Draft:Winifred Pink
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Winifred Martha Pink | |
|---|---|
| Born | 10 September 1896 |
| Died | 18 December 1957 |
| Nationality | British |
| Known for | Motor racing |
Winifred Pink (1896–1954) was an early racing car driver, driving instructor and mechanical engineer.[1][2]
Early life and family
[edit]Winifred Martha Pink was born in Bromley on the 10th of September 1896 to Edward and Ellen, she also had four older step-siblings. Pink spent her childhood in Putney and later in Weston-Super-Mare.[1][2] Her grandfather had established the family jam business in 1860 in Bermondsey, London. The business became the largest jam business in the world by the late 1800s and was profitable for the family.[3] On his death in 1916,[2] Pink's father, left her mother and Pink £68,000 equivalent to over £6million today. This kind of wealth would have enabled the Pink's to own a car.[1] Following her father's death, Pink and her mother moved to Taunton.[1]
Pink began driving in around 1910, and by the time World War 1 started she was not an owner of a car.[4] However, her brother Sidney, was a motoring enthusiast and Secretary of the Somerset Automobile Club for many years. Pink also worked for a season in a local car repair garage, picking up some mechanical skills.[2]
World War 1
[edit]In 1915 Pink joined the Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) and eventually became a general service nurse. She eventually moved into the ambulance service and later became an instructor at the VAD motor School. Pink was also looking after her mother during this time so she was not dispatched overseas as other VAD nurses were. In 1918 she joined the Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS) and continued to drive vehicles at the Admiralty Motor Testing School.[1]
Motorsport
[edit]In 1921 Pink purchased her first car, a polished aluminium, 10.5 horsepower Eric-Campbell two seater. She competed with this vehicle in a reliability trial in 1921 from Yeovil to Lands End. Pink placed third in the Light vehicle class, but won the cup as the other two participants were ruled out. [2]
Pink's second car was a 1921 Horstman "Super Sports" which she used in speed trials and hill climbs. In 1922 she won the Brooklands three mile ladies handicap at the Junior Car Club's Spring meeting. Later that year she came third in the ladies class for the Caerphilly hill climb and first in the one mile speed trial on Porthcawl sands ladies class and also came second in the 1200cc to 1500cc class.[2]
In 1922 Pink created the new "Women's Motor Club". Their first event was a rally and gymkhana at the Lambert Arms in Aston Rowant. Pink won the skilful driving test during the gymkhana. The Club was unsuccessful and had few other later events.[2]
Unlike many other women in motorsport at the time Pink was known to singlehandedly prepare her car for races, a testament to her mechanical engineering capability.[5]
Pink continued to compete into 1923, in General Efficiency Trials with a four seater Horstman Tourer and in races and hillclimbs with her Horstman Super Sports. Later that year Pink bought an Aston Martin sports tourer which had previously been driven by Lionel Martin who had many successes across races, speed trials and hillclimbs. Pink also saw success with this car and in her first event collected three first in class awards and two third class awards. She competed at the Southsea speed trials that same year winning a range of awards across different classes including two firsts. She was part of the event promotion alongside Lionel Martin, SF Edge and Ivy Cummings. Pink had further success at the Shelsey Walsh events two weeks later.[2]
With Aston Martins, Pink continued to have success at many races, speed trials and hill climbs through 1924. The number of events reduced due to safety concerns and therefore so did Pink's appearances. In later events she drove a Montlhery and an Alvis.[2]
Pink was also a President of the Ladies Automobile Club in 1927.[6]
There are no further records of Pink competing after 1929.[2]
World War 2
[edit]At the outbreak of World War 2 Pink joins the Women's Voluntary Service and becomes the Long Transport Officer. In this role, Pink managed the maintenance and repair of their vehicles throughout the blitz from a service garage. Later in the war she also managed the training of women volunteering to drive ambulances.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e "Winifred Pink – from racing cars to tea vans". Women engineers site. 25 June 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Stowe, Pete (2021). "Miss Winifred Pink Amateur Racing Motorist of the 1920s" (PDF). Retrieved 11 November 2024.
- ^ "The fruit of enterprise: Pink's Jam". Let's look again. 11 July 2015. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
- ^ "New Members". The Woman Engineer. 2 (14): 267. 1928. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
- ^ "Miss Pink on Motor Racing". The Woman Engineer. 3 (1): 16. 1929. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
- ^ "The Ladies' Automobile Club". Speedqueens. 14 October 2017. Retrieved 17 November 2024.