Sir Stirling Moss hands out surprise gifts to relatives in his will

Sir Stirling Moss’ will has revealed a series of surprising gifts and treasured possessions that he left to friends and loved ones.

The incredibly detailed list included thousands of pounds for friends to enjoy a dinner at a Miami seafood restaurant, paying off telephone bills, and for some friends to continue ‘enjoying our usual nights out’.

The legendary racing driver, who died aged 90 last year, left behind a £22 million estate – the bulk of which went to his widow Lady Susie, 68, and children Allison, 53, and Elliot, 40.

But in his 16-page will reported on by The Sun, Sir Stirling made a string of big-hearted legacies to 18 of his closest friends and relatives.

Sir Stirling Moss’ will has revealed a series of surprising gifts and treasured possessions that he left to friends and loved ones

The legendary racing driver, who died aged 90 last year, left behind a £22 million estate - the bulk of which went to his widow Lady Susie, 68, and children Allison, 53, and Elliot, 40

The legendary racing driver, who died aged 90 last year, left behind a £22 million estate – the bulk of which went to his widow Lady Susie, 68, and children Allison, 53, and Elliot, 40

He bequeathed a silver rabbit’s foot, a gift from friends in 1954, to his former psychotherapist for ‘giving me more than luck’.

To his former agent and her husband, he left £1,000, with the instruction to ‘enjoy at Joe’s Stone Crab’ a seafood restaurant in Miami Beach, Florida. 

The will also ordered £10,000 be given to his rally driver sister, Pat Moss-Carlsson, however she sadly died in 2008 aged 73. She is still seen as one of the most successful female drivers of all time

Pat’s daughter and Sir Stirling’s niece, Susie Rawding, 51, is also included in the will, and was bequeath £10,000 with the suggestion she ‘put it towards buying another horse’. 

He bequeathed a silver rabbit's foot, a gift from friends in 1954, to his former psychotherapist for 'giving me more than luck'

He bequeathed a silver rabbit’s foot, a gift from friends in 1954, to his former psychotherapist for ‘giving me more than luck’

According to The Times, the gift to Rawding, a former showjumping champion turned farmer, brought tears to her eyes.

What did Sir Stirling leave in his will?

The majority of Sir Stirling’s £22 million estate in his will went to his wife of 40 years Lady Susie and children Allison, 53, and son Elliot, 40, but the racing legend also left a series of kind gifts to other family and friends: 

£20,000 to his god-daughter.

£10,000 to his rally driver sister, Moss-Carlsson, who sadly died in 2008 aged 73.

£10,000 to his niece Susie Rawding to ‘put towards buying another horse’.

£10,000 and a Marcel Lebrun painting to his former secretary.

£5,000 to a married couple as ‘my thanks for their loyalty’.

£5,000 to a married couple.

Another £5,000 to a friend in America.

£2,000 and his Mercedes Benz boxed edition Silver Arrows, given to him by Mercedes Benz in 1998, to a male pal.

£1,000 to friend David Haynes for him and his wife ‘to enjoy a few of our usual nights out’. Haynes had died in 2009.

£1,000 to his former agent and her husband to ‘enjoy at Joe’s Stone Crab’ restaurant in Miami, US.

£1,000 to a female friend ‘to help towards her telephone bills’.

A hand-carved Birdcage Maserati sculpture by artist Dennis Hoyt to a male pal.

A John Brierley model train to another male friend.

A Talbot car model to a male friend.

A Cooper model to a male pal.

His silver rabbit’s foot – given to Sir Stirling in 1954 by friends – to his ex-psychotherapist for ‘giving me more than luck’.

A painting of Hyde Park by artist Dexter Brown to ‘remind her of her many numbered bottles enjoyed after walks through that park’.

Also included in his will were several car models including a Cooper, a Maserati and a Talbot.

A female friend was left a painting of Hyde Park by artist Dexter Brown that Sir Stirling hope would ‘remind her of her many numbered bottles enjoyed after walks through that park’.

Moss died on Easter Sunday aged 90 after a long illness, unrelated to coronavirus.

Lady Moss was at his bedside as he died, having nursed him through his illness at their central London house. She told the Daily Mail: ‘He died as he lived, looking wonderful.’

As per his wishes he was cremated and will have his ashes scattered alongside his wife’s when she dies.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic commemorations for Sir Stirling were limited, with only a handful of family members allowed at his cremation.

‘It would have been nice to have gone to a restaurant and had some drinks to celebrate his life but that will have to wait. We can have a big party in the future,’ said Lady Moss.

Sir Stirling is considered one of the world’s greatest drivers, capable of driving almost any car, despite never winning the Formula One world title.

He became a household name that policeman stopping motorists for speeding would say: ‘Who do you think you are? Stirling Moss?’.

He won 16 of his 66 grands prix during seven seasons from 1955 to 1961. He consistently finished the championship in either second or third place.

His versatility won him 212 of his 529 career races in every conceivable kind of car.

Among Moss’s greatest victories were the 1961 Monaco Grand Prix, in which he triumphed in his Lotus against the faster Ferraris, and the 1955 Mille Miglia – where he set a new course record in the famous 1,000-mile race around Italy. 

Moss’s career at the top level of motorsport racing came to an end in 1962.

He was effectively forced to retire following a crash at Goodwood that left him in a coma for a month and partially paralysed for six months.

Stylish, debonair, brave, he kept two books of cuttings in his Mayfair house – one of motor racing, the other of ‘crumpet’.