Sheila van Damm
Encyclopedia
Sheila van Damm was a leading British woman competitor in motor rallying
in the 1950s, and also the former owner of the Windmill Theatre
in London.
She began her competitive driving career in 1950, and won the Coupe des Dames, the highest award for women, in the 1953 Alpine Rally.
She won the Women's European Touring Championship in 1954 and the Coupe des Dames in the 1955 Monte Carlo Rally
.
Van Damm was born in Paddington
, London, the daughter of Vivian van Damm
and his wife, Natalie Lyons. Sheila's upbringing in an all-girl Jewish family generated no interest in motoring beyond her training as a Women's Auxiliary Air Force
(WAAF) driver. While in the WAAFs she trained as a driver and entered her first motor sporting event with her only sister Nona as navigator, as a promotional stunt for the Windmill Theatre. With "Windmill Girl" written on the side of the factory-prepared Sunbeam Talbot they finished 3rd in the ladies section of the MCC-Daily Express car rally. This led to an official Rootes team Hillman Minx
in the 1951 Monte Carlo rally.
Her first major success was the Ladies' Prize in the 1952 Motor Cycling Club rally driving a Sunbeam Talbot. The 1953 Monte Carlo rally was marred by punctures, but she entered the record books with a class speed record for 2–3 litre cars, driving the prototype Sunbeam Alpine
sports car at an average of 120 mi/h at Jabbeke
in Belgium.
In the 1953 Alpine Rally with Anne Hall as co-driver, they won not only the Coupe des Dames, but also a coveted Coupes des Alpes. Another Coupe des Dames in the 1954 Tulip rally of Holland included outright victory in a 10-lap race around the Zandvoort circuit
. The ladies' prize in the Viking rally in Norway clinched the 1954 Ladies' European championship for Van Damm and Hall – a triumph they repeated in 1955 in a (Rootes-prepared) Sunbeam Alpine
Mk. III works team car. Registered RHP 702 and presently in Australia, this is the only one of 6 original works cars residing outside the U.K. Other works cars were driven by racing drivers Leslie Johnson
, Peter Collins
and Stirling Moss
.
Van Damm, Johnson and Moss won the Team Prize in the 1954 Monte Carlo Rally driving Sunbeam-Talbot 90 Mk. IIs. Van Damm was in Rootes' Team Prize-winning team again in 1955 and 1956.
The 1956 Monte Carlo rally was her last with Rootes. That year she partnered Peter Harper in a Sunbeam Rapier
in the Mille Miglia
road race, in which they won their class at 66.37 mi/h.
In 1957 Van Damm once more entered the final running of the Mille Miglia, again in a works Sunbeam Rapier, this time partnered by David Humphrey. However they were not to finish after losing control on treacherous tramlines and hitting a shop window.
After retirement she became president of the Doghouse Club for motor racing wives and ladies, and president of the Sunbeam Talbot Alpine Register (STAR).
She had always worked with her father at the Windmill Theatre, which she inherited on his death in 1960, but the changing nature of Soho
in London meant that it closed in 1964. In 1965 Sheila van Damm toured the Tivoli Circuit Theatres in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia, with her show, " The Windmill Revue" . The show featured a number of former Windmill Theatre artistes. This in turn lead her to retire with her sister to their small farm in Pulborough
in Sussex. She died in London on 23 August 1987.
Rallying
Rallying, also known as rally racing, is a form of auto racing that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars...
in the 1950s, and also the former owner of the Windmill Theatre
Windmill Theatre
The Windmill Theatre, later The Windmill International, was a variety and revue theatre in Great Windmill Street, London. The theatre was famous for its nude tableaux vivants...
in London.
She began her competitive driving career in 1950, and won the Coupe des Dames, the highest award for women, in the 1953 Alpine Rally.
She won the Women's European Touring Championship in 1954 and the Coupe des Dames in the 1955 Monte Carlo Rally
Monte Carlo Rally
The Monte Carlo Rally or Rally Monte Carlo is a rallying event organised each year by the Automobile Club de Monaco which also organises the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix and the Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique. The rally takes place along the French Riviera in the Principality of Monaco and...
.
Van Damm was born in Paddington
Paddington
Paddington is a district within the City of Westminster, in central London, England. Formerly a metropolitan borough, it was integrated with Westminster and Greater London in 1965...
, London, the daughter of Vivian van Damm
Vivian Van Damm
Vivian van Damm was a prominent London theatre impresario from 1932 until 1960, managing the Windmill Theatre in London's Great Windmill Street, which was a British institution, famed for its pioneering tableaux vivants of motionless female nudity and for the myth of having 'never closed' during...
and his wife, Natalie Lyons. Sheila's upbringing in an all-girl Jewish family generated no interest in motoring beyond her training as a Women's Auxiliary Air Force
Women's Auxiliary Air Force
The Women's Auxiliary Air Force , whose members were invariably referred to as Waafs , was the female auxiliary of the Royal Air Force during World War II, established in 1939. At its peak strength, in 1943, WAAF numbers exceeded 180,000, with over 2,000 women enlisting per week.A Women's Royal Air...
(WAAF) driver. While in the WAAFs she trained as a driver and entered her first motor sporting event with her only sister Nona as navigator, as a promotional stunt for the Windmill Theatre. With "Windmill Girl" written on the side of the factory-prepared Sunbeam Talbot they finished 3rd in the ladies section of the MCC-Daily Express car rally. This led to an official Rootes team Hillman Minx
Hillman Minx
The Hillman Minx was a series of middle-sized family cars produced under the Hillman marque by the Rootes Group between 1932 and 1970...
in the 1951 Monte Carlo rally.
Her first major success was the Ladies' Prize in the 1952 Motor Cycling Club rally driving a Sunbeam Talbot. The 1953 Monte Carlo rally was marred by punctures, but she entered the record books with a class speed record for 2–3 litre cars, driving the prototype Sunbeam Alpine
Sunbeam Alpine
The Sunbeam Alpine is a sporty two-seat open car from Rootes Group's Sunbeam car marque. The original was launched in 1953 as the first vehicle from Sunbeam-Talbot to bear the Sunbeam name alone since the 1935 takeover of Sunbeam and Talbot by the Rootes Group....
sports car at an average of 120 mi/h at Jabbeke
Jabbeke
Jabbeke is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the towns of Jabbeke proper, Snellegem, Stalhille, Varsenare and Zerkegem. On 1 January 2006 the municipality had 13,572 inhabitants...
in Belgium.
In the 1953 Alpine Rally with Anne Hall as co-driver, they won not only the Coupe des Dames, but also a coveted Coupes des Alpes. Another Coupe des Dames in the 1954 Tulip rally of Holland included outright victory in a 10-lap race around the Zandvoort circuit
Circuit Park Zandvoort
Circuit Park Zandvoort is a motorsport race track located in Burgemeester van Alphenstraat 108, 2041 KP in the dunes north of the town of Zandvoort, in the Netherlands, near the North Sea coast line.- History :...
. The ladies' prize in the Viking rally in Norway clinched the 1954 Ladies' European championship for Van Damm and Hall – a triumph they repeated in 1955 in a (Rootes-prepared) Sunbeam Alpine
Sunbeam Alpine
The Sunbeam Alpine is a sporty two-seat open car from Rootes Group's Sunbeam car marque. The original was launched in 1953 as the first vehicle from Sunbeam-Talbot to bear the Sunbeam name alone since the 1935 takeover of Sunbeam and Talbot by the Rootes Group....
Mk. III works team car. Registered RHP 702 and presently in Australia, this is the only one of 6 original works cars residing outside the U.K. Other works cars were driven by racing drivers Leslie Johnson
Leslie Johnson
Leslie George Johnson was a British racing driver who competed in rallies, hill climbs, sports car races and Grand Prix races.-Overview:...
, Peter Collins
Peter Collins (racing driver)
Peter John Collins was a Formula One driver from England. He participated in 35 World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 18 May 1952. He won 3 races, achieved 9 podiums, and scored a total of 47 championship points....
and Stirling Moss
Stirling Moss
Sir Stirling Craufurd Moss, OBE FIE is a former racing driver from England...
.
Van Damm, Johnson and Moss won the Team Prize in the 1954 Monte Carlo Rally driving Sunbeam-Talbot 90 Mk. IIs. Van Damm was in Rootes' Team Prize-winning team again in 1955 and 1956.
The 1956 Monte Carlo rally was her last with Rootes. That year she partnered Peter Harper in a Sunbeam Rapier
Sunbeam Rapier
The Series I Rapier was a pretty car which in general, was well received by the motoring press. Available in a range of attractive two-tone colour schemes typical of the period, it boasted steering column gear change, leather trim and an overdrive as standard fittings. Vinyl trim was an option in...
in the Mille Miglia
Mille Miglia
The Mille Miglia was an open-road endurance race which took place in Italy twenty-four times from 1927 to 1957 ....
road race, in which they won their class at 66.37 mi/h.
In 1957 Van Damm once more entered the final running of the Mille Miglia, again in a works Sunbeam Rapier, this time partnered by David Humphrey. However they were not to finish after losing control on treacherous tramlines and hitting a shop window.
After retirement she became president of the Doghouse Club for motor racing wives and ladies, and president of the Sunbeam Talbot Alpine Register (STAR).
She had always worked with her father at the Windmill Theatre, which she inherited on his death in 1960, but the changing nature of Soho
Soho
Soho is an area of the City of Westminster and part of the West End of London. Long established as an entertainment district, for much of the 20th century Soho had a reputation for sex shops as well as night life and film industry. Since the early 1980s, the area has undergone considerable...
in London meant that it closed in 1964. In 1965 Sheila van Damm toured the Tivoli Circuit Theatres in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia, with her show, " The Windmill Revue" . The show featured a number of former Windmill Theatre artistes. This in turn lead her to retire with her sister to their small farm in Pulborough
Pulborough
Pulborough is a large village and civil parish in the Horsham district of West Sussex, England, with some 5,000 inhabitants. It is located almost centrally within West Sussex and is south west of London. It is at the junction of the north-south A29 and the east-west roads.The village is near the...
in Sussex. She died in London on 23 August 1987.
External links
- Sheila van Damm. The Scotsman (9 August 2006). Retrieved 13 April 2009.