Middlesex County Automobile Club

The Middlesex County Automobile Club is a motor club based in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire.

The club has its origins in early 1905, and the club records show that a small group of young businessmen and professionals met at The Fox Hotel, Palmers Green, north London, and decided to form a motor club, which they named The North London Car Club (NLCC). However, on finding that the North London Cycle Club was already in existence, they quickly changed the name to the North London Automobile Club (NLAC).

The club committee invited the most prominent personage in the district to be the first President of the club. Col. Henry Ferryman Bowles MA MP JP was a direct descendant of the 6th Earl of Macclesfield, a founder member of the Middlesex County Council, Chairman of the Enfield Bench, and Conservative Member of Parliament for the Enfield Division. Col. Bowles was to remain in office for 38 years, until his death in 1943. One of the first vice-presidents was The Hon. Rupert Guinness, heir to the Guinness brewing business, ADC to King George V and an MP. Another vice-president was Mr. A.W. Gamage, founder of the famous Gamages store in Holborn.

Initially, the NLAC was affiliated to the Motor Union (MU), a subsidiary of the Automobile Club of Great Britain (as the RAC was known at that time). However, at the end of 1907, the MU broke away from the RAC due to internal frictions. The RAC then announced a scheme whereby local clubs could become associates of the RAC, with representation on its committee. In January 1908, the NLAC changed its name to the North Middlesex AC (NMAC) and, on 1 January 1909, joined the RAC Associates scheme.

The first ever recorded motoring event took place on Saturday 27 May 1905. That was followed by a further eight such runs that year, including four Friday to Sunday weekend events. The first competitive event took place on Saturday 5 May 1906, and involved what would be known today as a Production Car Trial. It was won by the Hon. Secretary, Mr. Chas Smith, in his 12 hp Darracq.

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