Ernest Eldridge
Encyclopedia
Ernest Arthur Douglas Eldridge (18 July 1897 - 27 October 1937 ) was a British
racing car
driver who broke the world land speed record in 1924. His was the last land speed record set on an open road.
he quit while in the 6th form to go to the Western Front, in the First World War. Eldridge joined the British Red Cross Society and Order of St John of Jerusalem, possibly as an ambulance driver. He may have also served in the French Artillery.
He married Majorie M Tooth in 1915 at Brentford
, Middlesex
; she died before the Second World War. He married second, 1925, a French woman named Marie whom he had "married" while still married to Marjorie
Not much is known about the years between 1918 and 1921 when he reappeared at Brooklands
. There are unconfirmed myths about him flying with Count Zborowski. He was a pilot, surviving a plane crash at Brooklands
in 1922. He received his pilot licence (Number 7944) on 21 August 1923 at Stag Lane Aerodrome
, Edgware
and Brooklands, flying a Sopwith Gnu
. His licence lists his profession as Automobile Engineer.
The early part of his racing career is littered with corpses of large, often aeroengined, racing cars. His first racing appearance was in 1921 with a rare chain-driven Isotta-Fraschini
which was lapping at more than 90 mph.
In 1922 Eldridge startled the Brooklands crowd by appearing with a 240 hp Maybach
aero engine in his 1907 Isotta-Fraschini chassis, which had been stretched to accommodate the giant power plant. This 20-litre racer had a tiny two-seater body made by Jarvis of Wimbledon and caused something of a sensation, even when monstrosities were not uncommon in motor racing circles. It won its first race at more than 101 mi/h but over all was not terribly successful. He sold it to a Frenchman who went under the nom de guerre of Le Champion.
Eldridge then turned to a 10-litre Fiat
, which he drove with some success. With the proceeds he bought Mefistofele
, and embarked on his famous escapades. In October, 1923 at Brooklands: "E. A. D. Eldridge set up new figures for the half-mile (standing start) world's record by covering the distance in 23.17secs. (77.68 miles an hour) on his giant 350 horse-power F.I.A.T." and taking the World Land Speed Record
record on July 12, 1924 at Arpajon, France, at an average of 146.013 mi/h over the flying kilometre. In October , 1924 at Montlhéry: "Mr. Eldridge covered 210 kilometres 230 metres in the hour, and at one time attained 218 kilometres (over 136 miles) an hour. This is claimed to be a world's record."
In 1925 he sold Mefistofele to 'Le Champion' and decided to enter the world of Grand Prix Motor Racing
with cars of his own design, the Eldridge Specials. Based on Amilcar
chassis with Anzani
engines, these cars were entered at many races for the 1925 and 1926 seasons including the Brooklands 200, The San Sebastian, the L'ACF and the Italian GPs. He also entered two cars in the 1926 Indy 500, no doubt tempted by the prize money. He drove one car with Douglas Hawkes in the other.
Whilst in the USA, he tried a Miller 122
, and was so impressed he ran it at Salem-Rockingham
, Atlantic City and Altoona before returning to Europe to break records at Montlhéry. Whilst attempting speed records over the Christmas Holidays the front axle disintegrated, the car somersaulted, and Ernest was left with serious head injuries and the loss of an eye.
Once recovered he continued to take records with other cars, including a Chrysler
at Montlhéry, and then became the "Record Attempt Manager" for Capt Eyston
.
In 1929 they meant to co-operate in a joint assault on the 750cc world records with a French-built Ratier
. When it was ready for testing at Montlhéry, with Eyston away racing , Eldridge took the wheel.
As Eyston recalled in his book Flat Out: "I heard afterwards what a comic sight this had been. Ernest is by no means slim, and here he was sitting in a little bucket seat on the bare chassis, the wind ballooning his trousers and coat. He, I was told, looked like a true 'Bibendum
' as he manipulated the chassis round Montlhéry."
The Ratier project was scrapped, though, as the two friends became involved with the first-ever MG record car EX120. With Eyston at the wheel, it was the first 750cc car in the world to set records at more than 100 mph. Eldridge played an important part in the development of the pioneering EX120. He designed a counter-balanced crankshaft as part of the tuning work on the engine, before EX120's first visit to Montlhéry in December 1930. It took several records at speeds up to 87 mi/h. Eldridge told Cecil Kimber
of MG that the car would have to be supercharged, if it were to have any chance of heading off a rival 100 mph attempt by Malcolm Campbell
in a blown Austin Seven
.
Kimber agreed, and Eldridge supervised the work as the engine was fitted with one of Eyston's Powerplus supercharger
s. And he was there at Montlhéry as Eyston's signaller: "Uncle Ernest stood out in the middle of the straight opposite the timekeepers' box with a little flag in his hand. He would raise or lower it in accordance with the lap speed I was putting up."
Eyston had also been successful attacking records over longer distances with Hotchkiss
and Panhard
machinery, as well as the Rolls-Royce
-engined, 'Speed of the Wind
' record breaker, that Eldridge helped design and went to Bonneville to manage the record attempt.
It was whilst returning from a trip to Bonneville to supervise the record attempts that Eldridge contracted the pneumonia that he subsequently died from in Kensington. He was 40 years old.
Ernest was certainly a colourful character. He spent the family fortune on gambling, racing and flying. He once lost £60,000 playing "chemy", in Monte Carlo in 1922, on the turn of one card.
Speed over 1 mile -145.89 mph 234.79 km/h
Driver - Ernest A. D. Eldridge.
Car - FIAT Special Mephistopheles II (Mefistofele)
Date - July 12, 1924.
Place - Arpajon, France.
Engine - Fiat A.12
This was the last land speed record set on a public road.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
racing car
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
driver who broke the world land speed record in 1924. His was the last land speed record set on an open road.
Ernest Arthur Douglas Eldridge.
Ernest Arthur Douglas Eldridge was born on 18 July 1897 at Hampstead, London. He was born to a wealthy family, his father being a "bill discounter" who amassed a tidy fortune. Educated at Harrow SchoolHarrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
he quit while in the 6th form to go to the Western Front, in the First World War. Eldridge joined the British Red Cross Society and Order of St John of Jerusalem, possibly as an ambulance driver. He may have also served in the French Artillery.
He married Majorie M Tooth in 1915 at Brentford
Brentford
Brentford is a suburban town in west London, England, and part of the London Borough of Hounslow. It is located at the confluence of the River Thames and the River Brent, west-southwest of Charing Cross. Its former ceremonial county was Middlesex.-Toponymy:...
, Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
; she died before the Second World War. He married second, 1925, a French woman named Marie whom he had "married" while still married to Marjorie
Not much is known about the years between 1918 and 1921 when he reappeared at Brooklands
Brooklands
Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England. It opened in 1907, and was the world's first purpose-built motorsport venue, as well as one of Britain's first airfields...
. There are unconfirmed myths about him flying with Count Zborowski. He was a pilot, surviving a plane crash at Brooklands
Brooklands
Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England. It opened in 1907, and was the world's first purpose-built motorsport venue, as well as one of Britain's first airfields...
in 1922. He received his pilot licence (Number 7944) on 21 August 1923 at Stag Lane Aerodrome
Stag Lane Aerodrome
Stag Lane Aerodrome was a private aerodrome between 1915 and 1933 located in Edgware, London, UK.-History:The land for an aerodrome was purchased by the London & Provincial Aviation Company during October 1915. The company used the aerodrome for flying training during the First World War...
, Edgware
Edgware
Edgware is an area in London, situated north-northwest of Charing Cross. It forms part of both the London Borough of Barnet and the London Borough of Harrow. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
and Brooklands, flying a Sopwith Gnu
Sopwith Gnu
-References:* A.J. Jackson, British Civil Aircraft since 1919 - Volume 3, Putnam, London 1988, ISBN 0 85177 818 6* The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft , Orbis Publishing....
. His licence lists his profession as Automobile Engineer.
The early part of his racing career is littered with corpses of large, often aeroengined, racing cars. His first racing appearance was in 1921 with a rare chain-driven Isotta-Fraschini
Isotta-Fraschini
Isotta Fraschini represents two Italian manufacturing companies which produce, respectively, marine engines and luxury goods. In the early 20th century it was famous worldwide as a luxury car manufacturer.-History:...
which was lapping at more than 90 mph.
In 1922 Eldridge startled the Brooklands crowd by appearing with a 240 hp Maybach
Maybach
Maybach-Motorenbau GmbH is a German luxury car manufacturer. It was founded in 1909 by Wilhelm Maybach and his son. The company was originally a subsidiary of Luftschiffbau Zeppelin GmbH and was itself known as Luftfahrzeug-Motorenbau GmbH until 1912.Today, the ultra-luxury car brand is owned by...
aero engine in his 1907 Isotta-Fraschini chassis, which had been stretched to accommodate the giant power plant. This 20-litre racer had a tiny two-seater body made by Jarvis of Wimbledon and caused something of a sensation, even when monstrosities were not uncommon in motor racing circles. It won its first race at more than 101 mi/h but over all was not terribly successful. He sold it to a Frenchman who went under the nom de guerre of Le Champion.
Eldridge then turned to a 10-litre Fiat
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
, which he drove with some success. With the proceeds he bought Mefistofele
Fiat Mefistofele
The Fiat Mefistofele was the car that Ernest Eldridge broke the World Land Speed Record with in 1924, by driving at 146.01 mph in Arpajon, France. The name is the italian word for the demon Mephistopheles.- External links :...
, and embarked on his famous escapades. In October, 1923 at Brooklands: "E. A. D. Eldridge set up new figures for the half-mile (standing start) world's record by covering the distance in 23.17secs. (77.68 miles an hour) on his giant 350 horse-power F.I.A.T." and taking the World Land Speed Record
Land speed record
The land speed record is the highest speed achieved by a wheeled vehicle on land. There is no single body for validation and regulation; in practice the Category C flying start regulations are used, officiated by regional or national organizations under the auspices of the Fédération...
record on July 12, 1924 at Arpajon, France, at an average of 146.013 mi/h over the flying kilometre. In October , 1924 at Montlhéry: "Mr. Eldridge covered 210 kilometres 230 metres in the hour, and at one time attained 218 kilometres (over 136 miles) an hour. This is claimed to be a world's record."
In 1925 he sold Mefistofele to 'Le Champion' and decided to enter the world of Grand Prix Motor Racing
Grand Prix motor racing
Grand Prix motor racing has its roots in organised automobile racing that began in France as far back as 1894. It quickly evolved from a simple road race from one town to the next, to endurance tests for car and driver...
with cars of his own design, the Eldridge Specials. Based on Amilcar
Amilcar
The Amilcar was a French automobile manufactured from 1921 to 1940.The first offering was a small cyclecar; designed by Jules Salomon and Edmond Moyet, it bore a striking resemblance to the pre-war Le Zèbre. Next was the 903cc CC, which was available in two further versions; the CS was a sport...
chassis with Anzani
Anzani
Anzani was an engine manufacturer founded by the Italian Alessandro Anzani , which produced proprietary engines for aircraft, cars, boats, and motorcycles in factories in Britain, France and Italy.-Overview:...
engines, these cars were entered at many races for the 1925 and 1926 seasons including the Brooklands 200, The San Sebastian, the L'ACF and the Italian GPs. He also entered two cars in the 1926 Indy 500, no doubt tempted by the prize money. He drove one car with Douglas Hawkes in the other.
Whilst in the USA, he tried a Miller 122
Harry Arminius Miller
Harry Arminius Miller was an influential and famous American race car builder, most active in the 1920s and 1930s...
, and was so impressed he ran it at Salem-Rockingham
Rockingham Park
Rockingham Park is a horse racing establishment in Salem, New Hampshire, in the United States. First built in 1906, it was used as an area for many to gamble on the weekends. Seabiscuit raced there in 1935 and 1936, and Mom's Command ran in her first race and gained her first victory there in...
, Atlantic City and Altoona before returning to Europe to break records at Montlhéry. Whilst attempting speed records over the Christmas Holidays the front axle disintegrated, the car somersaulted, and Ernest was left with serious head injuries and the loss of an eye.
Once recovered he continued to take records with other cars, including a Chrysler
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
at Montlhéry, and then became the "Record Attempt Manager" for Capt Eyston
George Eyston
- References :*...
.
In 1929 they meant to co-operate in a joint assault on the 750cc world records with a French-built Ratier
Ratier
Ratier-Figeac ia an aircraft components manufacturer in Montrouge, France.From 1926 until 1930 it also built a car with a 746 cc overhead camshaft engine....
. When it was ready for testing at Montlhéry, with Eyston away racing , Eldridge took the wheel.
As Eyston recalled in his book Flat Out: "I heard afterwards what a comic sight this had been. Ernest is by no means slim, and here he was sitting in a little bucket seat on the bare chassis, the wind ballooning his trousers and coat. He, I was told, looked like a true 'Bibendum
Bibendum
For the restaurant of the same name, see Michelin HouseBibendum, commonly referred to as the Michelin Man, is the symbol of the Michelin tyre company. Introduced at the Lyon Exhibition of 1894 where the Michelin brothers had a stand, Bibendum is one of the world's oldest trademarks...
' as he manipulated the chassis round Montlhéry."
The Ratier project was scrapped, though, as the two friends became involved with the first-ever MG record car EX120. With Eyston at the wheel, it was the first 750cc car in the world to set records at more than 100 mph. Eldridge played an important part in the development of the pioneering EX120. He designed a counter-balanced crankshaft as part of the tuning work on the engine, before EX120's first visit to Montlhéry in December 1930. It took several records at speeds up to 87 mi/h. Eldridge told Cecil Kimber
Cecil Kimber
Cecil Kimber was an automobile engineer, most famous for his role in being the driving force behind the MG car company.-Biography:He was born in London on 12 April 1888 to Henry Kimber, a printing engineer and his wife Fanny...
of MG that the car would have to be supercharged, if it were to have any chance of heading off a rival 100 mph attempt by Malcolm Campbell
Malcolm Campbell
Sir Malcolm Campbell was an English racing motorist and motoring journalist. He gained the world speed record on land and on water at various times during the 1920s and 1930s using vehicles called Blue Bird...
in a blown Austin Seven
Austin Seven
There were four Austin Motor Company cars to use the Seven name:* A single cylinder car produced in 1909* The 1922-1939 Austin 7* The original Mini* The launch title of the Austin A30...
.
Kimber agreed, and Eldridge supervised the work as the engine was fitted with one of Eyston's Powerplus supercharger
Powerplus supercharger
The Powerplus was a design of supercharger used to boost the performance of car engines in the 1930s. It is a mechanically-driven positive displacement pump, operating on the sliding-vane principle.- MG cars :...
s. And he was there at Montlhéry as Eyston's signaller: "Uncle Ernest stood out in the middle of the straight opposite the timekeepers' box with a little flag in his hand. He would raise or lower it in accordance with the lap speed I was putting up."
Eyston had also been successful attacking records over longer distances with Hotchkiss
Hotchkiss et Cie
Société Anonyme des Anciens Etablissements Hotchkiss et Cie was a French arms and car company established by United States engineer Benjamin B. Hotchkiss, who was born in Watertown, Connecticut. He moved to France and set up a factory, first at Viviez near Rodez in 1867, then at Saint-Denis near...
and Panhard
Panhard
Panhard is currently a French manufacturer of light tactical and military vehicles. Its current incarnation was formed by the acquisition of Panhard by Auverland in 2005. Panhard had been under Citroën ownership, then PSA , for 40 years...
machinery, as well as the Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce Limited
Rolls-Royce Limited was a renowned British car and, from 1914 on, aero-engine manufacturing company founded by Charles Stewart Rolls and Henry Royce on 15 March 1906 as the result of a partnership formed in 1904....
-engined, 'Speed of the Wind
Speed of the Wind
Speed of the Wind was a record-breaking car of the 1930s, built for and driven by Captain George Eyston.The car was designed by Eyston and E A D Eldridge, then built by the father of Tom Delaney It was powered by an unsupercharged version of the V-12 Rolls-Royce Kestrel aero engine...
' record breaker, that Eldridge helped design and went to Bonneville to manage the record attempt.
It was whilst returning from a trip to Bonneville to supervise the record attempts that Eldridge contracted the pneumonia that he subsequently died from in Kensington. He was 40 years old.
Ernest was certainly a colourful character. He spent the family fortune on gambling, racing and flying. He once lost £60,000 playing "chemy", in Monte Carlo in 1922, on the turn of one card.
World Land Speed Record 1924
Speed over 1 km -146.01 mph 234.98 km/hSpeed over 1 mile -145.89 mph 234.79 km/h
Driver - Ernest A. D. Eldridge.
Car - FIAT Special Mephistopheles II (Mefistofele)
Date - July 12, 1924.
Place - Arpajon, France.
Engine - Fiat A.12
Fiat A.12
-References:* Gunston, Bill. . World Encyclopaedia of Aero Engines. Patrick Stephens: Wellingborough. p. 62...
This was the last land speed record set on a public road.
Indy 500 results
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External links
- http://www.bigscalemodels.com/cars/fiat_mefistofele/mephistopheles.html www.BigScaleModels.com - 1/12 scale model information and reference photos.
See also
- Land speed recordLand speed recordThe land speed record is the highest speed achieved by a wheeled vehicle on land. There is no single body for validation and regulation; in practice the Category C flying start regulations are used, officiated by regional or national organizations under the auspices of the Fédération...