Lady Riders

Mention something in this column and you often get a response, even the recent piece “Lady Riders”, although it was about a rare 1920s publicity book on Royal Enfield motorcycles. Denis Wright of Forest Hill has written to say that he had this rather nice ribbon-bound booklet The Lady Drives when he owned a 1914 6hp sidecar outfit of this make in the 1960s and ’70s. It was used for work and pleasure runs, even trials. For one Pioneer Run Mr Wright was offered a ride on a 1904 Humber if he prepared it for the event and allowed its owner to enter the Royal Enfield. Alas the latter was driven into the ground, arriving at Brighton in a van. It had overheated and was a wreck; the passenger bought it and took the booklet as well… But Mr Wright had framed two of the pictures, which he still has. Incidentally, he began reading MOTOR SPORT in 1954, bought out of his first week’s wages at We’s, then publishers of The Autocar. WB