On This Day

Friday 13th June 1930

90 years ago

Briton Henry Segrave, who broke the world land-speed record three times – 152.33 mph (1926), 203.79 mph (1927) and 231.45 mph (1929) – died at the age of 33 after his speedboat Miss England II capsized on Lake Windermere in Cumbria after hitting a log at 98 mph. He had unknowingly captured the water speed record and was on a follow-up run incident took place, killing Miss England's mechanic, Victor Halliwell. Segrave's unconscious body was recovered, and taken to Belle Grange - a house on the west side of Windermere. He regained consciousness for a moment, was informed that he had indeed broken the record, then died a few moments later of lung haemorrhages. Segrave was a truly remarkable man. He was the first Briton to win a Grand Prix in a British car. He won the 1923 French Grand Prix and the 1924 San Sebastian Grand Prix at Circuito Lasarte (Spain) in a Sunbeam automobile. After a further win at Miramas in France, he retired from racing to concentrate on speed records. On 16 March 1926, he set his first land speed record in his 4-litre Sunbeam Tiger Ladybird on the sands at Southport, England at 152.33 mph (245.149 km/h). This record lasted for just over a month, until broken by J.G. Parry-Thomas driving Babs. He regained the land speed record on 29 March 1927 in his 1000 HP Sunbeam Mystery (also known as 'the Slug') at the Daytona Beach Road Course at 203.79 mph (327.97 km/h), becoming the first person to travel over 200 mph (320 km/h).Segrave set his final land speed record at 231.45 mph (372.46 km/h) in his new car, the beautiful Golden Arrow, at Daytona Beach on 11 March 1929. This car had only 18.74 miles (30.16 km) on it[citation needed], which is the least used car to set the record. After being the first person on the scene of Lee Bible's death, Segrave began concentrating on the water speed record. Golden Arrow has never been used since. The Golden Arrow is on display along with the Sunbeam 350HP and the Sunbeam 1000HP at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu. Segrave was also an avid motorboat racer. After his 1929 land speed record, he immediately went to Miami for a motorboat race against Garfield Wood, multiple water speed record holder and the first man to travel over 100 miles per hour on water. Segrave won, causing Wood's first defeat in nine years. After Segrave returned to Great Britain, he was knighted for his many accomplishments.