Among other titled ladies who count their miles by the thousand may be named Lady Beatrice Rawson, a devotee of the small car; Lady Muriel Gore-Brown, the Hon. Mrs. Maurice Gifford, of Boothby Hall, Grantham; Lady Plowden, and the Baroness Campbell de Laurentz. The Baroness has the distinction of being the first lady in Britain to drive and manage her own car. Cars in those days were patterned like high dog-carts and were mostly steamers. The Baroness possesses several photographs of herself and husband, with a groom in the tiger’s seat, of the old-fashioned car. To-day these pictures have a very queer look.
A complete list of the ladies who have taken part in motor-car road trials and club competitions would be wearisome to the reader, but a few names may be mentioned. Miss Muriel Hind, one of the few women who favour the motor-bicycle, has won many medals in long-distance trials. Mrs. Herbert Lloyd, who is not only an expert driver, but the inventor of some very ingenious appliances for motor-cars, has done well in open competition with professional male drivers. Miss Daisy Hampson has won prizes with her 120 horse-power Fiat. Mrs. E. Manville has taken part in the Herkomer competition.
No list of distinguished women motoristes would be complete without the names of those who took part in the first race for ladies upon the Brooklands course. The race, which was called the Ladies’ Bracelet Handicap, took place in July 1908. There were five starters: Mrs. Locke-King, wife of the founder and owner of Brooklands Racecourse; Miss Muriel Thompson, Miss Christabel Ellis, Miss N. Ridge-Jones, and Mrs. J. Roland Hewitt. Mrs. Locke-King, who started from scratch,
Photo by Arthur Rouselle
MRS. GEORGE THRUPP, ORIGINATOR OF THE MOTOR CHRISTENING
finished a length in front of Miss Muriel Thompson, her speed over the course being at the rate of fifty miles an hour.
There are few lady motoristes who take a keener practical interest in their cars than Miss Isabel Savory. Miss Savory, who has driven many cars, is loud in her praises of her 10 horse-power Cadillac. This car she has always driven and attended to herself, never having employed a chauffeur. She has done all the oiling and adjustments and has put on many a new inner tube by the roadside. She has driven long distances without any companion, and has dealt single-handed and successfully with every emergency that has arisen.