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race a Rex Simplex in Germany in 1907, and then a specially built Wanderer motorcycle at
Brooklands in 1910 – where he had considerable success. In Cape Town his SS Jaguar was

raced for him by Francis Chiappini during the 1930s.

The Golden Years of Grand Prix racing

A larger picture began to emerge. In 1934 the city of East London built a scenic drive on

the west bank of the Buffalo River. The enterprising motor editor of the East London Daily
Dispatch, Brud Bishop, had the idea that this would form an ideal track for a major motor

race, an international Grand Prix. He believed that overseas drivers would be attracted to
come out to sunny South Africa during the European winter. With terrific energy and

imagination he promoted this idea which resulted in the First South African Grand Prix,

held on 27 December 1934. Doug van Riet and Ralph Rohr represented the Cape Town
enthusiasts, but neither managed to finish in the pioneer major race. A year later East

London staged its second Grand Prix, this time attracting no fewer than eight entrants from

overseas. The track had been named the Prince George Circuit with permission of the Duke
of Kent, then visiting the country. Again Doug van Riet was there with his little Austin, but

he crashed.

By the time two successful Grands Prix had been held in East London the idea of such a
race had gripped Cape Town. Where now stands the suburb of Tokai and the Pollsmoor

Prison was a large tract of undeveloped land owned by the Grosvenor family, headed by the

Duke of Westminster. The Grosvenor interests were the largest private property owners in
London. The Duke, who had served as A.D.C. to Lord Roberts during the Anglo-Boer War,

had a liking for the country, and after the war had purchased farms in the beautiful eastern
Free State, then known as the Orange River Colony. There he commissioned the architect

Herbert Baker to build him a country seat, Westminster, where he paid many visits.

Resulting from the Cape’s envy of East London, A. O. Edwards, head of the Grosvenor