Sir Hamish Gilkuddy - a Man of his Time. Part II. | News

Whether it was a desire to stay in the country that had opened his eyes to life or in order to avoid a return to the cold bosom of his family, Hamish travelled south and became a performer with the Auto Cirque de Marseilles - an automobile stunt and clown act that toured between Perpignan and Monaco with a base in Marseilles. With the Cirque Hamish learned and honed driving skills that were soon to serve him in a very unexpected fashion.

A telegram arrived in Marseilles early in 1910:

"Father died unexpectedly. Please be home for funeral Saturday. Your Mother."

Hamish records in his journal that it was merely a coincidence that the words added up to the maximum one could send for a shilling. Train, ferry and another train ensured that he was in Carluke by Friday night. When the obligatory tears were shed and the arrangements for the next day explained, Hamish's mother took him to the stables at the side of the house. "What was then revealed altered my life at a stroke. In a year that has seen so much change and revelation I gazed upon that which my mother explained had been purchased by my father for a gift on my return. It was totally amazing."

A father's gift to his son "Instantly I knew what I had to do - how I had to express myself. I had never suspected the friendship between Louis Coatalen and my father - but here it was - the Nautilus and it was mine. From that moment on I had to race. I had to go after records. I had to do for Scotland what Scotland had done for me - made me into a driver, an engineer, a hunter. Now I would hunt for the grand prize - reputation.

Hamish's mother's cousin managed the family brewery business and a rather handsome allowance permitted the young man to take up the calling that he had at last recognized.

"But it was not always easy," comments Hamish in his journal. "Acceptance into the unique ranks of racers in those days was neither automatic nor instant. Even people who later became firm friends or trusted racing colleagues could at first be hostile. I remember wandering one day into the workshops near the Thompson and Taylor Sheds at Brooklands race circuit. There was a wonderful car being tuned and one could not help but notice its odd exhaust. I enquired what it was all about. I was told in no uncertain terms. It's a silencer mate - now fuck off!"

" It's a silencer mate - now fuck off! " "Count Louis Zbrowski and his wonderful series of Chitty Bang Bangs was later to be a close friend - but it took quite some time before such men's trust was earned."

"Strangely enough it was through morris dancing that I achieved a small breakthrough and showed this elite community of racers that I had something to offer. When performing the Stag Dance at Arran Academy we had developed a realization of the importance of camouflage when hunting the deer or a fellow companion. Even quite swift movement could go unnoticed if the colour and pattern was appropriate. I applied the same principle to my next racecar."

"Faster Hamish - he'll never notice us at this speed!" "Not everything was handed me on the silver spoon that had recently been placed in my mouth. I lacked experience and that is something that nobody can buy no matter what their material condition."

"As I ducked down below the level of the scuttle I remember thinking that I wished I had fitted some sort of pipe structure to protect the upper body in situation like this. I was lucky." "Brooklands tended to be where we raced in Britain. There were races on the sands at some resorts like Southport or Pendine. But purpose built circuits were thin on the ground and some stupid English MP had got a bill through parliament that banned public roads being closed for the occasion of a race - so it was Weybridge in Surrey that we raced at on the steeply banked Brooklands track."

"I was starting to make something of a reputation for myself and decided that, even though clouds of war were starting to be seen, I would attempt to make my mark by going for the outright record for the fastest lap of Brooklands."

"Maybe not too many people realize how dangerous the outer circuit could be. Ever since it opened in 1908 Brooklands had been plagued by bumps and dips on the high banking. Photographers would gather at the worst and attempt to take photos that showed cars with all four wheels airborne. With my mechanic Archie Nash, a young lad just out of technical college I worked on a body design that would help to keep the Straker Squire that I was then racing pressed down to the track by the force of the wind generated by my speed. "

"The result was a rather odd looking car but one that I saw as beautiful and still do. We did not get the absolute lap record but won a few handicap races and finally managed a lap in excess of 130mph. In later years Archie Nash worked for a time with BMW in Bavaria. I cannot help but think their 328 model bore a resemblance in the radiator region to our design."