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Francis Curzon, 5th Earl Howe
Francis Richard Henry Penn Curzon, 5th Earl Howe, (1 May 1884, Mayfair, London – 26 July 1964, Amersham, Buckinghamshire),"Francis Curzon, 5th Earl Howe; Ex-Member of Parliament and Racing Driver Dies". ''The New York Times'' (Monday, 27 July 1964), p.30 styled as Viscount Curzon from 1900 to 1929, was a British naval officer, Member of Parliament, and motor racing driver and promoter. In the 1918 UK General Election he won the Battersea South seat as the candidate of the Conservative Party, which he held until 1929. While in Parliament he took up motor racing, and later won the 1931 24 Hours of Le Mans race. He ascended to the Peerage in 1929, succeeding his father as the 5th Earl Howe. Earl Howe co-founded the British Racing Drivers' Club with Dudley Benjafield in 1928, and served as its president until his death in 1964. Early career Francis, Viscount Curzon, joined the Royal Naval Reserve after leaving school, following in a long family tradition. 28 October 1907, Lie ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1934 Avusrennen
The 1934 Avusrennen was a non-championship Grand Prix held on 27 May 1934 at AVUS in Berlin, Germany. It was the 10th race of the 1934 Grand Prix season. The race, which was 15 laps, was won by Guy Moll driving an Alfa Romeo Tipo B/P3 after starting from 9th place. Background The race was highly anticipated due to the new Auto Union and Mercedes-Benz cars making their first public appearances. Although the Mercedes cars had to withdraw after Practice due to an issue that meant that the fuel pump did not deliver fuel sufficiently at high speed, the top Auto Union car finished 3rd, just 1 minute and 45 seconds behind 1st place. The race saw record crowds of an estimated 200,000 spectators including top German ministers such as Adolf Hühnlein, the German Motorsport leader, who started the race. It also marked the sudden return of Rudolf Caracciola who fractured his thigh in Practice for the 1933 Manx Grand Prix and announced his retirement from racing shortly after. Tazio Nuvol ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Georgiana Curzon
Lady Georgiana Mary Curzon Kidston, Lady Starkey (7 January 1910 – 11 January 1976) was an English socialite, included in ''The Book of Beauty'' by Cecil Beaton. Early life Lady Georgiana Mary Curzon was born on 7 January 1910,Mosley, Charles, editor. Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes. Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003 the daughter of Francis Curzon, 5th Earl Howe and Mary Curzon, Lady Howe, first cousins who married in 1907 and divorced in 1937. Her older brother was Edward Curzon, 6th Earl Howe. Her paternal grandparents were Richard Curzon, 4th Earl Howe and, his first wife, Lady Georgiana Elizabeth Spencer-Churchill (fifth daughter of John Spencer-Churchill, 7th Duke of Marlborough and Lady Frances Vane). Her mother was the only daughter of Esmé FitzRoy and Col. Montagu Curzon (the eldest son, by his second wife, of Richard Curzon-Howe, 1st Earl Howe). Career In the 1930s Lady Georgiana Curzon ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fighting occurring throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Pacific, and parts of Asia. An estimated 9 million soldiers were killed in combat, plus another 23 million wounded, while 5 million civilians died as a result of military action, hunger, and disease. Millions more died in genocides within the Ottoman Empire and in the 1918 influenza pandemic, which was exacerbated by the movement of combatants during the war. Prior to 1914, the European great powers were divided between the Triple Entente (comprising France, Russia, and Britain) and the Triple Alliance (containing Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy). Tensions in the Balkans came to a head on 28 June 1914, following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against France. The modern Royal Navy traces its origins to the early 16th century; the oldest of the UK's armed services, it is consequently known as the Senior Service. From the middle decades of the 17th century, and through the 18th century, the Royal Navy vied with the Dutch Navy and later with the French Navy for maritime supremacy. From the mid 18th century, it was the world's most powerful navy until the Second World War. The Royal Navy played a key part in establishing and defending the British Empire, and four Imperial fortress colonies and a string of imperial bases and coaling stations secured the Royal Navy's ability to assert naval superiority globally. Owing to this historical prominence, it is common, even among non-Britons, to ref ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Royal Naval Reserve
The Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) is one of the two volunteer reserve forces of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. Together with the Royal Marines Reserve, they form the Maritime Reserve. The present RNR was formed by merging the original Royal Naval Reserve, created in 1859, and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR), created in 1903. The Royal Naval Reserve has seen action in World War I, World War II, the Iraq War, and War in Afghanistan. History Establishment The Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) has its origins in the Register of Seamen, established in 1835 to identify men for naval service in the event of war, although just 400 volunteered for duty in the Crimean War in 1854 out of 250,000 on the Register. This led to a Royal Commission on Manning the Navy in 1858, which in turn led to the Naval Reserve Act of 1859. This established the RNR as a reserve of professional seamen from the British Merchant Navy and fishing fleets, who could be called upon during times of war ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Viscount
A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status. In many countries a viscount, and its historical equivalents, was a non-hereditary, administrative or judicial position, and did not develop into a hereditary title until much later. In the case of French viscounts, it is customary to leave the title untranslated as vicomte . Etymology The word ''viscount'' comes from Old French (Modern French: ), itself from Medieval Latin , accusative of , from Late Latin "deputy" + Latin (originally "companion"; later Roman imperial courtier or trusted appointee, ultimately count). History During the Carolingian Empire, the kings appointed counts to administer provinces and other smaller regions, as governors and military commanders. Viscounts were appointed to assist the counts in their running of the province, and often took on judicial responsibility. The kings strictly prevented the offices of their coun ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dudley Benjafield
Joseph Dudley "Benjy" Benjafield, MD (6 August 1887- 20 January 1957) was a British medical doctor and racing driver. Career Benjafield was in born in Edmonton, London, UK. He attended the University of London and received his MD from University College Hospital in 1912. Specializing in bacteriology, he served in Egypt during World War I and later used his expertise combating the great flu epidemic of 1918-1919. Benjafield had a passion for motorsports which started with boating, but moved on to automobiles in the 1920s, following the accidental destruction of his beloved motor launch. Upon purchasing a Bentley 3-litre, he started racing in 1924 and 1925. Benjafield's success led to him being offered to drive a company racer at the behest of Bentley founder W.O. Bentley. He competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans seven times, and won the event in with co-driver and fellow " Bentley Boy" S. C. H. "Sammy" Davis; while their car was badly damaged, they frantically made on-the-spot ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
British Racing Drivers' Club
The British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC) is an exclusive invitation-only members club for racecar drivers who are judged to have achieved success in the upper levels of motor sport for a number of seasons. Except under exceptional circumstances, members must have been born in the United Kingdom or Commonwealth. The BRDC owns and operates Silverstone Circuit in the United Kingdom. Early days The club was founded in April 1928 by Dr. J. Dudley Benjafield, one of an informal group of British racing drivers known as the "Bentley Boys". The BRDC began primarily as a socialising club for Benjafield and his fellow drivers, but by the time of its inauguration, its 25 members had devised a set of objectives for the club: *To promote the interests of motor sport generally. *To celebrate any specific achievement in motor sport. *To extend hospitality to racing drivers from overseas. *To further the interests of British drivers competing abroad. In 1929, the BRDC became involved in the promo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Earl Howe
Earl Howe is a title that has been created twice in British history, for members of the Howe and Curzon-Howe family respectively. The first creation, in the Peerage of Great Britain, was in 1788 for Richard Howe, but became extinct on his death in 1799. The second creation, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom was in 1821 for Richard Curzon, and remains extant. History First creation (1788) The Howe family descended from John Grobman Howe, of Langar, Nottinghamshire. He married Annabella, illegitimate daughter of Emanuel Scrope, 1st Earl of Sunderland. Their son, Scrope Howe, sat as a Knight of the Shire for Nottinghamshire. In 1701 he was raised to the Peerage of Ireland as Baron Glenawley and Viscount Howe. The second Viscount also represented Nottinghamshire in the House of Commons and served as Governor of Barbados. He married Charlotte, Baroness von Kielmansegg, niece of George I. Her mother was the illegitimate half-sister of the King. Lord Howe was succeeded by ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
British Peerage
The peerages in the United Kingdom are a legal system comprising both hereditary and lifetime titles, composed of various noble ranks, and forming a constituent part of the British honours system. The term '' peerage'' can be used both collectively to refer to the entire body of nobles (or a subdivision thereof), and individually to refer to a specific title (modern English language-style using an initial capital in the latter case but not the former). British peerage title holders are termed peers of the Realm. The peerage's fundamental roles are ones of government, peers being eligible (although formerly ''entitled'') to a seat in the House of Lords, and of meritocracy, the receiving of any peerage being the highest of British honours (with the receiving of a more traditional hereditary peerage naturally holding more weight than that of a more modern, and less highly regarded, ''life'' peerage). In the UK, five peerages or peerage divisions co-exist, namely: * The Peerag ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1931 24 Hours Of Le Mans
The 1931 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 9th Grand Prix of Endurance that took place at the Circuit de la Sarthe on 13 and 14 June 1931. With the demise of Bentley, the favourite for an outright victory was split between the Bugatti and Alfa Romeo works teams, with a lone privateer Mercedes as an outside chance. Once again it was one of the smaller fields, with only 26 starters. At the start of the race it was the Mercedes setting the pace from the Bugattis of Chiron and Divo. But tyre-wear was a big issue, with many cars suffering tyre blowouts and punctures. This left Marinoni leading in the works Alfa. Coming up to the first refuelling stops, the rear tyre on Maurice Rost's Bugatti blew out at full speed on the Mulsanne Straight. Rost lost control of the car and went through a fence, hitting three spectators, killing one. When more tyre issues plagued Chiron's car, the Bugatti team withdrew their remaining two cars. Tyre troubles had also cost the Mercedes team eight laps. T ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
