Florence Blenkiron facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Florence Blenkiron
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| Born | 24 April 1904 Harmby, North Yorkshire
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| Died | 4 March 1991 (aged 86) Thornhaugh, Peterborough
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| Nationality | British |
| Other names | Florence Kingaby; Blenk |
| Occupation | Motorcyclist |
| Known for | First woman to win a gold medal racing motorcycles at Brooklands. With Theresa Wallach, she crossed travelled by motorcycle and side car from London to Cape Town. |
| Spouse(s) | Kenneth Malcolm Kingaby |
Florence Blenkiron (later Kingaby) was an amazing British motorcyclist. She was born on April 24, 1904, and passed away on March 4, 1991. Florence was the first woman to win a gold medal for riding over 100 miles per hour on a motorcycle! This happened at the famous Brooklands race track.
Florence also went on an incredible adventure. With her friend Theresa Wallach, she rode a motorcycle and sidecar all the way from London to Cape Town, South Africa. This epic journey crossed the huge Sahara Desert between 1934 and 1935. She even rode back to London by herself!
Contents
Early Life and Work
Florence Margaret Charlotte Blenkiron was born in a small village called Harmby in Yorkshire, England. Her family later moved to Ellerton Abbey.
When she grew up, Florence became a secretary. She worked for Robert Hadfield, who owned a very large steel factory in Sheffield. This factory, called Hadfield's Steel Foundry, was one of the biggest in the world.
Motorcycle Racing Star
Florence first rode a motorcycle when she was just sixteen years old. She loved it!
In 1928, she joined the first-ever Ladies Race at the Brooklands race course. This special race was organized by Lady Malcolm Campbell. Florence kept racing and getting better.
On September 30, 1933, she raced at Brooklands again. This is likely when she met Theresa Wallach, who would become her great friend and adventure partner. Just a few weeks later, on October 18, 1933, Florence won her first race! It was called the Three-lap All-Comer's Handicap. This made her the first woman to win a race that both men and women could enter.
Florence and Theresa joined different motorcycle clubs. They practiced a lot to improve their riding skills. They even shared a house in south London, and Theresa started calling Florence "Blenk."
Breaking Speed Records
On April 14, 1934, Florence Blenkiron made history. She became the first woman to ride a motorcycle faster than 100 miles per hour! She was riding a 500cc Grindlay Peerless bike. Florence reached an amazing speed of 102.06 miles per hour. For this incredible achievement, she received the Gold Star Award from the British Motorcycle Racing Club. Only two other women have ever won this award: Beatrice Shilling in 1934 and Theresa Wallach in 1939.
The Great Journey to Cape Town
Florence had friends in Cape Town, South Africa, and joked about riding there on a motorcycle. Soon, the joke turned into a serious plan! It took over a year to plan this huge trip. Finding sponsors was hard at first. But then, a company called Phelon & Moore became interested. They offered Florence and Theresa a choice of motorcycles. They picked a strong 600cc Panther motorcycle, which they named "Venture." Other companies also helped, like Watsonian, who provided the sidecar and a trailer. Florence tested all the equipment in 1934 to make sure it was ready.
Setting Off
On December 11, 1934, Florence Blenkiron and Theresa Wallach began their epic journey. They left from London on their Panther motorcycle, "Venture," with its sidecar and trailer. A big crowd came to see them off. This included Nancy Astor, who was the first woman Member of Parliament, and the High Commissioner for what was then Southern Rhodesia. News reporters covered the event, and they kept reporting on Florence and Theresa's progress during their trip.
In June 1935, a journal called Woman Engineer reported on their adventures. It said that Florence and Theresa had faced many challenges. They spent four nights in a tropical jungle without food or shelter. They were even captured by people called Tourags in the desert!
The Route Through Africa
Their planned route took them through many countries. They started in England, then went through France, and into North Africa. They rode through places like Algiers, Ghardaïa, and Tamanrassat in the Sahara Desert.
After crossing the desert, they traveled through West and Central Africa. They passed through countries like Nigeria and Chad. They continued south, seeing amazing sights like the Rwenzori Mountains and Mount Kilimanjaro. They rode through Kampala and Nairobi.
Finally, on July 29, 1935, they arrived in Cape Town, South Africa! They had filmed parts of their journey and taken many photographs along the way.
The Return Journey
The original plan was for both women to ride back to London. However, Theresa Wallach decided to return by ship from Cape Town.
So, Florence Blenkiron began the return journey alone. She left Cape Town on September 18, 1935, on the "Venture II" motorcycle and sidecar. She rode through many of the same places. At one point, in Kano, local authorities wouldn't let her travel alone. They worried about the cost of a rescue if she got into trouble. So, she had to tow her motorcycle behind a bus for part of the way.
Florence reached Algiers by February 10, 1936. She finally completed her journey back to London by April 1936. When she arrived, she met the High Commissioner for Southern Rhodesia. She gave him a letter from the Prime Minister of South Africa.
After the Journey
When Florence returned, she said she planned to write a book about her amazing experiences. Sadly, the book was never published. However, she did write an article called "Exclusive Graphic Story" for the Newcastle Sunday Sun newspaper on May 3, 1936. It included some photos from her trip.
In 1938, Florence was recognized for her incredible journey. She was made an Associate Member of the Women's Engineering Society. This was also because of her experience working in the steel industry for Hadfields Limited.
Florence also started a business as a chauffeur and tour guide. She advertised her services, offering to drive people on private tours at home and abroad. She even mentioned her special experience in African travel! In 1938, her chauffeuring business took her all the way to Melbourne, Australia. She traveled there on a ship called the SS Orcades.
World War Two Service
When World War Two started in 1939, Florence quickly returned from Australia. She wanted to help with the war effort. By the autumn of 1940, she joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service (A.T.S.) and sailed to Kenya with the Mechanised Transport Corps.
In 1941, Florence wrote from Pretoria, South Africa. She said she was driving cars and big six-wheeled trucks. Later that year, she was in Mena, near Cairo, Egypt. She was in charge of convoys of trucks and armored vehicles. She covered areas like Egypt, Palestine, and Syria. She even became an officer in September 1941.
By May 1942, Florence was teaching at the Mena School of Military Driving and Maintenance. She tested drivers and taught maintenance to women from Palestine, Syrian men, and British soldiers. She also taught a driving course for all United Nations relief workers in Egypt.
In 1945, Florence was recognized for her excellent service. She was in charge of 30 buses driven by Palestinian women in Cairo. These buses transported Army Officers.
Marriage and Later Life
In 1945, Florence moved to Kolkata (Calcutta) in India. She joined the staff of the YMCA War Services Club and took charge of transport there. It was in India that she met Kenneth Malcolm Kingaby, who was an army officer. They got married in January 1946.
After their marriage, they moved to Mumbai (Bombay), where Florence took over running the YMCA War Services Club. They returned to Britain in 1955. They tried farming for a while, but Kenneth's health meant they had to stop in 1959. He then became a farm accountant.
Death
Florence Kingaby passed away on March 4, 1991, in Thornhaugh, Peterborough.
In 2018, a special collection of 66 glass slides was found and sold at an auction. These slides showed the 'Venture' Panther motorcycle and sidecar. They also showed scenes and countryside from Florence and Theresa's amazing journey from London to Cape Town.
