CULTRA Hillclimb 1906

1906 Cultra Hillclimb

from the County Down Spectator Friday, 11th May, 1906

MOTORING

THE CULTRA MOTOR MEET FIXTURE POSTPONED

The Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club had arranged to open the season on Saturday with a motor-meet at their fine clubhouse, Cultra, to be followed by a hill-climbing competition, confined to cars owned by members. Last year was the first occasion for the club to embark upon such a venture, and its complete success - attended as it was by ideal weather - decided the committee to make the fixture an annual one.

The date selected for the present event clashed with that previously chosen by the Ulster Centre of the Irish Motor Union for the reliability trials at Ballycastle, but the latter very kindly gave way and postponed their fixture until tomorrow (Saturday) Unhappily, this sportsmanlike concession was not attended with the anticipated results, for the weather from an early hour on Saturday morning was so unfavourable that only a single motor car had put in an appearance at Cultra at the advertised hour of starting. Even had all the cars been present, the contests could only have been carried out at the extreme of inconvenience in such shocking weather and, consequently, the competitions were postponed until a date to be decided upon and duly announced later on.

The patron of the club (Mr. J. R. Kennedy, D.L., C.M.G., Cultra Manor) had, with his customary kindness, placed one of his private roads at the disposal of the club for the purpose, and it had been put in ideal trim for the occasion.

The competition had been arranged in three classes, as follows:- Cars of 15 h.p. and upwards, cars under 15 h.p. and not below 10 h.p. and cars under 10 h.p. In the larger and medium powered cars the entries were considerably in excess of those of last year, while in the smaller powered section there was a slight diminution, due, not to a number of those formerly content with cars ranging from six to ten horsepower, have now gone in for bigger cars (sic).

It is to be regretted that the events arranged for Saturday had to be postponed, as great interest had been excited as to the results of the contests, but in view of the weather the committee had no other course open to them.

(N.B. - In these days, correspondents were paid for their labours by the word - and people had more time to read them!)

1906 Cultra Hillclimb - really!

from the County Down Spectator Friday, 18th May, 1906

MOTORING

MEET AT CULTRA

The motor meet arranged by the North of Ireland (sic) Yacht Club, and which had to be postponed from the previous Saturday owing to the heavy rainfall, took place this afternoon under highly favourable weather conditions at Cultra.

The event unfortunately clashed with the reliability run of the Ulster Centre of the Irish Motor Union, but the latter having kindly given way and deferred their fixture on Saturday week last could not be accused of any lack of consideration.

The competition had been arranged in three classes, as follows:- Cars of 15 h.p. and upwards, cars under 15 h.p. and not below 10 h.p. and cars under 10 h.p. In the larger and medium powered cars the entries were considerably in excess of those of last year, while in the smaller powered section there was a slight diminution, due, not to a lessening of interest, but to the fact that a number of those formerly content with cars ranging from six to ten horsepower, have now gone in for bigger cars. (The compositor didn't miss a line out, at the second try!)

Details :-

CLASS 1 - FOR CARS OF 15 H.P. AND OVER

James Cunningham Daimler 30 to 40 h.p. 56 sec. H. Barbour Daimler 35 h.p. 1m. 12 3/5s. H. C. Craig Daimler 28 to 36 h.p. 58s. R. Gaffikin Darracq 20 to 30 h.p. 1m. 20 3/5s. Granville Craig Daimler 15 to 22 h.p. 1m. 24s. Vincent Craig Mercedes 18 h.p. 1m. 58 4/5s. Major McCalmont Minerva 16 h.p. 1m. 30s. W. F. Workman Matier 15 h.p. 1m. 51 3/5s. Frank Workman Darracq 15 h.p. 1m. 25s. Edward Craig Panhard 15 h.p. 2m. 51 1/5s. Chas. Lepper Darracq 15 h.p. 1m. 43 1/5s.

The placings were -

Major McCalmont .................. 1

Granville Craig ....................... 2

Frank Workman ...................... 3

The prize in the ladies' competition in this class was won by Mrs. Vincent Craig

CLASS 11 - FOR CARS OF 10 H.P. AND UNDER 15 H.P.

J. G. Crawford Clement 12 to 16 h.p. 2m. 48s. W. Hume Minerva 14 h.p. 1m. 51s. R. E. Workman Minerva 14 h.p. 1m. 20 2/5s. Dr. S. Brice-Smith Darracq 12 h.p. 1m. 51s. Robin Workman Darracq 12 h.p. 1m 49 3/5s. W. H & J. Carson Argyll 10 to 12 h.p. 1m. 38 3/5s. F. Gardiner Humber 10 to 12 h.p. 1m 32s

On the placing, the results were :-

F. Gardiner ..................... 1

W. H. & J. Carson ........ 2

Robert E. Workman ..... 3

CLASS 111 - FOR CARS UNDER 10 H.P.

T. W. Bloxam Darracq 9 h.p. 2m. 38 3/5s. R. A. Mitchell Chambers 8 h.p. 2m. 52 4/5s. Dr. W. D. Donnan Darracq 8 h.p. 2m. 12 1/5s. D. J. Mitchell Chambers 8 h.p. 3m. 10 1/5s. H. C. Craig Oldsmobile 7 h.p. 1m. 53s. J. W. Lemon De Dion 6 h.p. 1m. 53s. Allan Craig Oldsmobile 5 h.p. 2m 14s.

The placings on the handicap were :-

J. W. Lemon ................... 1

Allan Craig ..................... 2

Dr. W. D. Donnan ........... 3

At the conclusion, on the motion of Sir Otto Jaffe, a cordial vote of thanks was passed to Mrs. Kennedy, who distributed the prizes. A similar compliment was paid to Mr. Kennedy for granting the use of the track on which the trials were decided.

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