Hsa

[FLoads]

I have just been looking at the new HSA site and very good it is too but....
In the introduction it suggests that British Motor Sport began in 1902 with an event in Bexhill. I always thought that the first motor sport event in Britain was a hillclimb on June 9 1899 at Petersfield won by CS Rolls followed by a meeting at Dashwood Hill on October 9 won by JS Montagu. 1900 saw events at 6 venues including Mucklow Hill, 1901 saw 6 new venues including Gorcot and Fintry, 1902 saw 2 more new venues but no mention of Bexhill by name. Am I wrong or are they referring to something else???

[red21]

I always asumed that the first organised motor sport event was at Bexhill on sea, but it wouldn't surprise me if happened before hand at some other location.
This what Bexhill have to say.
[URL]http://www.discoverbexhill.com/bexhillmotorracing.php[URL/]

[Hasta]

Originally Posted by red21

I always asumed that the first organised motor sport event was at Bexhill on sea, but it wouldn't surprise me if happened before hand at some other location.
This what Bexhill have to say.
[URL]http://www.discoverbexhill.com/bexhillmotorracing.php[URL/]

Gorcott was run in 1901 by the MAC and I suspect that wasnt the first . Bexhill bills itself as racing so it may have been slight more than a sprint . And the endurance trials may have a earlier claim

I think an Email to HSA admin is in order .



Hasta

[FLoads]

Looking again at the list:
1897 Le Turbie nr Nice, 17km. Won by Pary in a De Dion Steam car in 31m 50sec
1898 Chanteloup nr Paris, 1.83km. Won by Jenetzy in a Jenetzy Electric in 3m 50sec.
There is nothing new.

[Fireblade]

Once again the french beat us to a motoring first with a hill climb at Chanteloup in November 1898 but lets forget that for a moment.

The general Efficiency Trials of the Automobile Club of Great Britain & Ireland (ACGBI) held at Petersham Hill, Richmond on Thames on 9 June 1899 are believed to be the 1st recorded event in GB. The lawful speed limit was only exceeded by a Barriere tricycle at 14 MPH. In fact the most exciting part of the event was the descent where the braking abilities on many cars was exceeded.

The next event was closer to hillclimbings traditional heartlands at Mucklows Hill, Halesowen in January 1900 and the event was laid on to display the capabilities of the entrants to the 4th Birmingham Midland Cycle and Motor Show. The event was held on a snowy course with a non sealed surface and must have resembled a sporting trial.
Mucklows Hill can be a formidable hill even today with a covering of snow and the non appearance of the DMBC gritting wagons. What it must have been like then, heavens knows.

Note - Petersham Hill, not Petersfield. The Petersfield event followed later at South Harting.

[Hasta]

Originally Posted by Fireblade

Once again the french beat us to a motoring first with a hill climb at Chanteloup in November 1898 but lets forget that for a moment.

The general Efficiency Trials of the Automobile Club of Great Britain & Ireland (ACGBI) held at Petersham Hill, Richmond on Thames on 9 June 1899 are believed to be the 1st recorded event in GB. The lawful speed limit was only exceeded by a Barriere tricycle at 14 MPH. In fact the most exciting part of the event was the descent where the braking abilities on many cars was exceeded.

The next event was closer to hillclimbings traditional heartlands at Mucklows Hill, Halesowen in January 1900 and the event was laid on to display the capabilities of the entrants to the 4th Birmingham Midland Cycle and Motor Show. The event was held on a snowy course with a non sealed surface and must have resembled a sporting trial.
Mucklows Hill can be a formidable hill even today with a covering of snow and the non appearance of the DMBC gritting wagons. What it must have been like then, heavens knows.

Note - Petersham Hill, not Petersfield. The Petersfield event followed later at South Harting.

playing devils advocate for a moment . could bexhill claim the first non-Public road event . Its a bit tenuous though.

Hasta

[FLoads]

Good point Hasta.
I typed Petersfield but have Petersham nr Richmond on my bit of paper !!!!!

[Fireblade]

Its an age thing they tell me, Floads.

[iranoff]

Originally Posted by Hasta

playing devils advocate for a moment . could bexhill claim the first non-Public road event . Its a bit tenuous though.

I understand that is the case. However, the site bears little resemblance at all to the 1902 staging as there was considerable development in the 30's including claiming of land from the sea. I believe the original alignment of the course is partly covered by the De La Warr Pavilion.

My source is an old colleague who is a third generation garage proprietor in Ninfield Road, Bexhill on Sea.

Iranoff

[ChrisBennett]

Its a bit like the 'oldest pub in Britain' - there seems to be one in every county! Often with these things it comes down to the definition used so that every claim can be true in the strictest sense.

Full credit to Discover Bexhill though, for publicising their historical event so well and with plenty of photos. How many other local organisations proclaim their motor sport heritage so comprehensively?

Interestingly, Darren Galpin's enormous compendium of the History of Motorsport http://www.teamdan.com/archive/book/book.html before the First World War acknowledges a number of the events mentioned in this thread but the first to include any detailed results is the Bexhill event. Also it isn't clear if these earlier events were private or if the public were admitted.

An interesting debate.