Hugh Fortescue Locke King (7 October 1848 – 28 January 1926) (sometimes incorrectly written as Locke-King), was a British entrepreneur who founded and financed the creation of the

Brooklands Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England, United Kingdom. It opened in 1907 and was the world's first purpose-built 'banked' motor racing circuit as well as one of Britain's first airfie ...

motor racing circuit.J.S.L. Pulford, The Locke Kings of Brooklands Weybridge (1996) Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, King, Hugh Fortescue Locke (1848–1926), landowner and promoter of motor-racing by J. S. L. Pulford
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Early years

He was born at

Chertsey Chertsey is a town in the Borough of Runnymede, Surrey, England, south-west of central London. It grew up round Chertsey Abbey, founded in 666 CE, and gained a market charter from Henry I. A bridge across the River Thames first appeared in t ...

, the third of four sons and sixth of nine children of Louisa Elizabeth (née Hoare; ca. 1813–1884) and Peter John Locke King (1811–1885), MP for East Surrey from 1847-74 (the younger son of Lord King of Ockham).

Motoring and aviation on the estate

Weybridge Weybridge () is a town in the Borough of Elmbridge in Surrey, England, around southwest of central London. The settlement is recorded as ''Waigebrugge'' and ''Weibrugge'' in the 7th century and the name derives from a crossing point of the ...

, Surrey, his inherited estate, became at his direction the site of many aeronautical and motoring milestones during the first half of the 20th century with motor races held at the circuit between 1907 and 1939, including two

Grand Prix Grand Prix ( , meaning ''Grand Prize''; plural Grands Prix), is a name sometimes used for competitions or sport events, alluding to the winner receiving a prize, trophy or honour Grand Prix or grand prix may refer to: Arts and entertainment ...

. Brooklands simply described a multi-channel stretch of the

River Wey The River Wey is a main tributary of the River Thames in south east England. Its two branches, one of which rises near Alton in Hampshire and the other in West Sussex to the south of Haslemere, join at Tilford in Surrey. Once combined the ...

plus eastern hillsides and meadows supporting sheep and crops, the major secondary estate of the manor of Oatlands. The reduced but still

hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

-sized estate had been bought in 1830 by his father from the death estate of

Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany (Frederick Augustus; 16 August 1763 – 5 January 1827) was the second son of George III, King of the United Kingdom and Hanover, and his consort Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. A soldier by profes ...

for £28,000 () Locke King decided during a European tour that Britain had to have its own motor testing track if its fledgling car industry were to develop and prosper in competition with Europe. He soon spent over £150,000 () of his money developing it, which was returned with a small profit by its value to industry at his death. Locke King devised and built the world’s first banked motor racing circuit here in 1906 and it became the home of British motor racing until 1939. He was inspired to build the 2.75 mile-long track. At 100 feet wide and 30 feet high to all bends, and with a fast downhill spur to assist the engines 'Start Hill' it attracted many spectators. Locke King was spurred on by

Selwyn Edge Selwyn Francis Edge (1868–1940) was a British businessman, racing driver, cyclist and record-breaker. He is principally associated with selling and racing De Dion-Bouton, Gladiator; Clemént-Panhard, Napier and AC cars. Personal life Edge ...

(1868–1940), an experienced racing driver and car dealer, to complete the project with his highly publicised challenge that he would drive the course in a Napier (Lion) single-handedly at a constant 60 mph for 24 hours without a rest break. Edge was to complete his remarkable challenge on the finished track without mishap. His wife took over the supervision of the finish of the build after Locke King became too ill due to stress to continue partly due to the escalating costs to finish it. An aerodrome was constructed within the Track in 1909 and this soon attracted many pioneer aviators who collectively helped to create the British aviation industry.

Family

Hugh Locke King married Ethel Gore-Browne (later Dame Ethel Locke King, DBE) in late 1883 or early 1884 in Kensington, London. They supported each other's endeavours; she in spirit and he financially. They had no children.

References

External links

Motoring History at Brooklands Museum in Weybridge, Surrey
brooklandsmuseum.com
History
brooklands.org.uk

weyriver.co.uk {{DEFAULTSORT:Locke King, Hugh F. 1848 births 1926 deaths Brooklands people British businesspeople People from Chertsey People from Weybridge