Patrick Evelyn

Patrick Evelyn was working as a farmer when he got an opportunity to represent Great Britain in the bobsleigh. At the 1968 European Bobsleigh and Skeleton Championships in St. Moritz, Evelyn and Tony Fildes won silver in the two-man event, with the other British team of John Blockey and Mike Freeman winning bronze. Four years later Evelyn competed in the two-man and four-man events at the 1972 Sapporo Olympics, finishing 20th and 16th, respectively.

Evelyn’s family had been the owners of the Wotton Estate in Dorking, Surrey since 1579, with Patrick inheriting the property in 1965. In addition to maintaining the estate he was involved in local politics in the 1980s and 1990s, serving as the chair of Mole Valley District Council and the vice-chair of Surrey County Council. In 1982 Evelyn was appointed as the High Sheriff of Surrey and later served as a Deputy Lieutenant. He also had a keen interest in aviation, learning to fly and pilot his own light aircraft.