Pre 1950 Female Drivers: "Les Autres"

Joan Gerard

This post covers a few pre-1950 female drivers who do not fit into any of the other categories, chiefly those who competed in British National events in the late 1940s, and one driver who raced earlier, but not at Brooklands. US-based racers of the 1920s can be found here. Lady Mary Grosvenor now has her own post.

Nancy Binns - included in this section as she appeared on the scene in 1949, coming second in three different British National races at Silverstone and Goodwood. Her cars were two different Rileys. The following year, driving a Riley Sprite, she won several races at various meetings at Goodwood, Gamston and Silverstone. She changed to a Jaguar XK120 for the 1951 season, and was rewarded with a second and two thirds at Silverstone, but no wins. After this, she disappears from the entry lists.

“Miss D Chilton” - raced an Arrol-Johnston in the UK in the 1920s. She was second in the Unlimited class of the 1922 Sutton Coldfield Hillclimb. By this time, the car would have been quite old. Photographs of it exist and describe it as a 15.9 bhp model. She may have been related to John Chilton, who was advertising his Arrol-Johnston dealership in Worcestershire in 1910. In 1922, the Arrol-Johnston concern was being taken over by the women-run Galloway company, of which Miss Chilton may have been part.

Joy Ching – mostly competed in sprints and hillclimbs, but occasionally raced on the circuits. She took part in a VSCC Handicap at Silverstone in 1949, driving a Bugatti T37, but was not among the front-runners. As well as the Bugatti, she drove a BMW and an Alfa Romeo on occasion, both of which she shared with her husband, John, a car collector who raced himself. The Bugatti had previously been raced by May Cunliffe. Joy was a regular at the Brighton Speed Trials in the late 1940s, and usually did well in the Ladies’ classes.

Marguerite Dupêchez – winner of the Coupe de l’Auto Club at the first Journée Féminine de l’Automobile, in 1927. Her car was an Amilcar. The same year, she took part in a Ladies’ Handicap, also held at Montlhéry, and appears to have won. 1927 was not her first year of competition; she drove the Amilcar in the 1926 Rallye Féminin between Paris and La Baule. She was eleventh. In 1928, she competed in the mixed Paris-Nice Trial, still in the Amilcar. After this, she disappears from the entry lists.

Joan Gerard - one of the first lady drivers to resume motorsport after WWII. She was second in a British National race for 1500cc cars at Gransden Lodge, driving a Riley Sprite. Later, she used the White Riley, once raced by Kay Petre, in speed events. She also took part in a Ladies' race at Brands Hatch for 500cc Formula Three cars in 1950, and was third. She always competed alongside her better-known husband, Bob Gerard.

Marie Jenkins - one of Australia’s earliest female racing drivers. She drove a Bugatti Brescia at Sydney circuits in 1925 and 1926 and was the first woman to win a race at Maroubra Speedway. Her victory was in January 1926 in a “Motor Car Handicap” for cars between 1250 and 2000cc. She won her heat and the final convincingly, taking advantage of a generous handicap. This was her second race win, having won a Two-Litre Handicap at Aspendale in March 1925. Reports suggest that she was already a familiar name by then and she was sometimes described as being from Victoria. She was third in another handicap at Maroubra in December 1925.

Estelle Lang – raced and rallied in France in the late 1920s and early 1930s. She finished fifth in the first edition of the  Paris-St. Raphaël women’s rally in 1929. The same year, she entered the Journée Féminine de l’Automobile, and was one of the leading drivers, in a Rosengart. In a similar car, she won the 1931 Paris-St. Raphaël Rallye, after winning her class. She was a semi-regular in French races at the time, and a rival to both Violette Morris and Hellé-Nice at different times. In 1930, she entered the Tour de France Auto, in a Rosengart, and won her class at least. 

Lilian Heimann-Mayer – raced a 500cc BMW-engined Condor in German Formula 3, in 1949. She managed to finish a race at Schotten, but was not classified. She entered the Kölner Kurs race later in the year, but did not finish. Photographs of her exist at the Nürburgring that season as well, but no results. Later, in 1953, she drove a BMW in the Gaisbergrennen hillclimb, and won her class.

Yvonne Morel - MG owner and racer, active in the late 1930s. She competed in speed trials and hillclimbs mainly, including the 1937 Whitchurch Speed Trial, but also raced at circuits. In 1938, she drove a 1500cc MG at Crystal Palace for the Crystal Palace Plate handicap

(Image source unknown)