Women's Spirit of Competition? You don't say.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

16 August 2011

Not just on the circuit: Brooklands celebrates speed in the sky

Women’s spirit of competition lives on at ‘100 years of Women in Aviation’ event      

The home of British motorsport hosts a weekend celebrating human endeavour and achievement with its ‘Women in Aviation’ weekend at Brooklands, on 20-21 August.

Fittingly, for a venue rich in both aviation and motoring competition history, Brooklands is the backdrop for the centenary of the first British woman, Hilda Hewlett, gaining a pilot’s licence: as well as being the most famous race circuit of the time, Brooklands also had the first Flying School (founded by Hilda Hewlett and Gustav Blondeau in 1910) and saw many exciting races taking place with women at the wheel of powerful machinery both in the air and on the circuit.

Hilda Hewlett



From those pioneering days to WWII and all the way to modern times, women have played their part, matching their talents to aircraft and race car speeds. It was indeed at Brooklands that both sexes built their impressive racing history: the very first person to drive on the brand new circuit was in fact a woman: Ethel Locke-King, in her Itala. Motor racing records, such as Gwenda Hawkes’ double-12 motorcycle endurance in 1922 and the Hon. Mrs Victor Bruce, who raced in Brooklands’ first women race in 1927 in an aluminium AC, achieving 17 world records overall in cars, boats and aeroplanes, were as eagerly sought-after as aviation firsts. Perhaps Hilda Hewlett could have competed with women such as Kay Petre and Gwenda Hawkes for the true "Brooklands Speed Queen" title.

In recognition of such records and achievement, the ‘Women in Aviation’ weekend hosts a new exhibition using original material from the Museum Archive, tracing some of the history surrounding those early days of flying at Brooklands.

Air Cadets’ and Astro-Sim’s state-of-the-art Flight Simulators will be there for those not brave enough to try the real skies. Inside the iconic Edwardian Clubhouse, the Blue Bird Room will host a display of career opportunities from the LAA (Light Aircraft Association), Brunel University, Air Cadets and ‘Red Letter Day’ charity Fly2Help. Automotive PR consultant Angie Voluti will be there with her brand new début novel, ‘Clay Ghosts in Sicily’, based on a true story about a Cypriot pilot and women’s contribution to the war in Sicily. Seminars and talks about flight and aerodynamics will be an added bonus.

ENDS

For more information and relevant photos, please contact:

Paul Stewart,                                                                                     Angie Voluti

Marketing and PR Manager                                                             Angie Voluti PR

Brooklands Museum                                                                        The Studio, Forest Road

Brooklands Rd, Weybridge                                                             Hartwell

Surrey                                                                                                Northants

KT13 0QN                                                                                          NN7 2HE

Tel: 01932 857 381 Ext 249                                                               Tel: 01604 863 044/07584 306014

Email: paulstewart@brooklandsmuseum.com                             Email: angie@angievoluti.co.uk

Note to editors: admission prices for either day are: Adults £10, Seniors £9, Children (5-16 yrs) £5.50, Family ticket (2 adults and up to 3 children) £27. For full details of events, directions and general Museum information, please visit http://www.brooklandsmuseum.com/ or telephone 01932 857381. The Museum is open daily from 10am – 5pm (4pm in winter).

Angie Voluti PR

The Studio

Forest Road

Hartwell

Nr Northampton

NN7 2HE

Tel. +44 (0) 1604 863 044

Mob. +44 (0) 7584 306 014

Website: http://www.angievoluti.co.uk/

Twitter: angievoluti

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Did you get an opportunity to read our last News/Blog "Chasing Classic Cars VI"

Chasing Classic Cars VI

You never know where a Classic Car lead might take you.

While scouring the area for Classic Cars, I stopped at Shrock Brothers Studebaker, Coalport PA. It doesn’t get much further out in the countryside than Coalport, PA yet, in the middle of the "PA Wilds" is a thriving classic car business.

Dave was the tour master that day. He was gracious with his time. Myself and wife were treated to the full tour of the shop. What fun!!! 

Shrock Brothers began business in the 1960’s as an auto body shop and then spread itself out. Today, it manufactures vintage Studebaker reproduction replacement parts and sells high end hand made collectible Studebaker Toys. All their toys are made of pewter, one of a kind, perfect detail and of course to scale.The Toys made a big impression on my wife and she had lots of questions about how they are crafted. HMMM, perhaps a gift for her in the future?

Dave and Tom have also custom built several of their own cars. In 1963 they built the “Super Turtle” and in 1980 they customized a Studebaker President Boat-tailed Speedster with a rumble seat. This car has been featured in several magazines over the years including the Studebaker Drivers Club magazine “Turning Wheels”  

In 1982 Dave and Tom restored a 1935 Studebaker Commander Roadster that found itself in the movie “Color Purple”.

So you can see the Shrock Brothers are all about Studebakers.  They manufacture reproduction parts for Studebaker, they hand craft Studebaker Toys and they customize and restore Studebaker Classic Cars.

They also collect Studebaker Cars. I don’t have it in my notes I recall that Dave told me they have a collection because their father starting buying Studebakers, and then he and Tom purchased Studebakers. None of the vehicles were ever sold. He made it clear that none were being sold today either except maybe the Jaguar.

That’s why I had wandered to Coalport that day. I came to see the cars and I was not disappointed.  After the tour of the shop, Dave took us to one of his garages. It was truly a Studebaker Museum.  All the cars and trucks were Studebakers except the Jaguar Replica that his son had built and used while in college. 

Here a few snapshots of what I found:

 

 

If you love classic cars like we love classic cars and you find youself wanting to get out into the country side, give Dave or Tom a call and stop by for a chat. You will not be disappointed. If you can’t do that right away,you can go to the Shrock Brothers website and take the virtual tour. 

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