Sir Malcolm Campbell (1885-1948), Racing motorist; holder of land and water speed records

Sitter in 6 portraits
Born in Kent, Campbell won gold medals in the London to Lands End motorcycle trials, 1906-08. In 1910 he began racing at Brooklands in cars he called 'The Flapper'. After the 1914-18 War, in which he served in the Royal Flying Corps, Campbell won over 400 motor-racing trophies, including the 200-mile race at Brooklands in 1927 and 1928. He set up a series of world speed records in motor and hydro-plane racing, driving the Campbell-Napier Blue Bird designed by Amherst-Villiers. At Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, in 1935, he was the first motorist to exceed 300 mph, and in 1939 he established the water-speed record of 141.7 mph. His son Donald followed him as 'Speed King' of the twentieth century.