James Hunt - Early Life

Early Life

James Hunt was born in Belmont, Sutton, Surrey as the second child of Sue and Wallis Hunt, a successful stockbroker. His parents were brought up in strict Victorian environments and worked hard to maintain discipline in the family. He had an older sister, Sally, three younger brothers Peter, Timothy and David along with one young sister, Georgina. The family lived in a flat in Cheam, Surrey and moved to a home Sutton when Hunt was 11 and then to a larger home in Belmont. Before his 5th birthday, Hunt enrolled at a nursery class at Ambleside. He was educated at Westerleigh School in Hastings, East Sussex from 1955 and later Wellington College in Crowthorne, Berkshire, and originally professed the intention of becoming a doctor. In school, Hunt played for the Westerleigh cricket team and for two years, played in football as a goalkeeper. He entered a tennis tournament at the age of 12 for the under-16's and lost out in one match making Hunt not accept defeat. In his childhood, he had been fascinated with animals and birds which his family supported.

As a child, Hunt had a personality of being persistenly rebellious and had violent tantrums. As an adult, Hunt acknowledged that anger dissipated very fast with himself. His parents believed that Hunt had started smoking from the age of 10. His parents tried to persuade him to stop but with no effect. Later on, Hunt had learned to drive on a farm in Pembrokeshire, Wales whilst on a family holiday. He was driving a tractor which was demonstrated by the owner. He found changing gears frustrating because of a lack of strength required. One week after his 17th birthday, Hunt passed his driving test which he called the time when his life "really began". Hunt also took up skiing in 1965 in Scotland and made plans for further expeditions in 1966. Hunt suffered a sore arm on the journey back to England which remained for some time. Before his 18th birthday, his partner in Doubles Tennis, Chris Ridge took Hunt to see a motor race at Silverstone which gave Hunt an instant obsession.