrison Artillery, director of two shipbuilding firms and of the Sunderland Forge and Engineering Company,[1] and Amelia Rachel (1884–1971; known as "May"),[2] daughter of Robert Thompson, of Over Dinsdale Hall, County Durham, a shipbuilder.[3][4]
Marr is recognised primarily as a landscape artist and painter.[8][9][10] After the war ended, Marr attended life classes at Heatherley's Art School in Pimlico and subsequently studied under David Bomberg at what was then known as the Borough Polytechnic (now London South Bank University). He allocated the upper floor of a bookshop he had rented as an exhibition space for Bomberg's students (who became known as the Borough Group). Following the Group's dissolution in 1950, Marr continued to paint and to travel across Britain and the continent, and it was at this time that Marr tried his hand at motor racing.[6][11]
Marr participated in two Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, making his debut on 17 July 1954 at the British Grand Prix.[14] Racing in his private Connaught, he finished in 13th place, but retired from his last world championship race in 1955, after a damaged brake pipe caused him to spin off.[15][16] Marr competed in several non-Championship races, with his best results including winning the 1955 Cornwall MRC Formula 1 Race and finishing fourth in the 1956 New Zealand Grand Prix.[15]
Personal life
In 1948, Marr married artist Dinora Mendelson (1924–2010), daughter of London art dealer Jacob Mendelson and artist Lilian Holt; Lilian's second husband was Marr's former teacher David Bomberg.[17] Marr and his wife separated after two years, and were divorced in 1956.[18][19][20] In 1962, Marr married Lynn Moynihan; they had two daughters, the elder of whom predeceased him. His third wife was Maureen Monk.[21] Marr died in Gimingham, Norfolk in May 2021 at the age of 98, survived by his widow, daughter, and three grandchildren.[13] He was succeeded as baronet by his first cousin twice removed,[22] Allan James William Marr.[3]
^Grandson of Leslie Marr's first cousin, Allan James Marr (1907-1989), CBE; see Burke's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage, 107th edition, vol. 2, ed. Charles Mosley, Burke's Peerage Ltd, 2003, p. 2629
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