Brief History of Brooklands
Beatrice (Tilly) Shilling was an accomplished rider who fettled her own machines and is best remembered in the motorcycle world as one of only three women to achieve the magic ton at Brooklands. An aeronautical engineer, she also has a place in aviation history as the inventor of a device which saved many lives. Fitted to Spitfires and Hurricanes, the invention prevented the severe flooding to which Merlin engines were prone during negative G manoeuvres, making the smiting of the nimble Messerschmitt problematical during the Battle of Britain. Officially named the R.A.E. restrictor, her solution was celebrated by the RAF lads as "Tilly's Orifice".
Miss E Foley and Miss L Ball at the International Six Days Reliability Trials, Brooklands, 22nd August 1925
Brooklands (1907 - 1939) was a 2.75-mile motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England.
The famed "Gold Star" was awarded to riders who achieved a lap of the circuit at over 100 miles per hour.
The track opened in 1907, and was the world's first purpose-built motor-sport venue. The circuit hosted its last race in 1939 It was
also one of Britain's first airfields. Today it plays host to Brooklands Museum, a major aviation and motoring museum, as well as a
venue for vintage car, motorcycle and other transport-related events.
The Brooklands circuit was the brainchild of Hugh Locke-King, and was opened on 17 June 1907 as the first purpose-built banked motor race circuit in the world.
Located in Surrey, Brooklands was the site of many aeronautical and motoring milestones during the first half of the 20th century; it was a predecessor of the Formula One. Brooklands took its name from Robert del Brok, who, in the 12th century, was Lord of the local Manor, and prior to becoming a racetrack had been bought in 1830 by Locke-King's father, Peter King, from the then-Duke of York.
The Wey Navigation was excavated a mile to the west of Brooklands effectively making the site an island. An airfield was constructed on Weybridge Heath at the beginning of Britain's adventure into flight, and was central to the birth of the British aviation industry.
John Henry Knight of Farnham, Surrey drove his car on a public road in 1896 and was booked and fined by Surrey County Council for travelling at 9 mph, a speed in excess of the country road limit of 4 mph. In towns the limit was 2 mph.
Frustrated by the lack of opportunity for British drivers to gain experience because of the strictly imposed 20 mph speed limit he devised the track initially as a testing ground to enable vehicles to be safely driven at speed. The banking provided the camber to keep the cars on the track without having to slow at the end of each turn. At 100 feet wide and 30 feet high it attracted many spectators.
Locke-King was spurred on by Selwyn Edge (1868 - 1940), an experienced racing driver and car dealer, to complete the project with his highly publicised challenge that he would drive the course in a Napier single-handedly at a constant 60 mph for 24 hours without a rest break. Edge was to complete his remarkable challenge on the finished track without mishap.
It had been planned for the first meeting on 18th May but this had to be postponed as the track was not ready.
The Brooklands track was built as a 100 ft wide, 2.75 miles long, banked oval. The banking was nearly 30 feet high in places. In addition to the oval, a bisecting "finishing straight" was built, increasing the track length to 3.25 miles, of which 1.25 miles was banked. There were 1,500 men employed to build it and it could host up to 287,000 spectators at its peak.
Owing to the complications of laying tarmacadam on banking, and the expense of laying asphalt, the track was built in uncoated concrete. This led in later years to a somewhat bumpy ride, as the surface suffered differential settlement over time.
Along the centre of the track ran a dotted black line, known as the Fifty Foot Line. By driving over the line, a driver could theoretically take the banked corners without having to use the steering wheel.
1907
1907 17th June. Official opening of the track and included a procession of 43 cars led by C. S. Rolls. One of S. F. Edge's leading drivers, Miss Dorothy Levitt, was refused entry despite having been the 'first woman to compete in a motor race' in 1903, and holding the 'Ladies World Land Speed Record'.
1907 28th June. 1907 Brooklands 24 Hour Motor Event
1907 6th July. Brooklands 1st Race Meeting
1907 20th July. Brooklands 2nd Race Meeting
1907 23rd July. The R.A.C. Dust Trials were held.
1907 3rd August. Race meeting planned but later cancelled
1907 5th August. Brooklands 3rd Race Meeting
1907 17th August. Race meeting planned but later cancelled
1907 14th September. Brooklands 4th Race Meeting. First death on the track.
1907 21st September. Race meeting planned but later cancelled.
1907 5th October. Meeting postponed to the 12th October. Brooklands 5th Race Meeting)
1907 19th October. Race meeting planned but later cancelled.
1907 2nd November. Race meeting planned but later cancelled.
1907 November. E. de Rodakowski was appointed the official R.A.C. timekeeper for Brooklands for the automatic electric chronograph.
1908
1908 2nd January. H. C. Tryon in a Napier crashes in a record attempt at the course.
1908 4th April. The track was reopened after being closed for repairs and hosted a private race
1908 April. Issued their first list of 65 registered amateur competitors
1908 18/20th April. April Race Meeting (Easter)
1908 9th May. May Race Meeting
1908 6/8th June. June Race Meeting (Whitsun),
1908 17th June. In a record making session J. E. Hutton (Hutton), J. W. Stocks (De Dion) and F. Newton (Napier) set new records.
1908 4th July. July Race Meeting. First race for lady drivers.
1908 20th July. Start of the R.A.C. Dust Trials.
1908 1st/3rd August. August Race Meeting. Second fatality at the track.
1908 12th September. September Race Meeting. Meeting planned and advertised but canceled due to lack of entries.
1908 3rd October. October Race Meeting
1908 18th November. F. Newton sets record of almost 120 m.p.h. in his 90 h.p. Napier Samson.
1909
A hill was added at the side of the member's enclosure for the running of hill-climb events.
1909 10/12th April. Easter Race Meeting
1909 19th/31st May. Whitsun Race Meeting
1909 30th June. Race Meeting
1909 10th July. Race Meeting
1909 31st July. Race Meeting
1909 6th October. Race Meeting
1909 October/November. Louis Paulhan makes demonstration flights.
1909 8th November. Victor Hemery sets new records.
1909 21st December. Race between Vauxhall and Star cars which the former won.
1910
1910. 28th March. Easter race meeting.
1910. 27th April. Second race meeting.
1910. 4th May. Motorcycle race meeting.
1910. 28th May. Race meeting
1910. 18th June. Race meeting
1910. 25th June. Oxford vs. Cambridge race meeting
1910. 1st August. Race meeting
1911
1911. 7th January. Flying meeting.
1911. 11th March. Flying competition from Hendon to Brooklands and return.
1911. 17th April. Flying meeting and race meeting.
1911. 10th May. Race meeting
1911. 3rd June. Flying meeting and race meeting on Whit Monday.
1911. 17th June. Race meeting
1911. 20th July. Race meeting
1911. 29th July. Race meeting for clubs associated to the R.A.C.
1911. 1st August. Gerald Napier dies in a flying accident.
1911. 7th August. Race meeting
1911. August. Thomas Stanley Rhodes dies in a car accident leaving the track.
1911. 4th October. Race meeting. The last meeting of the year.
1912
1912. 25th February. Flying accident where Lieut. H. E. Watkins was injured.
1912. 4th May. Race Meeting
1912. 13th May. Flying accident where E. V. B. Fisher and his passenger Victor Mason, a wealthy American, were both killed.
1912. 3rd August. Flying accident where Lindsay Campbell was killed.
1912. 28th September. Race Meeting. The last meeting of the season.
1913
1913. 15th February, The world record for the first person to cover 100 miles in 1 hour was set by Percy E. Lambert at Brooklands, on 15 February 1913 when driving his 4.5 litre side-valve Talbot. He actually covered 103 miles, 1,470 yards in 60 minutes. Other records also broken. A contemporary film of his exploits on that day can be viewed at the Brooklands Museum.
1913. 13th June. Flying accident where James Robert Branch Kennedy R.N. was killed and Gordon Bell, the pilot, was seriously injured.
1913. 4th August. Race meeting
1913. 25-27th September. Demonstrations of upside down flying by Adolphe Pegoud.
1913. 31st October. Death of Percy E. Lambert. The third track death at Brooklands.
WWI
WWI During World War I, Brooklands closed to motor racing and was requisitioned by the War Office.
1914. 20th June. Demonstration of field ambulance and hospital work attended by Queen Alexandra.
1914. 30th June. Race meeting for Oxford vs. Cambridge Universities.
1915. Vickers set up a factory in 1915, and Brooklands soon became a major centre for the construction, testing and supply of military aeroplanes.
1915. Flying accidents claimed the lives of J. F. A. Kane and H. T. Lumsden, and in 1916 E. J. Radcliffe was killed.
1920
Motor racing resumed in 1920 after extensive track repairs
1920. 5th April. First planned motor race following the war postponed because of bad weather.
1920. 24th May. Race meeting. First meeting following the war.
1920. 19th June. Race meeting.
1920. 26th June. Motorcycle race meeting.
1920. 2nd August. Race meeting.
1920. 11th September. Motorcycle race meeting.
1920. 25th September. Race meeting.
1920 9th October. Motorcycle race meeting.
1921
1921. 28th March. Race meeting. Appearance of Chitty-Bang-Bang. Major Empson badly injured in trials at the weekend.
1921. 16th May. Race meeting.
1921. 2nd July. Motorcycle 500 mile race.
1921. 1st August. Race meeting.
1921. 27th August. Motorcycle race meeting. Start at Brooklands of six-day trial for motorcycles.
1921. 19th September. Motorcycle race meeting.
1921. 24th September. Race meeting.
1921. 22nd October. 200 mile race meeting.
1921. 5th November. Motorcycle race meeting.
1921. 30th November. E. B. Ware breaks records in Morgan two-cylinder car and H. H. Bowen breaks motorcycle record.
1922
1922. 13th April. Flying accident where Sir Ross Smith and Lieut. J. W. Bennett were killed.
1922. 17th April. Race meeting on Whit Monday.
1922. 6th May. Motorcycle race meeting
1922. 13th May. Race meeting
1922. 20th May. Race meeting
1922. 5th June. Race meeting
1922. 15th July. Motorcycle race meeting
1922. 22 July. Race meeting
1922. 7th August. Race meeting. D. J. Gibson killed - the fourth track death.
1922. 12th August. Motorcycle race meeting
1922. 30th September. Race meeting.
1922. 14th October. Race meeting.
1922. 21st October. Motorcycle race meeting
1922. 11th November. Race meeting.
1923
1923. 2nd April. Race meeting.
1923. 12th May. Race meeting.
1923. 21st May. Race meeting.
1923. 2nd June. Race meeting.
1923. 23rd June. Race meeting.
1923. 30th June. Race meeting. Includes ladies races.
1923. 7th July. Motorcycle race meeting.
1923. 6th August. Race meeting.
1923. 18th August. Motorcycle race meeting.
1923. 5th September. Motorcycle speed tests
1923. 3rd November. Race meeting.
1923. 10th November. Race meeting.
1924
1924. 5th January. Brooklands employee Charles Joseph Geary living close to the race track murdered his wife and tried to kill himself.
1924. 29th March. Race meeting.
1924. 12th April. Public Schools race meeting.
1924. 21st April. Race meeting.
1924. 17th May. Race meeting. Finishing test of the 1,000 mile trial.
1924. 23rd May. Records broken by John Godfrey Parry Thomas and R. N. Judd.
1924. 7th and 9th June. Race meeting. Whitsun weekend. Fifth track death recorded.
1924. 14th June. Race meeting.
1924. 12th July. Race meeting.
1924. 2nd August. Motorcycle race meeting.
1924. 23rd August. Motorcycle side-car race meeting.
1924. 3rd September. Dario Resta killed in an attempt to break the 50 mile record. This is the sixth recorded track death.
1924. 6th September. Motorcycle race meeting.
1924. 13th September. Race meeting.
1924. 20th September. Race meeting.
1924. 27th September. Race meeting.
1924. 11th October. Motorcycle race meeting.
1924. 15th October. Motorcycle race meeting.
1925
1925. 21st March. Motorcycle race meeting
1925. 4th April. Motorcycle race meeting
1925. 11th and 13th April. Race meeting
1925. 9th May. Race meeting
1925. 1st June. Race meeting
1925. 6th June. Race meeting
1925. 27th June. Race meeting
1925 2nd July. Action in the High Court (commenced in September 1924) by local residents against the noise from the race track. A resolution has been agreed.
1925. 11th July. Race meeting
1925. 3rd August. Race meeting
1925. 15th August. Motorcycle 200 mile race meeting
1925. 12th September. Race meeting
1925. 26th September. Race meeting
1925. 3rd October. Car and motorcycle race meeting
1925. 10th October. Motorcycle race meeting
1925. 14th October. Motorcycle race meeting
1926 onward
1926. 5th February. Announcement of regulations for the first Brooklands Grand Prix. 300 mile race and a maximum engine capacity of 1,500cc. To be held on August Bank Holiday.
1926. 5th April. Race meeting on Easter Monday.
1926. 10th April. Motorcycle race meeting
1926. 24th April. Race meeting
1926. 24th May. Race meeting
1926. 29th May. Race meeting and hill climb.
1926. 8th June. J. G. Parry Thomas breaks various records at the track.
1926. 23rd June. Race meeting
1926. 26th June. Motorcycle 200 mile race meeting
1926. 3rd July. Race meeting
1926. 10th July. Motorcycle race meeting
1926. 17th July. Race meeting for the 3-hour race.
1926. 24th July. Motorcycle race meeting
1926. 31st July. Race meeting. Sixth recorded track death.
1926. 7th August. British Grand Prix
1926. 14th August. Race meeting
1926. 21st August. Race meeting. Conclusion of the motorcycle 6-day trial.
1926. 23rd August. George Lawrence Parkes killed in an accident while testing his motorcycle.
1926. 28th August. Motorcycle race meeting
1926. 4th September. Race meeting for Alvis cars
1926. 11th September. Race meeting
1926. 18th September. Motorcycle race meeting
1926. 23rd September. The Fork Grandstand, sheds, canteen and office destroyed by fire. The cause unknown.
1926. 25th September. Race meeting. Junior Car Club
1926. 2nd October. Race meeting.
1926. 7th October. J. G. Parry Thomas breaks records for 500 kms and three-hours.
1927
1927. 26th March. Motorcycle race meeting
1927. 18th April. Race meeting
1927. 20th April. Motorcycle race meeting
1927. 23rd April. Race meeting
1927. 30th April. Race meeting
1927. 7th May. Race meeting. 6-hour endurance race.
1927. 14th May. Motorcycle race meeting.
1927. 21st May. Race meeting.
1927. 6th June. Race meeting.
1927. 11/12th June. Successful trials by Flt.Lt. Bulman of the Hawker Horsley in preparation for its non-stop flight to India.
1927. 25th June. Motorcycle race meeting.
1927. 2nd July. Race meeting.
1927. 9th July. Motorcycle race meeting.
1927. 16th July. Race meeting.
1927. 23rd July. Motorcycle race meeting.
1927. 13th August. Race meeting. The Four-hour races.
1927. 27th August. Motorcycle race meeting.
1927. 10th September. Race meeting.
1927. 17th September. Race meeting.
1927. 24th September. Motorcycle race meeting.
1927. 1st October. British Grand Prix
1927. 8th October. Motorcycle race meeting. Grand Prix races.
1927. 15th October. Race meeting. 200-mile race.
1927. 22nd October. Motorcycle race meeting. Reliability trial.
1927. 5th November. Race meeting. Charity meeting.
1928
1928. 7th March. The Racing Committee of the BARC decide to allow evening racing on four dates during the year.
1928. 9th April. Race meeting. After the meeting had finished an aeroplane crash landed injuring the pilot Captain George Lugg and passenger Mr. Beare.
1928. 11th April. Motorcycle race meeting.
1928. 21st April. Motorcycle race meeting.
1928. 25th April. Race meeting.
1928. 28th April. Race meeting.
1928. 5th May. Motorcycle race meeting.
1928. 12th May. Race meeting. 6-hours race.
1928. 22nd May. Major Chater-Lea and R. Hopkins in a 350 cc Chater-Lea motorcycle sidecar combination break several endurance records including 8-hours.
1928. 24th May. Kaye Don (Sunbeam) sets new class record including the flying kilometre at over 136 mph.
1928. 28th May. Race meeting.
1928. 21st June. Race meeting. First evening meeting.
1928. 7th July. Race meeting.
1928. 21st July. Race meeting. 200-mile race.
1928. 26th July. Race meeting. Evening meeting.
1928. 28th July. Motorcycle race meeting.
1928. 6th August. Race meeting.
1928. 11th August. Motorcycle race meeting.
1928. 25th August. Race meeting.
1928. 8th September. Motorcycle race meeting.
1928. 22nd September. Race meeting.
1928. 29th September. Race meeting. Included the first ever motorcycle race for women.
1928. 20th October. Motorcycle race meeting.
1928. 9th November. Lieut. G. Madocks (Coldstream Guards) was killed at the first meeting of the Household Brigade Flying Club.
1929
1929. 9th January. Announcement of the fixtures for the year.
1929. 29th January. Year Book published.
1929. 23rd March. Motorcycle Race Meeting
1929. 1st April. Race Meeting
1929. 6th April. New records set by J. Dunfee in a Sunbeam.
1929. 20th April. Motorcycle Race Meeting
1929. 3rd May. Motorcycle Race Meeting
1929. 10/11th May. Race Meeting
1929. 20th May. Race Meeting
1929. 30th May. Kaye Don sets new records.
1929. 1st June. Motorcycle Race Meeting
1929. 22nd June. Motorcycle Race Meeting
1929. 29th June. Race Meeting. Six-hours endurance.
1929. 6th July. Race Meeting. Reliability Trial.
1929. 27th July. Race Meeting
1929. 5th August. Race Meeting
1929. 31st August. Race Meeting
1929. 7th September. Race Meeting
1929. 21st September. Race Meeting
1929. 5th October. Motorcycle Race Meeting
1929. 12th October. Race Meeting 500 miles race.
1929. 19th October. Race Meeting
1930
1930. 9th January. Fixtures list issued.
1930. 22nd March. Race Meeting
1930. 5th April. Motorcycle Race Meeting
1930. 21st April. Race Meeting
1930. 26th April. Race Meeting
1930. 29th April. The Brooklands Aero Club officially formed. Grown from the Brooklands Flying School.
1930. 3rd May. Motorcycle Race Meeting
1930. 9/10th May. Race Meeting. Double-Twelve Hour Race. Two killed and many injured.
1930. 31st May. Motorcycle Race Meeting
1930. 9th June. Race Meeting
1930. 21st June. Motorcycle Race Meeting
1930. 28th June. Race Meeting
1930. 5th July. Race Meeting
1930. 12th July. Motorcycle Race Meeting
1930. 19th July. Race Meeting
1930. 26th July. Race Meeting
1930. 4th August. Race Meeting
1930. 16th August. Motorcycle Race Meeting
1930. 6th September. Race Meeting
1930. 13/24th September. Motorcycle Race Meeting. Meeting postponed to the 24th.
1930. 20th September. Race Meeting
1930. 27th September. Race Meeting
1930. 4th October. Race Meeting. 500 miles race,
1930. 11th October. Motorcycle Race Meeting
1930. 25th October. Motorcycle Race Meeting
1931
1931. 14th March. Race Meeting
1931. 28th March. Motorcycle Race Meeting
1931. 18th April. Motorcycle Race Meeting
1931. 8/9th May. Race Meeting. Double-Twelve meeting.
1931. 11th May. A Turk claiming to 156 years old has his first flight at Brooklands.
1931. 25th May. Race Meeting.
1931. 20th June. Race Meeting.
1931. 27th June. Motorcycle Race Meeting.
1931. 18th July. Motorcycle Race Meeting.
1931. 25th July. Race Meeting.
1931. 3rd August. Race Meeting.
1931. 10th August. Leon Cushman sets new records in an Austin Seven at 102.28 mph.
1931. 12th August. Lord Ridley sets new records in a Ridley Special.
1931. 15th August. Motorcycle Race Meeting.
1931. 19th September. Race Meeting.
1931. 26th September. Race Meeting.
1931. 3rd October. Race Meeting. 500 mile race.
1931. 10th October. Motorcycle Race Meeting.
1931. 17th October. Race Meeting.
1932
1932. March. Lieut Christopher Hall claims damages against the BARC for injuries received.
1932. 19th March. Motorcycling Race Meeting
1932. 28th March. Race Meeting
1932. 23rd April. Race Meeting
1932. 30th April. Race Meeting
1932. 7th May. Motorcycling Race Meeting
1932. 16th May. Race Meeting
1932. 28th May. Civil Air Display.
1932. 11th June. Motorcycle Race Meeting
1932. 14th June. C. L. Cummins gives a demonstration of diesel powered engines.
1932. 18th June. Race Meeting
1932. 25th June. Motorcycle Race Meeting
1932. 2nd July. Race Meeting
1932. 23rd July. Motorcycle Race Meeting
1932. 24th July. Flying competitions.
1932. 1st August. Race Meeting
1932. 27th August. Race Meeting
1932. 10th September. Race Meeting
1932. 24th September. Race Meeting. 500 mile race. Driver killed.
1932. 8th October. Motorcycle Race Meeting
1932. 2nd December. Brooklands takes legal action against Henry R. S. Birkin about a possible libel in his book 'Full Throttle'. Settlement agreed
1933
1933. 2nd March. Subsidence of the trace at the Cobham Bridge over the river Wey.
1933. 11th March. Race Meeting
1933. 17th April. Race Meeting
1933. 6th May. Race Meeting
1933. 20th May. Civil air display.
1933. 5th June. Race Meeting. Ladies permitted to race against men.
1933. 17th June. Cycle Race Meeting.
1933. 21st June. Motorcycle Race Meeting.
1933. 24th June. Race Meeting.
1933. 8th July. Race Meeting.
1933. 15th July. Race Meeting.
1933. 22nd July. Race Meeting.
1933. 29th July. Motorcycle Race Meeting.
1933. 7th August. Race Meeting.
1933. 9th August. Motorcycle Race Meeting.
1933. 9th September. Motorcycle Race Meeting.
1933. 16th September. Race Meeting. 500 mile race. One driver, an airman and another killed in accidents.
1933. 25th September. Published. The Story of Brooklands. The Wheels take Wings. By A. P. Bradley and Michael Burn.
1933. 30th September. Motorcycle Race Meeting.
1933. 14/21st October. Race Meeting. Planned for the 14th but postponed to the 21st due to the weather.
1933. 27th October. G. E. T. Eyston breaks records for heavy-oil engined car.
1933. 31st October. John Cobb sets new records in the Napier-Railton.
1933. 4th October. Further records set by John Cobb in the Napier-Railton.
1934
1934. 28th January. Charles Raymond Shillingford dies in aeroplane crash.
1934. 3rd March. Race Meeting
1934. 2nd April. Race Meeting
1934. 14th April. Motorcycle Race Meeting
1934. 28th April. Race Meeting
1934. 21st May. Race Meeting. First race where women compete on equal terms with men.
1934. 7th July. Race Meeting
1934. 21st July. Race Meeting
1934. 28th July. Motorcycle Race Meeting
1934. 1st August. BARC resolves to eliminate slow drivers from the track by using observers. No definition of 'slow'.
1934. 6th August. Race Meeting
1934. 25th August. Motorcycle Race Meeting
1934. 22nd September. Race Meeting. 500-mile race.
1935
1935. 16th March. Race Meeting
1935. 22nd April. Race Meeting
1935. 8th May. Motorcycle Race Meeting
1935. 25th May. Motorcycle Race Meeting
1935. 26th June. Motorcycle Race Meeting
1935. 20th July. Race Meeting
1935. 27th July. Motorcycle Race Meeting
1935. 5th August. Race Meeting
1935. 6th August. Gwenda Stewart in a Derby sets womens lap record at 135.95 mph.
1935. 31st August. Motorcycle Race Meeting
1935. 14th September. Race Meeting
1935. 21st September. Race Meeting. 500-mile race.
1935. 9th October. R. J. Munday sets various records for a diesel field car in a 18 h.p. Perkins engined Thomas Special.
1935. 19th October. Race Meeting
1935. 23rd October. Motorcycle Race Meeting
1936
1936. 14th March. Race Meeting
1936. 13th April. Easter Monday meeting postponed to 18th because of poor weather
1936. 18th April. Race Meeting
1936. 25th April. Motorcycle race Meeting. Fatal accident.
1936. 2nd May. Race Meeting
1936. 16th May. Race Meeting
1936. 23rd May. Motorcycle Race Meeting
1936. 1st June. Race Meeting. Driver killed in practice.
1936. 25th June. Prospectus for Brooklands (Weybridge) Ltd issued. The company to take over 348 acres of freehold land, the aircraft factory, the race track, aerodrome and club houses.
1936. 27th June. Race Meeting.
1936. 18th July. Race Meeting.
1936. 3rd August. Race Meeting.
1936. 15th August. Motorcycle Race Meeting.
1936. 19th September. Race Meeting.
1936. 22nd September. Brooklands (Weybridge) Ltd meeting with Louis Ridley Vaughan as Chairman.
1936. 26th September. Race Meeting. High-speed Trials.
1936 10th October. Motorcycle Race Meeting.
1936. 24 October. Fire destroys two hangers and eight aeroplanes lost. A further 32 planes were moved to safety.
1937
1937. 27th February. Race meeting
1937. 29th March. Race meeting
1937. 17th April. Motorcycle race meeting
1937. 20th April. New concrete road course designed by Malcolm Campbell opened by Selwyn Edge and Ethel Locke-King.
1937. 1st May. Race meeting
1937. 29th May. Motorcycle race meeting
1937. 30th June. Motorcycle race meeting
1937. 10th July. Race meeting
1937. 17th July. Motorcycle race meeting
1937. 24th July. Cycle race meeting
1937. 2nd August. Race meeting
1937. 18th September. Race meeting
1937. 9th October. Motorcycle race meeting
1937. 16th October. Race meeting
1937. 20th October. Motorcycle race meeting
1938
1938. 12th March. Race meeting
1938. 18th April. Race meeting
1938. 7th May. Race meeting. Two spectators killed.
1938. 14th May. Motorcycle race meeting.
1938. 6th June. Race meeting.
1938. 25th June. Race meeting.
1938. 16th July. Race meeting.
1938. 23rd July. Motorcycle race meeting.
1938. 1st August. Race meeting.
1938. 27th August. Race meeting. 200-mile race.
1938. 17th September. Race meeting.
1938. 15th September. Race meeting.
1939
1939. 11th March. Race meeting
1939. 1st April. Race meeting
1939. 10th April. Race meeting
1939. 13th May. Motorcycle race meeting
1939. 29th May. Race meeting
1939. 24th June. Motorcycle race meeting
1939. 15th July. Motorcycle race meeting
1939. 7th August. Race meeting. Last recorded race in The Times newspaper.
When World War II broke out in 1939, motor racing ceased and the site was turned over to war-time production of military aircraft. Some of the track was damaged during this time by enemy bombing. Sections were also demolished to make way for temporary dispersal hangars. Racing never returned to Brooklands.
The Sale and after
1943 December. AGM of Brooklands (Weybridge). C. W. Hayward is Chairman. Acquisition of 35.5 acres of land held under option since 1906 from the local authority.
1945. December. The 8th AGM of Brooklands (Weybridge). C. W. Hayward is Chairman.
1946. January. Protest over proposed sale of the track to Vickers-Armstrong but sale completed.
In 1987 the site also became home to the Brooklands Museum, which is dedicated to preserving and interpreting the site's motoring and aviation heritage.
Following several years of work by The Brooklands Society, which is entirely independent of the Brooklands Museum, the remaining sections of the track became the subject of preservation orders in 2002, rendering illegal any subsequent destruction of or damage to the circuit or its environs, whether intentional or unintentional.
A Mercedes-Benz museum and performance-demonstration centre has been constructed in front of what is known as the Members' section of the remaining banking. Contrary to public
perception and thanks entirely to the efforts of The Brooklands Society, two thirds of the original track still remains intact. Mercedes-Benz has pledged to contribute towards the
replacement of the Hennebique Bridge, the part of the banking that spans the River Wey.
Source: Graces Guide
15-Jan-2021
davidhaynes44spitfire at gmail.com
My Sister in Laws Father Jack Waterman raced Motorbike side cars at Brooklands he won The Flying Fifteen don't know what years or the bikes would love to find out for her
DAVID Haynes
SELSEY Chichester West Sussex
Have found an image titled "Jack Waterman (standing) and Eddie Worth, at the end of the Brooklands 200 Miles race in 1929!" Elsewhere an article states, "Nortons won the 600 c.c. class. Three of this make started and they finished first, second and third."
Image posted to Comments
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