Not so Morbid

Memories of Brooklands before World War II, when it was active as a race-track, are of happy times, which must have applied to the hundreds of thousands of people who went there between 1907 and 1939 to watch interesting, even thrilling, races, picnic on the Hill, prowl about the Paddock, drink with friends in the bars, and so on.

So when two leaflets dropped out of the latest issue of the Brooklands Museum magazine, led editorially by Morag Barton, one reminding us that everyone should make a will, the other explaining that for £150 you can have a plaque put up in memory of a relative, friend, or Brooklands personality in the recently completed Garden of Memories, I felt that Mrs Barton was being unduly morbid. Then I remembered that museums need finance, and that these were suggestions to that end, the one about making a will to persuade you to stick in a donation. And reading the magazine I was reminded of all that has been happening at Brooklands, such as Barbara Cartland opening a book and video fair, actors dressing up as Mr and Mrs Locke-King to commemorate the Track’s 90th birthday, Royal Mail stamps being launched on the Members’ Banking, and things with aviation orientation.

News is that the fine trophy won by the late G L Baker with his Graham-Paige for winning the very last race at the Track has been given to the Museum, and that RX7s, Austin Tens, VX490 Vauxhalls, Gordon-Keebles, MGs, Packards, Jensens and fire-engines are due to visit where racing cars once belonged. Cheer up, I tell myself.