A.L. Guinness Collection

This collection comprises one volume of newspaper cuttings and photographs relating to the career of A.L.Guinness.

Open to bona fide researchers. By appointment only.

Received from Mrs. S.L. Hall, Reading, on permanent loan (September 1982).

Hon. (later Sir) A.(Algie) Lee Guinness was born in 1883 into the brewing family, he first raced in 1904 and was a member of the Darracq and Sunbeam racing teams and took 3rd place in the first TT race in 1905 in a Darracq. In 1906 he covered the kilometre at 117.7 mph at Ostend in a 200hp Darracq which had held the world land speed record in 1905. Subsequently he established a world record for the standing start kilometre of 32.4 seconds. In 1914 he won the Beacon Hillclimb in 1914 GP Sunbeam. His brother, K.(Kenelm) Lee Guinness, was his riding mechanic but subsequently became a racing driver in his own right, and his initials are famous for KLG spark plugs. He retired from motor racing after winning the 1500 Trophy in the 1922 Isle of Man TT in a voiturette Darracq. He then devoted himself to the administration of motor sport, including being president of the British Motor Cycle Racing Club. He was also a keen aviator and sailor, racing in the British International (Harmsworth) Trophy for powerboats in 1920. He died in October 1954.