Vintage Postbag, April 1961
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The Great H. R. Pope
Sir,
In his letter about Mr. Hugh Locke-King and Dame Ethel Locke-King’s journey to Venice in 1905, Lord Montagu reports that their Itala was driven much of the way by “a certain Mr. Pope who was connected with the Itala firm.”
Sir, I hope, but with a niggling feeling that my hope may be unfounded, that this is irony, and that it is only because I am so “square” that I have fallen for it. Is it as “a certain Mr. Pope” that one now refers to the great H. R. Pope, captor, and for all I know still holder, of the London-Turin record; driver in the Grand Prix which was run on July 13th, 1913, of No. 13 Itala which was hors de combat at the 13th kilometre stone; doughty pen duellist with S. F. Edge, whom he tried over so many years to instruct in the virtues of four speeds, right-hand change, wire wheels and other mechanical features which, incidentally, characterised the Itala but not the A.C.?
Sir, My hope has -dwindled so near to vanishing point that I can only sign myself— “A CERTAIN BALADEUR.” Name and address supplied.—Ed.