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Jenny Tudor-Owen


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#1 Doug Nye

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Posted 03 October 2022 - 18:10

I have been asked if I remember much about British racing and rally driver Jenny Tudor-Owen. Frankly - beyond the name being familiar to me - no I don't.  Can anyone provide further information?  Where from - etc etc...

 

DCN



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#2 Vitesse2

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Posted 03 October 2022 - 18:31

Her career seems to have been quite short, with a distinct continental flavour. Copied from Speedqueens:

 

Jenny Tudor-Owen – raced and rallied, mostly in Europe, during the 1960s. Her first car, lent to her in 1962, was a Mini, but she quickly moved on to an MGB. This particular car is the one most associated with her, and she raced several different versions. In 1964, she was fourth in the Copenhagen Cup at the Roskildering. In between two MGB seasons, she also raced a Lotus Elan in 1965, but this was not her favourite car. She was most successful in it in hillclimbs, in France and Germany. After another spell in the MGB, she acquired a Jaguar E-Type, which she used in 1967 and 1968, winning the 1968 BWRDC Racing championship. On the rallying side, she is best known for her Coupe des Dames in the 1968 London-Sydney Marathon, driving a Volvo 145. She was part of a four woman team with Elsie Gadd, Anthea Castell and Sheila Kemp. The car belonged to Elsie Gadd, who had no rallying experience, so she hired Jenny and Sheila as her lead drivers. They were 41st overall, just in front of Jean Denton’s MGB, which had been the favourite for the Ladies’ prize.

http://speedqueens.b...ch?q=tudor-owen



#3 Geoff E

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Posted 03 October 2022 - 19:40

She was possibly Jennifer D McKay (born 1932, Suffolk), m John Tudor-Owen in 1954 (Winchester).



#4 Vitesse2

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Posted 03 October 2022 - 20:49

She was possibly Jennifer D McKay (born 1932, Suffolk), m John Tudor-Owen in 1954 (Winchester).

Looks possible - that wedding is announced in both The Daily Telegraph and The Times, April 27th 1954. Although a Times report on the London-Sydney does refer to her as Miss J Tudor-Owen!

 

Just a guess, but as she seems to have disappeared from the scene after 1968 maybe she stayed in Australia after the rally? She might even have been Australian - perhaps coincidentally, there's a February 15th 1973 forthcoming wedding announcement in the Telegraph for Anne Tudor-Owen, 'elder daughter of Capt & Mrs H Tudor Owen, of Perth, Western Australia', to one Barry V Arnold, whose parents lived in Sherborne in Dorset. I can't immediately trace that marriage in UK records though.



#5 Rupertlt1

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Posted 04 October 2022 - 12:18

Mallory Park, short circuit, 18 October 1964, B.R.S.C.C.

Grand Touring Cars (from 1,151c.c. to 1,600 c.c., 10 laps):

1. M. Wayne (Lotus Elan), 7:11.4 (83.45 m.p.h.);

2 J. Moore (Diva Ford):

3. Miss J. Tudor-Owen (Lotus Elan).

 

RGDS RLT



#6 68targa

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Posted 04 October 2022 - 16:38

In May 1967 she is entered at Oulton Park as Mrs J. Tudor-Owen  (MGB) and later in 1967 she is entered by J.C. Bamford (MGB) at Brands Hatch but DNS.

On 12 May 1968 she is entered by Warrren Pearce Jaguar E-type at Silverstone.



#7 ReWind

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Posted 04 October 2022 - 17:09

She was possibly Jennifer D McKay (born 1932, Suffolk), m John Tudor-Owen in 1954 (Winchester).

According to www.genesreunited.co.uk the groom was John P. Tudor-Owen. In 1964 a certain John P.R. Tudor-Owen married in Winchester, Hampshire, this time the spouse's name was Reed.

Maybe the marriage between Jenny and John Tudor-Owen ended in divorce some time between 1954 and 1964.



#8 Parkesi

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Posted 07 October 2022 - 12:11

Doug - thank you for the initiative and thank you to the experts who shared their knowledge  :wave: