Fourth London Rally of Motorists

A Unique Social and Sporting Event.
Motoring sport consists by no means only of motoring speed. There are many car owners and motor cyclists, even amongst the most strenuous race and reliability trial drivers, who might find interest in a social event associated with their favourite recreation.

That a motoring social event can be made of interest, can be run success fully, and will attract a very large audience was abundantly proved at the fourth London Rally of Motorists held at the Alexandra Palace on Whit-Monday.

Having staged this event in the three previous years, the North London Motor Cycle Club had the benefit of much experience. This year, however, the Rally was on so much more ambitious a scale, that the Club is to be heartily congratulated on the success attained.

We would not like it thought that we found nothing of a sporting kind in the London Rally. The fact that the Wakefield. and Merthyr Motor Cycle Clubs. each attended in strong force, is surely a sporting thing in itself, and these hardy provincials—no offence to the gallant nation of Wales intended—do not usually go hundreds of miles to something that is not worth while.

The Wakefield Club carried off the prize for the largest attendance from any one Club, a thing they also did last year. They also managed to hook the plaque presented by the governing body of motor cycling sport, for the Club displaying the greatest number of A.C.U. badges—and producing current and paid up membership cards to match, look you !

They really did all sorts of things at this Rally. They found faults purposely made in a motor cycle—at sixpence a time for a thirty seconds diagnosis. They had bun-eating competition, a tent pegging competition, a balloon bursting competition, an apple-bobbing competition, an egg plucking competition, musical chairs, a slow race and a Blondin race—all, of course, on motor cycles, and /or cars, as befitted the occasion.

Then there was the Motor Cycle Steeplechase. Someone Wanted to call it the London T.T., but the organising comnuttee, .remerribering in time the susceptibility of the governing body and of George Brown, I.O.M., wisely sank to lesser aspirations. But the T.T. Steeplechase, or whatever it was, was really great fun. The competitors, on solo motor cycles of all types, tore round in the grounds of the Palace in great glee.

They encircled trees, they executed hair-raising skids on loose ground, they mounted grass banks that would put the Six Days’ course in the shade. But, Mr. Alan W. Day, they did not wear crash helmets. So George Brown may breathe again and be assured that the T.T. has not been yet transferred to England after all.

Then there was another event, about which, despite a strong inclination, we restrain ourselves from saying much. It was the judging for the Most Suitably Attired Lady Motor Cyclist. Professor Low had something to do with it. But our readers will, we expect, be relieved to hear that it was really Mrs. ” Billy’ Pratt and Mrs. Geoffrey Smith who awarded the prize. (Speaking of G. S., why did he not enter his very elegant new Daimler, complete with Weyman saloon body, in the Most Ingenious Devices competition ? We feel sure he would have carried off something.

Things of interest happened continuously from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m., and ended up with many of the Rallyites joining in a non-stop carnival dance and enjoying a gorgeous firework display.

The removal of the venue to the Alexandra Palace proved an excellent step, and the entire event was, as we have said, an outstanding success. Here are the noble prize-winners :—

FAULT FINDING: 1st. G. Robins (Merthyr M.C.C.) ; 2nd, H. M. Yeats (Canonbury).

ATTENDANCE OF CLUBS: 1st, Wakefield M.C.C.; 2nd, Merthyr M.C.C.; 3rd, Connaught M.C.C.

BUN EATING: 1st, W. H. Kennedy ; 2nd, H. Bennett ; 3rd, R. Baxter.

BEST KEPT SOLO MOTOR CYCLE: G. R. Smith (Wakefield M.C.C.). 1921 4 h.p. Triumph.

BEST KEPT SIDECAR COMBINATION: W. Scott, 1922 Harley-Davidson.

BEST KEPT THREE-WHEELER : A. Brimicornbe, 1924 Morgan.

BEST KEPT CAR: J. Pollitzer, 1914 25 h.p. Mercedes.

TENT PEGGING: 1st, J. Barton (North London :11-.C.C.), Ricardo-Triumph ; 2nd, H. Gadsden (Kilburn M.C.C.), 5-6 h.p. Zenith

MOST SUITABLY ATTIRED LADY MOTOR CYCLIST : Miss Hawkins (North London M.C.C.), 1.5 h.p. Carfield.

BALLOON BURSTING: 1st. C. Salmon (Wakefield M.C.C.) ; 2nd, E. J. Fairbrother.

MOST INGENIOUS DEVICE ON A SOLO MOTOR CYCLE: G. F. H. Muddiman, 3 h.p. Raleigh.

MOST INGENIOUS DEVICE ON A SIDECAR COMBINATION : P. W. Bidford (Wakefield M.C.C.), A. J. S.

MOST INGENIOUS DEVICE ON A THREE-WHEELER : —Yaxley, Morgan.

MOST INGENIOUS DEVICE ON A CAR: J. Pollitzer, Mercedes.

APPLE BOBBING: 1st, G. Bennett (Enfield M.C.C.) ; 2nd, J. Murphy.

MOTOR CYCLE STEEPLECHASE: 1st, L. F. Franke (North London M.C.C.), 3t h.p. Duzmo ; 2nd. G. V. Smith, A. J. S.; 3rd, J. C. Lowe, Ricardo-Triumph.

SLOW RACE: 7. Pollitzer. Mercedes.

MUSICAL CHAIRS : 1st. H. R. V. Waters (driver). Bush (passenger); 2nd, Keen (driver), Youngs (passenger).

BLONDIN RACE: 1st. F. J. Bush, A.J.S.; 2nd, H. E Ware,Triumph; 3rd, A. K Bales, Ner-a-Car.

EGG PLUCKING : 1st, P. J Bush. A J S.; 2nd, H. J. Hislop, Scott ; 3rd, A. Smith, Scott.