Those Boulogne Races

Sir,

It was with great pleasure that I read the fascinating account of the 1923 Boulogne races in the May issue. However, I feel that the Aston-Martin entered by Mrs. Agnew and driven by R. C. Morgan has received scant justice, for surely if The Autocar of September 7, 1923 and numerous other sources are to be believed, it was this car, and not, strictly speaking, the Salmson, which was credited with 2nd place to Segrave, as the Salmon was not running in the same class, being awarded let position in the lower capacity class. While it is true that Mrs. Agnew did indeed bravely act as riding mechanic to R. C. Morgan, the wording of the article might give rise to the impression that Morgan was some hireling, whereas he was an old Etonian whom Mrs. Agnew later married. As one who was lucky enough to have owned the Aston-Martin in question, “Green Pea”, I recall as one of the most pleasurable and exciting days of my life the occasion when I was privileged to meet Mr. and Mrs. Morgan and to learn from them at first-hand of their many races and successes with this car.

You may also be interested in the enclosed photographs, one of the Aston-Martin cornering during the Boulogne event, the other of R. F. Summers’ 30/98 Vauxhall on the switchback “Montagnes Russes” section of the circuit at that same Boulogne week-end in 1923.

Tenbury Wells A. B. DEMAUS