primotipo…

Marie Jenkins, Bugatti Brescia, circa 1925, circuit unknown, but probably Maroubra, Sydney…

Jenkins first sprang to prominence with a win over Maroubra Speedway fast-men- Phil Garlick, Alvis and Hope Bartlett, Bugatti Brescia in a January 1926 Five Mile Handicap at the demanding dangerous Sydney venue.

Jenkins delighted the crowd by winning both her heat and the final ‘though she owed her victory to the generous way she had been treated by the handicappers. She is the first woman to win an event at the Speedway, and she received a great ovation from the spectators, particularly the fair sex’ The Newcastle Morning Herald reported.

She raced at Maroubra’s opening meeting, the track was a daunting, dangerous venue. Jenkins second race there was only days after the deaths of two competitors killed practising at the track on the Wednesday prior, 30 December 1925.

Leo Salmon and riding mechanic Albert Vaughan, partners in Salmon Motors Ltd crashed to their deaths in a 35 HP Jowett after a fractured Kingpin failed at around 90 miles per hour. Seven fatalities occurred at the circuit between 1925 and 1936, the photograph below, taken on 2 January 1926, is of Jenkins wearing a black arm-band in memory of the two competitors.

The Melbourne racer, ‘who lives near the Yarra’ was coming off the back of a rollover in the first Aspendale Motordrome meeting of the year at the Melbourne, bayside venue in November 1925.

I can find little written about this driver- am keen to know more if any of you have particular insights. Click here for an article on the Bugatti Brescia; https://primotipo.com/2018/07/27/country-spin/

Etcetera…

The image below is the narrative by Victor Hall about his above photograph- wonderful isn’t it, to see the unfettered observations of the man at the time in the context of the day.

Credits…

Fairfax, Christian Anicet for the photo of the car and details, AMHF Archive via Brian Caldersmith

Tailpiece…

 

 

 

 

 

Finito…