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Motorcars and HarmsworthLord Northcliffe took an early interest in motorcars and was an avid participant in, or supporter of, many motor events as can be seen in this excerpt in a report on the 1000 Mile Trial.
In the towns people turned out in thousands to see the cars pass, and the police had to keep the streets clear for our passage. At Calcot Park, Reading, Mr. Alfred Harmsworth (now Viscount Northcliffe) gave a magnificent champagne breakfast in a marquee, and invited all those taking part in the tour to partake of his hospitality.
1904 HARMSWORTH, Alfred C., J.P. Besides being one of the most expert motorists, is the proprietor of the Daily Mail. The cars he owns are: a 60 h.p. and a 40 h.p. Mercedes, a 10 h.p. Panhard, a 12 h.p. Serpollet, a 28 h.p, Mercedes, a Lohner Porsche, a Columbia Electric phaeton, an electric brougham, and a Napier. He considers 120 miles a good average day's spin for a motor-car. He has toured many thousands of miles in this country, on the Continent, and in America, and considers his complete immunity from accident to be a clue to his thorough knowledge of the mechanism of the cars he has driven.
He holds that a motor, in the hands of a skilful and careful driver, is unrivalled as a means of locomotion, but in the hands of an unskilled person, is a danger to everyone. He also thinks side-slips are the most frequent causes of accidents, and presented £100 to the A.C.G.B. & l.,(Automobile Club of Great Britain and Ireland) of which he is an active member, for a side-slip prevention competition.
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Motorcars and HarmsworthCirca 1884
Location unknown
Credits:http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/1900_One_Thousand_Mile_Trial
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1902 Reading Automobile ClubThe annual meeting of the Reading Automobile Club was held at the club premises on Friday evening, January 3rd. The chair was taken by the president, Dr. Major, and a large number of Members attended.
The treasurer's report for 1901 was presented by Mr. H. Callas approved by the members.
The following gentlemen were elected officers for 1902, and the remaining agenda proceeded with:
" President,
o Dr. Claude A. P. Truman;
" Vice-presidents,
o ( A. H. Bull, Esq.), the Mayor of Reading
o Sir Charles Russell, Bart.,
o Mr. Arthur Russell,
o Mr. Alfred Harmsworth,
o Mr. Charles E. Keyser,
o Mr. W. H. Taylor, and
o Dr. A. C. Major;
" Honorary treasurer,
o Mr. G. Loftus Brigham;
" Honorary secretary,
o Mr. J. Paxton Petty, The Woodlands, Kendrick Road, Reading.
The members of the old executive committee were all re-elected for another year, and two new members were added.
Dr. A. C. Major was awarded the club challenge cup for 1901, having gained the highest number of marks on the various club runs held during the past year.
The club is certainly to he congratulated on the enormous increase in membership it has attained during the past year, and also upon its financial position, which, as gathered front the treasurer's report, was extremely satisfactory, showing a substantial balance on the year's working.
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1902 Reading Automobile ClubEarly 1900s
Location unknown
Credits:Grand Falls Windsor Heritage Society A.N.D Collection
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Motor Racing and BrooklandsBrooklands, built on part of Lord Northcliffe's estate near Weybridge, was opened as the world's first specialist motor racing circuit. Because it was the first of a kind, the designer, Colonel Holden modelled the course on a horse racing track and it as consequently oval shaped with the full circuit measuring 2.77 miles. Brooklands borders the railway line 20 miles from London. Its long turns were steeply banked, and two of the bends rose to a height of 27 feet and were the most striking features of the circuit.
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Motor Racing and BrooklandsEarly 1900s
Weybridge, Surrey, United Kingdom
Credits:http://www.scalextric.com/_assets/images/howet59.jpg
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Part of the 110 feet wide track crossed the River Wey and was ingeniously supported by a ferro-concrete bridge. The actual surface was extremely flimsy, a mere six inches of concrete, and the battering it took during the motor racing season required it to be repaired each winter.Racing at Brooklands was conducted in a very gentlemanly fashion , there being no competitions on a Sunday. Its total cost was £150,000
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BrooklandsEarly 1900s
Weybridge, Surrey, United Kingdom
Credits:http://straightspeed.blogspot.com/2011/06/brooklands.html
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Northcliffe and GolfAt the opening of the last century golf societies could be counted on one hand. The Northcliffe Golfing Society was one of the first, founded on August 3, 1910 as the Carmelite Golfing Society. In 1923 it's title changed following the death of its first President, Lord Northcliffe.
In those early days Lord Northcliffe bought Emsworth, a farmhouse and land at Broadstairs, Kent, which included Kingsgate Castle and the 9-hole Kingsgate Golf Course. This was subsequently developed by him into a full 18-hole course and renamed North Foreland. He also had the first par-3 course laid out, and it remains a perfect example of its kind. In 1998, North Foreland officially named this par-3 course The Northcliffe.
Lord Northcliffe believed that the skill in golf, the area where shots could be saved, was in approach and putting, and this par-3 course was another of his far-sighted developments years ahead of their time.
His friends and golfing partners were nearly all from Fleet Street, and the frequent golfing weekends were spent not only playing, but planning the development of his business interests. Emsworth was Northcliffe's retreat from the high pressure of his businesses, and his love for Broadstairs is reflected in the fact that when he received his peerage the title he took was a connotation of the name North Foreland.
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Northcliffe and Golf1921
Location of these events is unknown.
Credits:Thompson, J. Lee. Northcliffe: Press Baron in Politics 1865-1922. Publisher: John Murray; 1st Edition (2000)
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Golf is a game where constant practice is needed, so it's amazing how the 'Chief', as Northcliffe liked to be known, found the time to play and hold a handicap of 12, which, with the gutty balls and hickory-shafted clubs of the time, was comparable to a single figure handicap today.Northcliffe's love of golf also helped to popularise the game through the Daily Mail with a regular column devoted to the latest developments of the sport, bringing the very latest ideas for club competitions, fashions and equipment to the newspaper's readers. In fact, he helped open up an elitist sport to the masses.
Abe Mitchell, whose likeness stands on top of the Ryder Cup, was the Chief's professional at North Foreland for five years, it was here the modern golf ball was first tested by Lord Northcliffe before becoming universally accepted.
The only membership list of the society that still exists is for 1914, when there 73 members, 14 of whom had single-figure handicaps, two were scratch and one plus one, so the standard of play was exceptionally high.
Names that are legend are part of the history of the society as well as of Associated Newspapers. The first Lord Rothermere, brother of the Chief, was a Vice-President with a handicap of 20. Tom Marlowe, for many years editor of The Daily Mail 10; Sir Andrew Caird 5. And the trophies we now play for bear their names. When a member is good enough to win one of these cups, it must be remembered the people who donated them were real, and were instrumental in founding everything we enjoy today. This was a great period of activity in the development of Associated Newspapers, and the golfing society was instrumental in bringing people together, to get to know each other and have a greater understanding of each other's problems.
With the outbreak of war in 1914, golf was put aside. As Minister of Propaganda, Northcliffe became a prime target for the Germans, and they came into the Channel and shelled his house at Broadstairs, scoring a direct hit. Fortunately, the Chief was not hurt and went on to play a big part in the downfall of the enemy.
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Sandy Thomson teaching the son of Lord NorthcliffeLate 1800s - Early 1900s
Location unknown
Credits:http://www.northberwick.org.uk/clubmakers_2.html
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