Margaret Allan (racing driver) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Margaret Jennings
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| Born |
Margaret Mabel Gladys Allan
26 July 1909 |
| Died | 21 September 1998 (aged 89) Carmarthenshire, Wales
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| Education | Bedales School |
| Occupation | Racing driver and journalist |
| Spouse(s) | Christopher Jennings |
| Children | 1 |
| Relatives | Alexander Allan (great grandfather) Janie Allan (aunt) |
Margaret Mabel Gladys Jennings (born Allan; 26 July 1909 – 21 September 1998) was a famous Scottish motor racing driver. She was known as Margaret Allan during her racing career. She was one of the best British female racing and rally drivers before World War II. She was also one of only four women to ever earn a special 120 mph badge at the Brooklands race track.
During the war, Margaret worked as an ambulance driver. Later, she worked at Bletchley Park, a secret center where codes were broken. After the war, she became a journalist. She was the motoring (car) writer for Vogue magazine from 1948 to 1957.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Margaret Allan was born in Troon, Ayrshire, Scotland, in July 1909. Her father, James Allan, belonged to a rich Scottish-Canadian family. This family owned a big shipping company called the Allan Line.
The Allan family believed in new ideas and were active in politics. Margaret's aunt, Janie Allan, was a well-known suffragette. Suffragettes were women who fought for the right to vote. Margaret went to Bedales School, which was known for its modern and different ways of teaching.
From a young age, Margaret loved horses. Her mother encouraged her to be independent. She also made sure Margaret learned to drive as soon as she was old enough.
Racing Career Highlights
Margaret Allan started her competitive motor sport journey in "trials" events. These events tested how well drivers could handle their cars on difficult roads. She drove her family's Lagonda car in events organized by the Women's Automobile and Sports Association (WASA).
In December 1930, she finished the London-Gloucester Trial successfully. She won the Ladies' Prize, and her driving was called "neat and fast." She kept entering trials and rally events, often winning in her class or the ladies' category.
International Rallies and Early Wins
Margaret's first big international rally was the 1932 Monte Carlo Rally. She drove a Riley Nine with her co-driver, Eve Staniland. They finished 10th overall and second in the Coupe des Dames (Ladies' Cup).
Later that year, Margaret and her brother Hamish entered the Alpine Trial. This week-long event was considered the toughest in Europe. They drove a Wolseley Hornet and won a Glacier Cup. This meant they finished the trial without any penalties. Margaret also shared the Coupe des Dames victory.
Circuit Racing at Brooklands
In 1932, Margaret also tried circuit racing for the first time. She visited the famous Brooklands track and convinced her father to buy a faster, supercharged Lagonda. She made her racing debut at Brooklands with this car. Her three-woman WASA team almost won the Stanley Cup, missing it by just one point.
She returned to Brooklands in 1933 with a more powerful 4½-litre Bentley. Her WASA team finished third, but Margaret won her first circuit race. She came first in the Junior Long Handicap event. Her fastest lap was 97.65 mph. She won again at Brooklands the next year in the same Bentley.
Joining the MG Team
Margaret's racing skills caught the eye of the factory MG Cars team. They asked her to join their all-female team for the 1934 200-mile Relay Race at Brooklands. They drove an MG Magnette and finished third overall in a race that ended in a huge thunderstorm.
She stayed close with MG and was part of George Eyston's "Dancing Daughters" team. This was an all-female team of three cars that raced in the 1935 24 Hours of Le Mans race. They drove specially prepared MG PA cars.
Driving "Old Mother Gun" and Breaking Records
In 1935, Margaret started driving a car she became famous for: Richard Marker's Bentley 4½ Litre, nicknamed "Old Mother Gun." This car had won the 1928 24 Hours of Le Mans race.
While she only got a second place with Old Mother Gun in 1935, she was more successful with Dudley Folland's single-seat Frazer Nash Shelsley. With this car, she won a handicap race in August. Her best race lap was 119.15 mph. In practice, she even drove at 127.05 mph, which was faster than the race record at the time!
Achieving the 120 mph Badge
1936 was Margaret's last full season of racing. Old Mother Gun had been fitted with a much bigger 6½-litre engine, making it even faster. Margaret took second place at the first Brooklands meeting that year. A few weeks later, she won the Second Whitsun Long Handicap race. Her average speed was over 115 mph, and her best racing lap was an amazing 122.37 mph.
This achievement earned Margaret an official 120 mph badge. She was one of only four (or five, depending on the source) women to ever get this badge at the Brooklands track. Later in 1936, she won the Ladies' Prize at the Shelsley Walsh hillclimb.
In 1943, a writer for Motor Sport magazine said her racing record was "every bit as good ... as any man with comparable motor-cars."
After she got married, Margaret Jennings made one short return to racing. She competed in the Circuit of Ireland rally in 1950. Even though she hadn't raced in over ten years, she still won the Ladies' Prize for the event!
World War II Service
During the Second World War, Margaret served her country. She first worked as an ambulance driver. Later, she was sent to Bletchley Park, a top-secret location. At Bletchley Park, she worked in "Hut 4," which was an important center for breaking enemy codes.
Journalism Career
After the war, Margaret Jennings became a journalist. She was the motoring correspondent for Vogue magazine for many years in the 1940s and 1950s. She also wrote articles about car tests for other car magazines like The Motor and Autocar.
Personal Life
In 1937, Margaret married Christopher Jennings. He later became the editor of The Motor magazine. After her marriage, she stopped racing. They had one son.
The family moved to Gellideg, a house in Llandyfaelog, Carmarthenshire, Wales. Christopher became the High Sheriff (a local official) in 1957. Their house, Gellideg, was the first in the village to get electricity from Llanelli.
Besides her love for cars, Margaret also became a very skilled gardener. She won many prizes from the Royal Horticultural Society over the years. She even showed her plants at the famous Chelsea Flower Show.
Margaret Jennings passed away in Carmarthenshire in September 1998, at the age of 89.
Images for kids
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Margaret Allan's autograph card.
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Hut 4 at Bletchley Park, where Margaret Jennings worked during the war.
