Helenswood Herald Sound Architect and Helenswood Academy Lower School
September 2015
“ If a woman wants to learn how to drive and to understand a motor car she can and will learn as quickly as a man.” Dorothy Levitt
Dorothy Levitt: Fastest Girl on Earth In January 2015 a Year 8 Class from Helenswood Academy began a Heritage Lottery Funded Project on racing pioneer Dorothy Levitt, and the History of Motor Racing. The charity Sound Architect Creative Media brought in a number of local experts to support Helenswood’s research into the incredible life of Dorothy Levitt, once dubbed ‘The Fastest Girl on Earth’. Sophie Pullen: on behalf of Sound Architect
Dorothy Levitt, a land speed record holder from the turn of last century whose death in 1922 saw her disappeared from the history books has had her astonishing story of speed excavated by students at Helenswood Academy. Over the course of the project the school has welcomed many speakers to share their tales and expertise. Sussex based writer and historian Ann Kramer revealed how a chance discovery led her to the hidden history of the UK’s first female racing car driver: her untimely death, her name change and the origins of her racing success. An extremely capable and brave woman Dorothy Levitt was breaking records and social barriers whilst suffragettes struggled to establish women as first class citizens. Born Elizabeth Levi to a wealthy Jewish family of jewellers in Hackney, the young Dorothy secured a job for herself as a typist with the Napier Car Company. A Director of the company, Selwyn Edge, saw Dorothy’s potential as a promoter for Napier in 1903 and sent her to France to learn everything about driving – mechanics and all! Already an accomplished horsewoman she took to driving very
quickly and all commentators agreed she was an intrepid and skillful driver. During her career she established the record for the longest drive achieved by a lady driver and held both the Water Speed and Ladies World Land Speed Records; all the while showing women to be as dexterous with a spanner as with a lipstick! So what was it like to go at this astounding pace?
“Wonderful, one can hardly describe one’s sensations. There is a feeling of flying through space. I never think of the danger. That sort of thing won’t do.”
“ When you think about it, Dorothy Levitt was an amazing woman. She was one of the first woman racing car drivers in an era where women were expected to be housewives and keep the home fires burning for their husbands. She made it acceptable to have women racing drivers. 8F3 are very proud of what we have learnt about this amazing Victorian woman.” By Daisy
There once was a woman called Dorothy Who wrote her own biography She also drove boats And wore fur coats And was exceptionally good at geography. by Ellie, Sophie & Chloe
Their interests piqued the girls joined the race to find out more…
Oral Histo ry trainin g with Anita Bro ad
ining with Drama tra Sus Crosby
Design Masterclass with Annabel Clements
On your marks, get set… Hereford 1000 mile trial, the only female competitor and with her black Pomeranian dog, Dodo, at her side. Male competitors reportedly raced the following day with stuffed dogs attached to their bonnets. Dorothy’s response? Though not invited to the evening celebrations she arranged for dog biscuits to be handed out to the offending motorists! Wave goodbye to these chaps and MOVE ON 3 STEPS! 1904: won her classes at the Southport and Blackpool speed trials
March 1905 created a new record for the ‘longest drive achieved by a lady driver’, when she drove a singlecylinder De Dion Bouton from London to Liverpool and back again in two days, averaging a speed of 20 m.p.h. She took no mechanic, preferring to look after her car herself.
2nd-3rd October 1903: Dorothy is a winner – silver cup for fastest time! Southport speed trials – 64.4 secs for a flying kilometer. Her class was of cars costing between £400 and £550. MOVE FORWARD 2 STEPS
12 Races at the Brighton Dorothy Levitt
That year she also set the first Water Speed Record, managing 19 miles per hour in a Napier-engined speedboat.
More trophies! August 1903 Dorothy is part of Napier’s winning speedboat team in the Gaston Menier Cup, Trouville France. HAVE ANOTHER ROLL OF THE DICE…
By Adele & Aimee
Dorothy Levi
August 1903 Dorothy won the inaugural British International Harmsworth Trophy for speedboats at Cowes and was commanded to board the Royal yacht Victoria & Albert III to 13th May 1903, meet King Edward VII. Glasgow to London
tt aboard th e Napier racing boat in 1903
Louise Bazalgette raced in the 1,000 mile trials of 1900 Levitt dri
ving Nap
ier cars
May 1902: The 8th Earl De La Warr eagerly accepted funds from Automobile Club of Great Britain and Ireland to use Bexhill’s cycle track for the very first motor race on British soil! The display was watched by thousands of spectators – firmly putting the fashionable new resort of Bexhill-on-sea on the map. The excitement was cut short when Mr Mayner, a property owner on De La Warr Parade, took out an injunction against the Earl – future planned races were temporarily cancelled... Employees of
non-stop run. Drove a 16hp Gladiator and gained 994/1000 – marks deducted April 1903: Shocks for tyre troubles. “Thirteen the public as one is my lucky number and Friday of the first women my lucky day” to take part in a public GO BACK 1 STEP motor race. Did not win but wrote in diary: “Will do better next time’. That’s the spirit!
Dorothy
Road Closed, take a break to play Dorothy’s favourite game: Poker – GO BACK 2 STEPS
Dorothy Levitt drove in a car, She often drove too far, The day she won an impo rtant race, She went at a very fast pa ce. The only woman driver, Among the men the sole sur vivor, “The trophies I won, Became a ton and I had a lot of fun. As I drove past a world wa r den It became a surrounding of ten men, Selwyn Edge was by a he dge, To congratulate me on my winning pledge, As I invented a back-view mirror Everything became a lot cle arer, As my parents were proud , The crowd was wowed. In my car I had a pistol Because I was not so fistfu l, I had many experiences wi th many stops, That ruined many of my vintage tops. As I suffered with a heart disease, I was not very pleased, I couldn’t drive in my ma rvelous car, Not at all far.”
Dorothy’s star is rising – she was featured in many racing journals and papers including Autocar, The Times and the Jewish Chronicle
SPEEDING! On Nov 6th 1903 Dorothy was caught speeding at a “terrific pace” in Hyde Park. She was fined £5 with 2s costs. The speed limit of the day was a mere 12mph! GO BACK TWO STEPS
July 1905, driving an 80 hp Napier, she won the Brighton sweepstakes, hitting a speed of nearly 80 m.p.h. and beating many professional drivers.
Dorothy returned to London from her training in France and began learning the ins and outs of London traffic. She was soon earning a good salary teaching society ladies how to handle a car.
Spotted by Napier boss Francis Selwyn-Edge, who saw her potential as a marketing ploy, she sets off to France to learn about driving – mechanics and all!
189 Bicycle De La Wa the location race. His inte something to the Dunlop-ow Cycles could booked. Cyc such as th Russia an de Tor D
the De La War
Dorothy is hired as an “emergency lady type-writer” with the Napier Car Company in 1902. Celebrate Dorothy’s first job. MOVE FORWARD 1 STEP INTO 1903!
r Cycling Boulev ard
Dorothy was born ‘Elizabeth Levi’ on the 5th January 1882 to Julia (Formerly Raphael) and Jacob Levi
Go! June 1906: 6th in Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb and won a medal at the South Harting Hill Climb in 50hp Napier car. Only competitor without non-skid tyres.
During their Design Workshop the class took periods of Dorothy’s life and arranged them onto a 12m long paper race track adding elements of ‘game play’ and their own drawings.
October 1906, Blackpool. Driving a 90hp Napier she broke her own record and created a new world speed record for women of 91mph. Not surprisingly she was dubbed ‘the fastest girl on earth’. According to her diary, during this race she had a near miss when the bonnet of her car came loose and might have beheaded her if she hadn’t stopped in time! MISS A GO TO RECOVER
“I want to arrange a match for the World’s Championship with an American Woman automobilist… I must look to America for a race. - There is no one left in Europe with whom to compete. I have beaten them all, and badly too.” News Penny Illustrated Paper of November 1906.
“It is possible for a woman to repair a tyre, but I am sure I am correct in saying that not one woman in a thousand would want to ruin her hands in this way”.
1907 Application to race at Britain’s first official race course at Brooklands rejected. Women were not admitted until 1908. GO BACK 1 STEP
“I have made it a rule never to allow any one to drive my own little car – and this is a rule that everyone will find useful.” Dorothy Levitt, The Woman & the Car
In 1906 plans were drawn up for a circuit to be built in Bexhill almost reaching Beachy Head, with garages, restaurants and hotel accommodation. The course unfortunately never saw the light of day and the motoring set moved to the new Brooklands circuit in 1907
Drawing by Adele
Instructiona l photos fo r Dorothy Le ‘The Woman vitt’s and the Car ’ Handbook
Ever the pioneer, Dorothy recommended that women use a handmirror to see traffic behind them - the rear-view mirror was not invented until 1914!
The last competition at Bexhill was held in 1925 after which the Royal Automobile Club withdrew permits on public highways.
Dorothy dies on 17th May 1922. Cause of death “Morphine poisoning while suffering from heart disease and attack of measles. Misadventure.”
1911 Census: Frustrated with the government’s refusal to grant women the vote, a large number of women boycotted the 1911 census by refusing to be counted. Dorothy is not on the census – perhaps she was involved in the woman’s movement?
May 1907 – The Bexhill Races: Second Prize to Miss Dorothy Levitt! SKIP FORWARD 3 STEPS
Dorothy’s Driving Essentials: “the following articles at I advise you to have in its recessarees.wh A ir of clean gloves, an extra handkerchief, clepaan powder puff (unless you despise themve),il, hair-pins and ordin s, a hand mirror – and some archyocopin lat es are very soothing sometimes!” “Antioyl” Soap “If you are going to alone in the highways and bywaysdriveit m advisable to carry a small revigholvt er.be” Her dog! Dodo
Dorothy’s motoring career comes to an end and little more is known of her. Was she spending all her time pursuing her other favourite sport: trout fishing?
& ed iti Levit ng the D t Gam oroth y e
1907 Dorothy moves to Portman Mansions, Chiltern St, Marylebone
The Times reported that amongst Britain’s poor showing in the race ‘the single exception was the Napier car driven with skill, courage, and cool judgement by Miss Dorothy Levitt’ (The Times, 20 June 1907).
96 the 8th Earl had e Boulevard built along arr Parade – this was to be for Britain’s first automobile erest in cycling may have had o do with his Chairmanship of wning Pneumatic Tyre Company. d be hired and cycle lessons cle events attracted royalty he Grand Duke Michael of nd his wife the Countess rby and the Duke and Duchess of Teck.
STA RT
Crea ting
1910 Dorothy Levitt learns to fly! She became a member of The Aero Club of the UK in January. MOVE FORWARD TWO SPACES
PIT STOP! MISS A GO
June 1907 won a gold medal in the Herkomer trophy race, in Germany, coming fourth out of 172 competitors. HAVE ANOTHER ROLL OF THE DICE!
July 1908 – Aston Hill Climb, 2nd place out of over 50 competitors. August Raced at Trouville in France.
1909: Dorothy publishes The Woman and the Car with key how-to guides for women who drive or want to drive. The book includes many photos of Dorothy working on her car.
Dorothy’s ‘Chatty Little Handbook for the Edwardian Motoriste’ has lists of all the driving essentials. You’ve forgotten your hairpins. GO BACK 1 STEP
As well as diary entries, mechanical instructions, and motoring tips, Dorothy writes about how to dress for driving - get your overalls on ladies!
Dorothy’s ‘How To Dress for Driving’ An overall to protect your clothes A hat face A veil to go over the hat andbefo re tying – “Remember to twist the veilng loos e” this prevents the knot worki s of “One of the most important arttheiclenec k” wear is a scarf or muffler for Leather gloves
Filching Manor Motor Museum 20 students went to Filching Manor Motor Museum in Polegate to have a tour of the house and see the range of classic cars in the Foulkes-Halbard Collection. The students benefited from Karl Foulkes-Halbard’s extremely knowledgeable guided tour which showcased the vast range of bikes and cars, and their internal workings. The students enjoyed getting to sit in and steer the cars, and listen to their engines roar!
Above L-R: Daisy and Ellie at Filching Manor Museum; Aimee and Hasini ride a vintage car at Filching Manor Museum; Karl Foulkes-Halbard models cutting edge fashion of motor-wear from last century
Bexhill Museum
Dorothy Levitt was her name And race car driving was her game, On the 5th January she was born, And on the 17th May her friends would mourn.
Here the students learnt more about Bexhill’s history as the Birthplace of British Motoring and Museum Curator Julian Porter shared photos and facts about the early days of racing on Bexhill’s seafront. The girls changed sparkplugs and tyres on the models in the museum and heard of early plans for an extensive race course at Cooden Beach that were never realised.
Her first drive was in France, That’s when she realised her chance, 1903 was her first race, She didn’t win but handled it with grace. Her dog was named Dodo, He was really her main logo, She gave out stuffed dogs to the haters, And they said see you laters! By Maddy, Maddie and Hasini
Changing tyres at Bexhill Museum
Class 8F3 at Be xhill Museum
e parade outside S.F. Edge leads th Bexhill 1902 Sackville Hotel,
‘The girls changed sparkplugs and tyres on the models in the museum and heard of early plans for an extensive race course at Cooden Beach that were never realised’
Meeting Motor Enthusiasts and Motorinas! In addition to conducting guided research, the students received training on taking oral histories and interviewed Paul Brailsford from Bexhill 100 Motoring Club and Little Common’s very own former racing car driver Robin Staple-Adams. Robin thrilled the class with tales of going against the grain in the 1960s…
Was it hard being a female racing car driver? It’s not hard (being a female racing car driver), but as far as the men were concerned you’re quite popular until you start beating them, then they don’t like you quite so much What other female racing car drivers do you remember? One in particular Christabel Carlisle… raced a mini and she was very very good. Stirling Moss’s sister Pat Moss was rallying at that time. But there just weren’t any women, a few women who dabbled. One or two of us did reasonably well with it, but it just wasn’t a sport that women (did), it still isn’t.
“Have a go. If you get a chance… Do it and see how you get on because it is just so exciting” Robin Staple-Adams
Who inspired you and why did they inspire you? Stirling Moss… he drove me once from London to Birmingham and that’s when I vowed I was going to be the best driver I could be because he just was so good, I was never frightened and I never felt him change gear. And for women to be good drivers: be proud of yourselves, be proud of your car, be proud of the way you drive because it is terribly important.
“
The students with Paul Brailsford of the Bexhill 100 Motoring Club, Robin Staple-Adams and the yellow Elva
Above: Aimee in Paul Brailsford’s Yellow Elva which has featured in many films and documentaries
Acknowledgements Sound Architect would like to thank the following for their contributions to the project: Helenswood Academy Filching Manor Motor Museum Bexhill Museum Bexhill 100 Motoring Club The Stables Theatre Robin Staple-Adams Paul Brailsford Andy Crosby Steve Darvill Ann Kramer The Sound Architect Creative Media Team: Anita Broad, Susanne Crosby, Annabel Clements, Chris Marks, Vicky Richards, Tim Robertson, Nick Collins, Nicky Stewart, Sophie Pullen.