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Malcolm Campbell — Man meets machine for the MPH battle
He was never one for a desk…
Malcolm Campbell was a determined man, no two ways about it. He demanded much of himself, his machines, and his mechanics.
On Wikipedia he’s described as a British racing motorist and a motoring journalist, but in reality he was a lot more than that. And through his ever evolving iterations of Blue Bird (the vehicles he used on both land and water had the privilege of the same name), he was THE man to capture the imagination of the world in the 1920s and 30s.
Never one for a desk
Born 11th March, 1885, the son of diamond seller, Campbell had a privileged upbringing and enjoyed a solid education at Uppingham School. It was in Germany, however, whilst he was learning his father’s trade, that he developed a fascination for motorbikes, machines, and racing; and so his obsession was born.
When he returned to Britain, Campbell worked for a two to three years for Lloyd’s of London. But that clearly wasn’t where his heart was. For from 1906 to 1908 he threw himself into motorcycle racing whenever the opportunity arose and ended up winning all three London to Land’s End Trials. By 1910 he’d moved onto cars.
