Kirsty's exhibition of women racing drivers

My colleague Kirsty invited us to the preview of her exhibition at Lansdown Hall and Gallery on Friday evening but since we couldn’t be there I went there today it as it was being taken down tonight. It was particularly interesting for Helena as Kirsty was featuring some notable women racing drivers of the early Twentieth century. One of Helena’s father’s relations was one such famous racing driver, Kay Petre, and a portrait of her was in the exhibition, which I've added as the first of the 'Extras'.

The captions telling the womens’ stories were hilarious in places. I’ve added a few ‘Extras’ so if you go large you should be able to read them. I'll leave them here for a few weeks and then remove them. The lighting was tricky with multiple reflections so I’ve blipped Mildred Bruce (1895 - 1990). I love the fact that ‘she never wore racing overalls when competing, preferring to be elegant in a pleated skirt, jacket and trademark string of pearls’. ‘She held the world record for single handed 24 hour driving, averaging a speed of 89mph. In a  ten day trial she averaged 68mph over 15,000 miles!’ ‘At age 78, she test drove a Ford Capri at Thruxton race track, reaching speeds of 110mph.’

Kirsty Tallon specialises in her drawings and paintings of vehicles, especially motorcycles, and planes of all types, and she has a stall in the market with us selling cards and prints and taking commissions.