Highlights of the Motoring Archives
Mrs Morna Lloyd Vaughan
Entry number 00703 on the National Motor Museum’s object entry form dated 1 August 2008 records the 6 year loan of the archive of the Late Mrs Morna Lloyd Vaughan’s victory in the ladies section of the 1932 Monte Carlo Rally. Having gathered dust in the storeroom of a solicitor’s office for many years as the intended beneficiary was sought, it has been agreed that this rare collection becomes the property of the Museum in 2014.
Mrs Lloyd Vaughan was a noted surgeon who began driving in 1924. She entered several rallies, including seven Monte Carlo Rallies, in 1931, 1932, 1933, 1937, 1939, 1951 and 1952. Her most successful entry was in 1932 when, aged 49, she won the Coupe des Dames, the trophy for the best performance by women drivers. On this occasion she was driving a Triumph Nine Coupe. Her co-driver, Miss Charlotte Nash, was a medical student.
Their win was even more noteworthy because, after driving 3,150 miles (5,069.43km), sometimes over dangerous ice-and-snow covered roads, and reaching every control point on time, they came upon the scene of an accident to another competitor only 100 miles (160.93km) from the finish. Although they were almost certain winners of the Coupe des Dames, they stopped for hours in the darkness and pouring rain, setting four broken legs as the injured men lay in a ditch. Although arriving late at the Monte Carlo control point, they won the Ladies Cup and also took sixth place in the small car class. Mrs Vaughan entered the 1952 Monte Carlo Rally at the age of 69, driving a Jowett Javelin. Responding to questions from reporters she said she had entered six, seven or eight Monte Carlo Rallies, she couldn’t remember exactly! She was doing very well, although she ran out of petrol about 20 miles (32.19km) from Paris. Luckily they were able to get some from ‘a kind French gentleman’. However, weather conditions were very bad with snow, ice and blizzards, particularly in the Massif Centrale area of France and she had to retire when a car ran into the back of hers and set the petrol tank on fire. She was not injured but was taken to Clermont-Ferrand hospital with shock.
Mrs Vaughan won 16 silver trophies and medallions during her 28 years of motoring. After her retirement in 1946 she farmed a smallholding in Sussex. She died in 1970. The archive includes the 1932 Coupe des Dames (cup and plinth), photographs, letters, commemorative menu and newspaper cuttings, as well as some later archive material.
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