The Doghouse Owners Club

I spotted something on ebay which referred to an organization of GP driver's wives called the Doghouse Owners Club. I can't remember reading/hearing of this before. It seems to have been around in the late sixties - early seventies.

The auction is finished so I'm not going to link to it since the page will disappear soon but in the immediate future you can search the U.S. www.ebay.com by item for #2721990558 and see the photos. The item description has a little info:

An original plate produced by the doghouse owners club, the Doghouse Owners Club was formed in the 1960's by the wives of the Formula one racing drivers and included the wives of Graham Hill, Bruce Mclaren and many others, over the years they have raised funds for various charities and good causes, this plate was produced by the doghouse owners club in 1970 in very limited numbers, the centre of the plate shows the Emblem of the doghouse owners club and around the plate are the signatures of the following 28 drivers, Jochen Rindt, Graham Hill, Jack Brabham, Denis Hulme, John Surtees, Jacky Ickx, Chris Amon, Jo Siffert, Tim Schenken, Bruce Mclaren, Jackie Oliver, Pete Gethin, Pedro Rodriguez, Andrea De Adamich, Mario Andretti, Emerson Fittipaldi, Reine Wisell, Ronnie Peterson, Clay Regazonni, Henri Pescarolo, Tim Schenken, Rolf Stommelen, Francois Cevert Mike Hailwood, John Miles, Howden Ganley, Jean Pierre Beltoise and Jo Bonnier, the signatures are glazed into the plate and are copied from originals supplied for the production of this wonderful piece, on the reverse of the plate is stamped "specially made for the doghouse owners club", I have never seen another like this in many years of collecting and wonder if there are anymore like it ?? plate is in excellent condition.....

I'd be interested in the history of the Doghouse Owners Club (like how the name came about?), the sort of collectibles they created, and in hearing any stories....

I can only guess that the club is still in existence, doing charitable works. I never hear it's name mentioned in conjunction with the current group of GP wives, though.
Their address is/was :Wytethorne Cottage, Crossways, Tatsfield, Westerham, Kent, TN16 2BW, England
Tel: + 44 (0) 1959 577688
The Doghouse Owner's Club, otherwise known as The Women's Motor Racing Associates Club, had its 40th anniversary in March of 2002.
The club was formed to provide a 'haven' for the wives,girlfriends,mothers,children etc of those taking part in race meetings. The members provided a place where the ladies could grab a glass of wine or a cup of tea and a sandwich when not involved with helping in the pits or timekeeping and also to be there in support in times of need such as illness, accident or other crisis.
They have a website (coming soon) which has a picture of a dog with a racing helmet on, laying down in his doghouse.
http://www.wmrac.org.uk/
The drivers were always in the 'doghouse' owned by their spouses/girlfriends.

Just noticed this on eBay. The Brockbank connection makes it very tempting.

A search of TNF may also produce info, IIRC one of the members of the Doghouse club is a member here too.........

Was there ever any connection with the Mechanic's Trust?

I was a member way back when..... my last involvment was with the 1997 charity ball at the Park Lane Hilton.
Yes, the club is still in existance but not, I believe at the address given. A small group is talking about a dinner dance sometime.
The plate mentioned sounds like the first one. There was a second larger and square with rounded off edges. They also had mugs and other bits and pieces but the plates seem to be the most collectable.
The club's hay day was very much the late 60s/early 70s when the committe was made up of a lot of influential driver's wives and the club managed to fund raise [in a very amateur way] for some quite large items. there is a ventilator at Atkinson Morley Hospital, a burns bed somewhere, even an inshore lifeboat at Mabelthorpe in Lincolnshire. Sadly with the death of Eba Grant, wife of Gregor, of Autosport fame and much loved Hon.Secretary and the decampment of drivers and their wives overseas, the heart went out of the club and it has trickled down to a few, mostly in the Silverstone area, although the staunchest has to be Shirley Proctor, wife of Peter, in Yorkshire, who hosts lunches for northern supporters.
I suppose that the cabaret at the ball has to be their finest hour which at it's best was great fun, at it's worst , we won't mention!
I met someone at Goodwood, I believe he worked with Ferret Photographic, sorry, I can't think of names, be he had quite a lot of memorabilia, ex Pat McLaren I believe.
Happy days....
Loti

Just found this ; http://cgi.ebay.com/...=item35a908bd25

Just found this ; http://cgi.ebay.com/...=item35a908bd25

One of those was for sale on someone's stand at Race Retro this year.

These are quite rare and make a nice memento.

Also, Loti and Simone Grant produce a book a couple of years ago (I think there was a thread), well worth a read for anyone interested in 1960s and 1970s motorsport for the stories and characters included.