Gentlewoman Racer: Prudence Fawcett Racing For Morgan At Le Mans

Prudence Marie Blake Fawcett grew up with a love for cars encouraged by her uncle Percy, a Bugatti enthusiast. Her first car was a Wolseley Hornet, which she would maintain herself at just 17. After her lower secondary school was complete, she left Sheffield to spend time in Genoa, Italy, where she would drive an Alfa Romeo 1750 in her first racing event. She brought her love of Alfa Romeo back to the UK and, with her friends Charlotte and Lance Prideaux-Brune, became an official importer for Alfa Romeo, which were sold through their Winter Garden garage.

Prudence ran with an affluent crowd of racing drivers and friends, and in 1937 she was invited to travel to Le Mans aboard the Duke of Kent’s private plane, a trip that would change her life forever as she watched women like Joan Richmond and Kaye Petre compete in the grueling 24-hour race. Prudence was going to drive at Le Mans the next year.

Prudence Fawcett and Morgan

The Winter Garden garage had just added Morgan to their growing list of sportscars that they were official dealers for, and Prudence was convinced that a Morgan 4/4 would be the perfect car for a 24-hour race. Prudence took her plan to Henry Frederick Stanley Morgan, who agreed to supply her with a car; however, the Winter Garden garage would run the entire effort. To fund the rest of the effort, Prudence approached her friend Lord Wakefield, founder of Castrol Oil, for sponsorship. She also talked to Geoffrey White, the Winter Garden garage’s Sales Manager, to be her co-driver.

Morgan, registration number BNP 730, was delivered to the Winter Garden garage, and mechanic Dick Anthony began modifying the car for competition. The 1098cc engine was fitted with a Drown draught carburetor, an 8:1 compression ratio, and a magneto ignition system. When tested at the Bookland, the car could maintain speeds of just under 100 mph. The car was also fitted with a fold-down windshield, cycle fenders, and only one spare tire to save weight. Morgan would go on to sell a replica of this car to the general public.

The now 25-year-old Prudence and her girlfriend drove the car to France and set up their base at the famous Hotel Des Ifs, which had been used by many Le Mans racers, including the Aston Martin works team. The team settled into their hotel and prepared for an exciting adventure. Prudence would be one of five women competing in the 1938 race.

At 4:00 PM on June 18th, 1938, Prudence sprinted to her car, and the race began. Prudence and Geoff would stop for fuel and change drivers every 15 laps. The Morgan performed well, averaging 57.2 mph and covering 1,373 miles, with only a slight leak in the radiator hose and a misfire due to a valve problem. The Morgan team would come in 13th overall, an amazing feat for Morgan’s and Fawcett’s first-ever entry in the race.

Back at the Hotel Des Ifs, Dick Anthony installed new valves, and Prudence and her friend drove the Morgan back to Sheffield, reportedly averaging over 60 mph on her way to Calais. 1938 would be her last year of racing; she married Leslie Trevelyan, an amateur pilot, and the two made a pact: he would give up flying if she would give up racing.

So in 1939, Prudence returned to Le Mans with Morgan, but this time as a team owner, with Dick Anthony and Geoffrey White driving. Morgan was especially interested in supporting the 1939 race again as the opportunity to win the Rudge Whitworth Biennial Cup would be a major marketing advantage for the small carmaker. While the Winter Garden garage was still running the race team, the Morgan factory was more involved, even having Morgan’s chief road tester, Charlie Curtis, drive the car down to the Hotel Des Ifs before the race.

The Biennial Cup would go to a Simca-Fiat, with the Morgan coming in 2nd in its class and a respectable 15th overall. With the outbreak of World War II, it would be a decade before Le Mans would resume hosting races, and Prudence never returned to racing, but in a book, Morgan Sports Cars: The Early Years, Alderson & Chapman say that her love of sports cars remained with her until the end of her life. Prudence passed away in 1986 at the age of 73.

Quick Facts

• Driver: Prudence Marie Blake Fawcett
• Born: 1912
• Early car: Wolseley Hornet, which she maintained herself as a teenager
• Early racing experience: Competed in Italy driving an Alfa Romeo 1750
• Business: Helped operate the Winter Garden garage, an importer and dealer for Alfa Romeo and later Morgan
• Le Mans debut: 1938 24 Hours of Le Mans
• Age at Le Mans: 25
• Car: Morgan 4/4
• Registration: BNP 730
• Engine: 1,098cc four-cylinder
• Race preparation: Modified by Winter Garden mechanic Dick Anthony
• Co-driver: Geoffrey White, Sales Manager at the Winter Garden garage
• Sponsor: Lord Wakefield, founder of Castrol
• 1938 Le Mans result: 13th overall
• Distance covered: Approximately 1,373 miles
• Average speed: 57.2 mph
• Mechanical issues: A minor radiator hose leak and valve-related misfire
• 1939 Le Mans: Fawcett returned as a team owner rather than a driver
• 1939 Morgan result: 15th overall and second in class
• Retirement from racing: Fawcett stopped driving competitively after marrying amateur pilot Leslie Trevelyan
• Died: 1986, age 73
• Legacy: Fawcett was part of a remarkable generation of women who competed at Le Mans before World War II and helped establish Morgan’s reputation in international endurance racing.

FAQ

Who was Prudence Fawcett?

Prudence Fawcett was a British motor racing driver, sports car enthusiast, and later racing team owner. She developed an interest in automobiles at a young age and eventually competed in the 1938 24 Hours of Le Mans behind the wheel of a Morgan 4/4.

What did Prudence Fawcett drive at Le Mans?

Fawcett competed in a specially prepared Morgan 4/4 carrying registration BNP 730. The car was powered by a 1,098cc engine and was prepared for endurance racing by the Winter Garden garage.

How did Prudence Fawcett become involved with Morgan?

Fawcett and her associates at the Winter Garden garage became Morgan dealers. Believing the Morgan 4/4 could perform well in endurance competition, she approached H.F.S. Morgan about entering one at Le Mans. Morgan supplied the car while the Winter Garden garage organized and operated the racing effort.

Who was Prudence Fawcett’s co-driver at the 1938 Le Mans?

Her co-driver was Geoffrey White, the Sales Manager at the Winter Garden garage.

How did Prudence Fawcett finish at the 1938 24 Hours of Le Mans?

Fawcett and White finished 13th overall. Their Morgan covered approximately 1,373 miles at an average speed of 57.2 mph, an impressive result for both Fawcett’s and Morgan’s first appearance at the race.

How reliable was the Morgan at Le Mans?

Remarkably reliable. Over the course of the 24-hour race, the team reportedly dealt with only a minor radiator hose leak and a misfire associated with a valve problem.

How fast was Prudence Fawcett’s Morgan?

During testing at Brooklands, the modified Morgan was reportedly capable of maintaining speeds just under 100 mph.

How was the Morgan modified for Le Mans?

The 1,098cc engine received competition-oriented modifications including a downdraught carburetor, an 8:1 compression ratio, and magneto ignition. The car also used a fold-down windshield, cycle fenders, and carried only one spare tire in an effort to reduce weight.

Was Prudence Fawcett the only woman racing at Le Mans in 1938?

No. She was one of five women competing in the 1938 race. Her decision to enter Le Mans had been inspired in part by seeing prominent female racers such as Joan Richmond and Kaye Petre competing internationally.

Why did Prudence Fawcett stop racing?

After marrying amateur pilot Leslie Trevelyan, the couple reportedly made an agreement that he would give up flying if she gave up motor racing. The 1938 season became her final year as a competitive driver.

Did Prudence Fawcett return to Le Mans?

Yes, but not as a driver. She returned in 1939 as the owner of the Morgan racing effort, with Dick Anthony and Geoffrey White handling the driving duties.

How did the Morgan perform at Le Mans in 1939?

The Morgan finished 15th overall and second in its class. The team was also competing for the Rudge-Whitworth Biennial Cup, although the trophy ultimately went to a Simca-Fiat.

Why is Prudence Fawcett important to motorsport history?

Fawcett represents an era when women were competing at the highest levels of endurance racing despite having far fewer opportunities in motorsport. Her 13th-place finish at Le Mans in 1938 also helped establish Morgan’s competition credentials at one of the world’s most important endurance races.

Photos Courtesy of Morgan Motor Company