OUR speaker Stephen Laing, Curator of the British Motor Museum since 1993, outlined how eventually as women’s roles developed in society, especially after the two world wars, so did their involvement with the motor car .
Initially this was the preserve of the rich or an idiosyncrasy: Queen Alexandra was a keen driver of a Wolsley and Mrs Louise Baselgette the first female to own a “Benz” car in France. Dorothy Levitt a secretary with Napier became a racing driver and the inventor of the glove compartment. Kay Petre also raced but for Austin Martin and later designed their upholstery.
The “swinging sixties” saw cars become more fashionable as women influenced design and development. There was even a female Minister of Transport, Barbara Castle who introduced the Breathalyser and seat belts and who supported the women machinists striking at Dagenham for equal pay!
Our next and final meeting for 16/17 is on Friday, June 9, at 7 30pm at St Laurence’s Church Hall Bidford on Avon with Prof. Gary Sheffield speaking on “Passchendaele 1917 Revisited”
CHRIS SMITH
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