The woman and the car : $b a chatty little handbook for all women who motor or who want to motorLevitt, Dorothy
History
The woman and the car : $b a chatty little handbook for all women who motor or who want to motor
Levitt, Dorothy
Women automobile drivers; Women automobile drivers -- History
_August 8, 1903._--Drove motor-boat _Napier_ at Cowes. Won the race.
Afterwards commanded to go over to Royal yacht by the King as his
Majesty wanted to see me put boat through its paces. King thinks such
boats may be useful for despatch work.
_September 1903._--One thousand miles Reliability Trials. Sixteen
horse-power Gladiator. Won. Did fastest time in class.
_October 2, 1903._--Southport Speed Trials. Drove 16 horse-power
Gladiator. Won silver cup for speed.
Won Championship of the Seas, Trouville. Napier motor-boat. Boat
afterwards bought by French Government for £1000.
_September 1904._--Light Car Trials. Successful. Drove small De Dion, 8
horse-power. Entirely alone. No mechanic attended to car. Did everything
myself. Had non-stop for five days but small difficulties on sixth and
last day.
_October 1904._--Southport Speed Trials. Drove 50 horse-power Napier.
Won two medals.
_February 1905._--Did Liverpool and back to London in two days,
averaging a level 20 miles per hour throughout for the entire 411 miles.
Unaccompanied by mechanic. Eight horse-power De Dion.
_May 1905._--Won Non-stop Certificate at Scottish Trials. Ran over very
rough and hilly roads in the Highlands. Eight horse-power De Dion.
_July 1905._--Won Brighton Sweepstakes on 80 horse-power Napier, at rate
of 79¾ miles per hour, constituting the woman’s world record. Beat a
great many professional drivers. Drove at rate of 77¾ miles in _Daily
Mail_ Cup.
_June 1906._--Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb. Was only sixth at finish. Fifty
horse-power Napier. Mine was only car competing which was not fitted
with non-skids. Car nearly went over embankment owing to this and greasy
state of roads.
_June 1906._--South Harting Hill Climb. Won medal on 50 horse-power
Napier. Also presented with silver casket for winning private match on
same hill.
_July 1906._--Aston Hill Climb (Tring). Third on 50 horse-power Napier.
_October 1906._--Broke my own record and created new world’s record for
women at Blackpool. Ninety horse-power six-cylinder Napier. Racing car.
Drove at rate of 91 miles per hour. Had near escape as front part of
bonnet worked loose and, had I not pulled up in time, might have blown
back and beheaded me. Was presented with a cup by the Blackpool
Automobile Club and also a cup by S. F. Edge, Limited.
_May 1907._--Bexhill, Second Prize, Appearance Competition. Eight
horse-power De Dion.
_June 1907._--Germany. Won Gold Medal Herkomer Trophy Race (1818
kilometres). Fourth out of 172 competitors. In hill climb, fifth, and
tenth in Forstenrieder Park Speed Trial out of 172 competitors. Was
first of all women in all competitions. Sixty horse-power six-cylinder
Napier. There were 42 cars with much larger engines than I had.
_October 1907._--France, Gaillon Hill Climb. Forty horse-power
six-cylinder Napier. Won in my class by 20 seconds. Gradient of hill 1
in 10 average.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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