Donald Campbell – Priors Ford

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Leatherhead & District Local History Society Potted Histories No 50 Donald Campbell - Prior’s Ford - Campbell Court Prior's Ford 1966 showing Donald Campbell's proposed Bluebird on the right with Bluebird 7 and his own ‘E’ type Jaguar. Far right: Commemorative stamp, part of ‘Eminent Britons’ released by Royal Mail in 2009. Campbell Court, Dorking Road is a modern block of flats built on the site of an early 20th century house called Prior’s Ford. During the last years of his life, it was the home of Donald Campbell, CBE. By beating his father Sir Malcolm Campbell’s records of the 1930s, Donald Campbell on the 17th July 1964 became the fastest man on land 403.10 mph at Lake Eyre, Australia, and in the same year 31st December on Lake Dumbleyung, Western Australia he achieved the fasted water speed record 276.33 mph. He was born on the 23rd March 1921 at Kingston-upon-Thames. His untimely death was on Coniston Water in January 1967 when his craft Bluebird disintegrated while achieving a speed of over 300 mph. His daughter Gina carried on the family tradition. In 1984 she gained the ladies’ world water-speed record of 122.85 mph off shore power boat racing in yet another Bluebird. In 1985 she presented the Leatherhead Museum with the wheel of her father’s car. Goff Powell Extracted from Edwina Vardey’s - History of Leatherhead - A Town at the Crossroads - L&DLHS 1988 and other sources For information regarding Membership, Lectures and Museum opening hours c o n ta c t: Leatherhead & District Local History Society, Leatherhead Museum, Hampton Cottage, 64 Church Street, Leatherhead, KT22 8DP Tel: 01372 386348 mail to: [email protected] Website: www.leatherheadlocalhistory.org.uk.

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Press Release: 17 July 2015
Press Release: 17 July 2015 Two records smashed 60 years ago on Ullswater Sixty years ago, on 23 July, 1955, Donald Campbell achieved two historic milestones on Ullswater. He set a new World Water Speed Record (WWSR) and broke the 200mph barrier on water. Here began a long record breaking relationship with his jet boat Bluebird K7, the world’s first all metal jet-powered hydroplane, originally powered by a Metropolitan- Vickers Beryl jet engine! K7 went on to help Campbell set seven world water-speed records between 1955 and 1964. The very first of which he broke on a summer’s day on Ullswater more than half a century ago, achieving a speed of 202.32 mph (325.60 km/h). Why did Sir Donald choose Ullswater? Perhaps like many he regarded the lake as the most beautiful of the English lakes, and certainly as the area’s second largest, at nearly 9 miles long, ¾ of a mile wide and up to 200ft deep it more than served his purposes. To find out more about Campbell you can visit The Lakeland Motor Museum, Newby Bridge, and visit their exhibit, which pays tribute to both father and son, Sir Malcolm and Donald Campbell, who between them captured 21 world land and water speed records in the Bluebird series of cars and boats. Highlights on display include full size detailed replicas of the 1935 Blue Bird car, the 1939 boat – Blue Bird K4, and the famous jet hydroplane - Bluebird K7 in its 1967 in its 1967 form. Donald Campbell was tragically killed on Coniston Water in January 1967, whilst attempting to break his own water speed record.
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Books on Speed Records Title Editor Year ISBN
Books on Speed Records Title Editor Year ISBN CHW Roles and Associates Ltd. Just for the Record, Thrust 2 1984 Kingston upon Thames The Land Speed Record 1926-1939 (magazine Transport Source Books, Ipswich 1997 1858479509 compilation) The Land Speed Record 1947-1997 (magazine Transport Source Books, Ipswich 1997 compilation) Seaplanes and Flying Boats The Schneider Trophy Races Speed Boat Kings Arnold Powers Inc. 1939 The American Hot Rod MBI Publishing, Osceola, WI USA 1995 0879389826 Twenty Five Years at Brooklands The Brooklands Society 1995 Transport Bookman Publications, Rosemeyer: A New Biography 1986 085184060 Isleworth Victory over the Wind - A History of the Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York 1983 0442213018 Absolute World Air Speed Record Racing Cars - Seventy Years of Record Crescent Books 1971 Breaking Parry Thomas and Pendine The Stanley Steam Cars, 1897-1907 Profile Publications Ltd. Leatherhead 1967 Full Throttle American Automobile Racing Patrick Stephens Ltd. Cambridge 1974 Foulis Haynes Publishing Sparkford Aero-Engined Racing Cars at Brooklands 1992 0854298673 nr. Yeovil Foulis Haynes Publishing Sparkford Brooklands Giants 1995 0854299602 nr. Yeovil The 1933, 24-litre Napier Railton Profile Publications Ltd. Leatherhead 1966 The Chitty-Bang-Bangs Profile Publications Ltd. Leatherhead 1966 The History of Brooklands Motor Course Grenville Publishing, London 1957/1979 Pagina 1 Books on Speed Records Title Editor Year ISBN The Story of Brooklands Vol I Grenville Publishing, London 1948 The Story of Brooklands Vol II Grenville Publishing, London 1949 The Story of Brooklands Vol III Grenville Publishing, London 1950 The World's Land Speed Record Phoenix House Ltd., London 1964 The World's Land Speed Record Motor Racing, London 1951/1964 The Miller Straight-Eight Profile Publications Ltd.
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Newsletter September 2019 .Pub
Leatherhead & District Local History Society covering Ashtead, the Bookhams, Fetcham, Headley, Mickleham and Leatherhead Newsletter September 2019 Headley Court, the Jacobean-style Grade 2 listed former home of the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre near Leatherhead (shown above), was sold last year. Developer Angle Property has been holding consultations this summer on how best to use the 82-acre site while safeguarding the mansion and lessening the destructive impact on the Green Belt. See story on Page 32. Above and right: Two works by local artist Anthony Hill in the current Museum exhibition. Go to Page 8 for information. Corporate Member: 58 The Street, Ashtead INDEX TO ARTICLES Title Page Editorial 3 Chairman’s Report 4 News from the Friends of the Museum 5 Programme of Activities 7 Retrospective Exhibition: The Works of Anthony Hill 8 Lecture Report: The Use of LIDAR in Archaeology 11 Bookham Village Day 14 Oral History Feature: Jean Elizabeth Hutchinson 15 Feature: Donald Campbell in Leatherhead 18 Feature: Owners of the Leatherhead Tan Mill 22 Feature: The Sad Tale of Albert Powell 26 Ashtead’s Oldest AA Telephone Box? 30 Research Call: Who Exactly was Arthur Bird? 31 Feature: What future for Headley Court? 32 Obituary: Dr Derek Renn 34 Fetcham’s Rising Sun 37 Officers of the Society 38 Vacancies 40 Advert: Dorking Concertgoers 40 The revised National Planning Policy Framework (Feb 2019) provides government guidance to local planning authorities and defines heritage assets as: ‘A building, monument, site, place, or landscape identified as having a degree of significance meriting consideration in planning decisions because of its heritage interest.’ These include sites recognised as important locally and not only those with statutory designations.
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C7 Bluebird – Limited Edition
C7 BLUEBIRD – Limited Edition O W N E R ’ S H A N D B O O K INTRODUCTION TIME ON YOUR SIDE... Your Christopher Ward watch has been designed and engineered by highly talented craftspeople CONTENTS to ensure not only accurate and precise timekeeping but also to bring a real pride of THE BLUEBIRD STORY 2–5 ownership that only luxury items of the highest CHRISTOPHER WARD quality can ever hope to deliver. AND BLUEBIRD 6–7 You have made an investment, a good one, TECHNICAL INFORMatiON 8–9 and the aim of this handbook is to help you make the most of that investment during what OPERatiNG INSTRUCTIONS 10–25 I hope will be a lifetime of ownership. THE CW360 WATCH CARE PROGRAMME 26–27 GENERAL INFORMatiON 28 Christopher Ward 1 A LEGEND IN TIME THE BLUEBIRD STORY 100 years ago, Sir Malcolm Campbell went to see Maurice Maeterlinck’s play, ‘The Blue Bird’, at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, in London, and the problem of what to call his racing car was immediately solved and the Bluebird legend was born. Malcolm Campbell started racing seriously in 1912, the year he re-named his car Blue Bird. Between 1924 and 1935, the adventurer set nine land speed records in various Bluebirds. In 1924 at Pendine Sands near Carmarthen Bay Above; Malcolm Campbell he took his 350HP V12 Sunbeam to 146.16mph in his supercharged 26.9-litre (235.22 km/h). Eleven years later at the Napier powered Bluebird which reached 246mph in 1931. Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, Campbell became Right; Sir Malcolm and a young the first person to drive an automobile over Donald with the 1927 Bluebird.
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Thrustssc Supersonic Land Speed Record Car
ThrustSSC Supersonic Land Speed Record Car Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark Designation Ceremony, 15 March 2014 Coventry Transport Museum, Coventry CV1 1JD , UK 1 History of Land Speed Record for Cars 1898 Jeantaud Land Speed Record Car The Land Speed Record (LSR) for cars is a competition for 4- wheeled vehicles that aim to achieve the highest possible speed over either a measured mile or kilometre. Regulations of the Fédération Internationale du Sport l’Automobile (FIA) require that the speed is the average of two officially timed runs – one in each direction – and that the second run be completed within one hour of the first. The first World Land Speed Record was set in 1898 by Count Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat driving a battery-electric powered, 36 hp, 1400 kg Jeantaud on the road in Acheres Park near Paris, France. On 18 December 1898 he achieved a one-way record speed of 63.1 km/h (39.2 mph) for the flying kilometre. The record then went to Camille Jenatzy driving his own torpedo shaped Jenatzy at 49.2 mph on 17 January 1899. During 1899 the record went back and forth between these two battery-electric, chain-driven vehicles until on 29 April 1899 Jenatzy set the record speed of 105 km/h (65.8 mph) at Acheres – a record that would stand for three years. These early records were all set in France because it had long, straight roads that encouraged high speed racing. This road system was built by Napoleon in order to march his armies from one city to another.
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Coniston & Hawkshead
Coniston & Hawkshead - breathtaking waters & attractive villages Enjoy a gentle cruise on Coniston Water with its surrounding spectacular fells, an inspiration for Ruskin, Ransome and Campbell, stopping off to visit John Ruskin’s beautifully situated house. Complete a perfect day meandering amongst whitewashed cottages and the quaint courtyards of Hawkshead. Camping & Caravan Estate Turn right onto the A592 (bad turning) into Bowness and then follow signs for Coniston (A593). Begin your tour in Coniston. Arrive at the Ruskin Museum (tel: 015394 41164) An innovative, inspirational and interactive award winning museum where you can explore the real Lakeland. Discover “Swallows and Amazons” country, mourn the water speed ace Donald Campbell and find out about John Ruskin, artist, critic and radical reformer. From the museum follow the road down to the lake to Coniston Pier. Aboard Coniston Launch (tel: 015394 36316) Relax and enjoy a gentle cruise taking in the magnificent views of the lake and mountains on your way to Brantwood. On arrival at Brantwood jetty follow the path up to the house. Arrive at Brantwood in time for lunch (tel: 015394 41396) Have a delicious lunch in delightful surroundings of “Jumping Jennys”, followed by an exploration of one of the most beautifully situated houses in the Lake District. Brantwood was John Ruskin’s home from 1870 to 1900, and contains a superb collection of his drawings, watercolours, furniture and personal items. There is a seasonal programme of exhibitions and events too. Follow the footpath back to the jetty. Board Coniston launch to take you back to Coniston Pier. Boats leave at 10mins past the hour should you wish a shorter or longer visit to Brantwood).
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006.1-Newsletter March 2021
Southwater Dabblers Email Updates Email Update Number 6 On 23rd March 2020, one year ago, we entered the first National Lockdown to control the spread of the COVID 19 virus. A day that will live with us all for a long time to come, so let us pause for a moment of reflection, and think about those nearest and dearest to us, as well as those that have been and continue to be affected by dreadful threat that COVID 19 is to all our lives. It has been fun working on this 6th edition and we begin with an exciting feature that has come together by pure chance, it will run for a couple of editions of these updates. The aim is to celebrate the achievements of Donald Campbell, land and water speed record holder, also a local resident, who lived in Horley, Leatherhead and had close ties with Tilgate, he would have been 100 years old on the 23rd March 2021. To start the tribute to Bluebird K7 and Donald Campbell there is a fantastic true story contributed by Derek Palmer. Dabblers Post Bag - Letters to the Editor Hi Just read with interest the latest newsletter. As ever it is informative, funny and educational. I am amazed at the response the members are making to this, it just shows that we enjoy receiving information. On which note would there be a space for the committee to put a bit about recent meetings even if we cannot sail at the moment there must be items discussed that are of interest.
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GB 0069 VILL(Va2545079)
Science Museum Library and Archives Hackpen Lane Wroughton Swindon SN4 9LT ARCH : VILL Photo Albums and correspondence of Leo Villa, Chief Engineer to Donald Campbell CBE, relating to the world speed records in Bluebird hydroplane and car, 1952 to 1967 Compiled by John Underwood ARCH : VILL 1 1949 May- Photo Album [containing 25 photos, 1950 Sept newspaper clippings etc, re the preparation for, and attempts on, the water speed record with Bluebird hydroplane at Coniston. Frontispiece contains brief description. Each photo captioned; first is holograph- signed by Campbell and dedicated to Leo Villa after first record attempt at Coniston 1950 Jul 2] 36p, 25 x 29cm 2 1955 'Bluebird' Ullswater 1955. Speed 202.32 m.p.h. [Photo album containing 11 photos re the successful attempt at the water speed record at Ullswater. Frontispiece has a holograph-signed dedication to Tim Villa presented by Campbell] 12 leaves, 32.5 x 26cm 3 1952-55 Ullswater 1955. [Photo album, containing introduction and 41 captioned photos, re Bluebird turbo-jet hydroplane and its construction, testing and unveiling at Samlesbury in December 1954. Also, later trials, modifications and christening at Ullswater in 1955 and the successful record attempt 202.32 mph. and celebra- tions with the 'team'] 36p, 29 x 25cm 4/1 1955 Oct 5 Certificate of British Registry C.344 Cover [for Bluebird turbo-jet hydroplane with] Official Number 186300 1 leaf, 12.5 x 24cm 4/2 1964 Oct 13 Australian Department of Supply Report on radiological examination of 'Bluebird' hydroplane, [with copy] 4 leaves 5 1955 July- Lake Mead Nevada - Coniston 1955-56 [Photo 1956 album with introductory pages and many captioned photographs re world water speed records achieved by Campbell at Lake Mead, Nevada and at Coniston.
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If You Think That Bluebirds Gone….You’Re Wrong!
A Tribute to Donald , Bluebird and the Lake s If you think that Bluebirds gone….you’re wrong! Glen and Jon hope you like the songs which contain original British Pathe audio news release of the time. Kimbustion©“Full Power” Courtesy of Arthur Benjamins The story of Donald Campbell and Bluebird K7 has rapidly descended into legend. Son of Malcolm Campbell, a legend of speed in his own right, Donald was to walk in his father’s footsteps and continue the family tradition of world speed record breaking. rd Donald was born in his father’s home on the 23 March 1921 (Povey Cross, Surry). When his father died in 1948, Donald and Leo Villa (originally his father’s mechanic, and who Donald called “Uncle”) continued the Bluebird tradition and the quest to be the fastest man on land and water. Donald was to set a total of seven water and land speed records between 1955 and 1964. In 1957 Donald was awarded a C.B.E. and his career culminated in 1964 when he became the first and only man to hold both the World Land and Water Speed Records in the same year. In November 1966, Donald set about attempting to push his existing 276.3 mph World Water Speed Record to over 300mph and returned to Coniston for trials. Bluebird, originally fitted with a Metropolitan Vickers “Beryl” Turbo Jet engine of “Straight Through” design and having a 10 stage axial compressor and single turbine, was re-fitted in September with a Bristol Siddeley Orpheus Turbo Jet 701 engine, as used in Gnat trainer aircraft of the time.
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'Wessex Ways' February 2017
WESSEX VEHICLE PRESERVATION CLUB FOUNDED 1971 www.wvpc.org.uk ‘WESSEX WAYS’ FEBRUARY 2017 HEADLINE VEHICLES OF THE MONTH Austin Healey 100 – 1953 to 1956. Powered by a 2,660cc Triumph TR2 – 1953 to 1955. Powered by a 1,991cc ex- ex-Austin A90 Atlantic 4-cylinder engine giving 90bhp, 0 to Standard Vanguard 4-cylinder engine giving 90bhp, 0 to 60mph in 11.2 seconds, and achieving 106mph via 3 or 4- 60mph in 11.9 seconds, and achieving 107mph via 4-speed speed gearbox with o/drive. Cost £1,063. gearbox (o/drive optional). Cost £900. Two icons of the early post-war years when the car industry was desperate to achieve export sales as quickly as possible. Both of these sports cars were designed to appeal to the overseas market, and 4-cylinder saloon car engines were upgraded and pressed into service; they proved to be both successful and hard-wearing power plants. Right up until 1967, Triumph retained the Vanguard engine in the TR3, TR4 and TR4A, whilst Austin Healey used a 6- cylinder unit based on the Austin A90 engine in the later 100-6 and 3000 models. The export drive was successful, with 84% of 100-4 and 94% of TR2 production being exported. CHAIRMAN’S CHATTER Hi Everybody, At tonight's meeting we welcome back to the club an old buddy of mine who I see on a regular basis at the Tivoli, and he is going to tell us about more of his travels. I would like to thank you all on behalf of our speaker last month, Linda Bunting, who e-mailed me to thank you all for a grand evening and the warm welcome you gave her.
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The World Land Speed Record
The World Land Speed Record Task A: Question sheet On 25 September 1924, Malcolm Campbell’s Blue Bird reached an average speed of 146.16 m.p.h. This broke the world land speed record with an actual increase of 0.27 m.p.h. and a percentage increase of 0.19%. On 21 July 1925 Malcolm Campbell increased this by 4.71 m.p.h. – a percentage increase of 3.22%. In 1927 John Godfrey Parry-Thomas, driving Babs, increased the record by 12.68%, which was an actual increase of 19.13 m.p.h. Study the data provided on the information sheet. This shows every world land speed record that has been set since 1898. Find the lowest three actual increases in the record. Find also the lowest three percentage increases. Repeat for the highest three actual and percentage increases. Comment on your results. You could use a spreadsheet to help with this task. 1 The World Land Speed Record Task A: Information sheet Speed Date Location Driver Vehicle mph km/h Achères, Yvelines, Gaston de 18 December 1898 Jeantaud Duc 57.65 92.78 France Chasseloup-Laubat Achères, Yvelines, 17 January 1899 Camille Jenatzy La Jamais Contente 65.792 105.882 France 13 April 1902 Nice, France Léon Serpollet Easter Egg 75.06 120.80 Albis-St. Arnoult, William K. 5 August 1902 Mors 76.08 122.438 France Vanderbilt 12 January 1904 Lake St. Clair, USA Henry Ford Ford 999 Racer 91.37 147.05 26 January 1906 Ormond Beach, USA Fred Marriott Stanley Rocket 127.66 205.44 12 July 1924 France Ernest Eldridge FIAT Mephistopheles 145.89 234.98 25 September 1924 Pendine Sands, UK Malcolm Campbell Sunbeam 350HP 146.16 235.22 21 July 1925 Pendine Sands, UK Malcolm Campbell Sunbeam 350HP 150.87 242.8 28 April 1926 Pendine Sands, UK J.G.
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Leisure & Tourism
Cumbria County History Trust (Database component of the Victoria Country History Project) About the County: Economic and Industrial History LEISURE and TOURISM: An overview Eric Apperley July 2019 * (1) Introduction The second half of the 20th century saw the decline and disappearance of many of the large industries on which the economy of the Cumbria had been built. 1 Fortunately, leisure and tourism were rapidly growing activities, becoming one of the largest components of the county’s employment and financial turnover, amounting by 2018 to £3.0 bn supporting 65,000 jobs. 2 Ease of travel to and around Cumbria improved after turnpikes were established,3 and even more so after the arrival of the railways. 4 The latter made it possible for the less wealthy who still were benefiting from the increasing effects of the Industrial Revolution to take day and weekend trips to the Lake District. The Lake District National Park was designated in 1951. Later still the development of the motorways (M6, M74) 5 and dual A-class roads (parts of A66, A590) made it more attractive to the growing proportion of the population who owned motor cars. Even so, in 2015, off the main routes, the country roads often remain narrow, twisty and potentially hazardous over much of the county. An assessment of the Tourism scene in the Lake District was made in 1965.by Lancaster University by Margaret Fulcher and J.Taylor.5A (2) Early tourists Celia Fiennes began to travel in order ‘to regain my health by variety and change of aire and exercise’.
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