5 replies to this topic

[Rob29]

I recently obtained a book titled 'Fast Women' by one John Bullock,about the history of women in racing up to 1939. It seems to solve a mystery (to me anyway) I have ofen read that the pulp novelist Barbara Cartland was a former racing driver,but have never found any results. Mr.Bullock reveals the story-apparently it was a publicity stunt by her and some friends. They took some MGs down to Brooklands and ponced arround for the benefit of a tabloid! Never did a real race. Last time I was at Brooklands they had a pink room dedicated to Ms Cartland. Anyone like to join my campain to have it torn out and replaced by a tribute to the real lady racers?

[Gary C]

Yeah, I'm with you on this one. What a joke. I don't know why they have deicated (and named!!) a room after her. There's a little bit of newsreel of the 'race' and an interview with her afterwards that they show in the video presentation too. Surely the likes of Kay Petre would be a better bet?

[Eric McLoughlin]

I thank Barbara Cartland, although not a lady racer, was well in with the Brooklands "set" in the 20's and 30's and did a lot to encourage female participation in motor sport. It was quite the "In Thing" for girls to take an interest in things mechanical at that time, hence the preponderance of "aviatrix" pioneers such as Amy Johnson and Jean Batten

[Criceto]

Sore point, this. In all honesty, I think it would be morev accurate to state that female participation in motor sport at Brooklands happened despite Barbara Cartland.

The oft-mentioned "race" amongst society gels in standard MG Midgets was offered to the familiar and well-established female stars of Brooklands, who turned down the suggestion flat. Certainly Kay Petre and Elsie Wisdom were reported to be aghast at some of the driving on exhibition there, and it was widely held that the "race" did a disservice to the cause of female drivers at the Track.

The Cartland Room has no real place in Brooklands. I forget what the area it fills was originally used for, but I don't think it was in any shape or form a lounge-room for lady competitors, as seems to be the suggestion. I did enquire, at the time of Brooklands' disastrous flood eighteen months ago, if the opportunity would be taken for some rethinking and redecoration, but was told that the legacy that was left to the museum by Dame Barbara ensured that it would be restored "as she would have wanted it" and would remain so for the foreseeable future.

So I'm afraid we're stuck with it.

Dame Barbara also used to state that she counted "Bentley Boys" amongst her boyfriends at the time. Again, I can find nothing to back this claim, any more than I can anything that suggests her racing career extended beyond the one showcase event. I suppose anyone who makes a name for herself by selling ostensibly the same novel under five hundred different titles, and ensures that she's only ever seen in shocking pink, in a white Rolls Royce, is going to have some of her self-publicity stick.

[Eric McLoughlin]

I reckon she must always have been a bit of a media manipulator.

[David McKinney]

Did she actually drive in that MG "race"? I think she just organised it