The Hon Mrs Victor Bruce
| The Hon. Mrs Victor Bruce | |
|---|---|
Mr. and Mrs. Victor Bruce
|
|
| Born |
Mildred Mary Petre 10 November 1895 Chelmsford, Essex, England |
| Died | 21 May 1990 (aged 94) Camden, London, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Motorist, speedboat racer, aviator, businesswoman |
| Known for | First woman to fly around the world solo |
| Spouse(s) | Victor Austin Bruce (m. 1926; div. 1941) |
| Children | Anthony Easter-Bruce (1920–1997) |
| Parent(s) | Lawrence Petre Jennie Williams |
The Hon. Mrs Victor Bruce (10 November 1895 – 21 May 1990) was a British record-breaking racing motorist, speedboat racer, aviator in the 1920s and 1930s, and later, successful businesswoman. She is less-commonly referred to as Mary Petre Bruce, Mildred Bruce, Mildred Mary Bruce, or Mary Victor Bruce, in contemporary references.
Mildred Mary Petre was born at Coptfold Hall, Chelmsford, Essex, England, on 10 November 1895, the daughter of Jennie Williams, an American actress, and Lawrence Petre, a descendant of Sir William Petre. She was educated at the Convent of Notre Dame de Sion, in Bayswater, London. In 1911, aged 15, she began her passion for motor vehicles by riding her brother's Matchless motorcycle, travelling around Osterley, west London, with her collie dog in the sidecar. She was cited for a motoring offence and appeared in Hounslow police court, where the magistrate dismissed the charges, fined her court costs of 6 shillings, and banned her from riding the motorcycle until she was 16. In 1920, she purchased her first car, an Enfield-Allday, and was prosecuted many times for speeding, including three days running at Bow Street Magistrates' Court. In 1920 her affair with wealthy landowner Stephen Easter (1874–1952) resulted in the birth of a son, originally named Anthony Billy Stephen Petre Easter, but she changed his name to Anthony Petre Easter-Bruce in 1933. In 1926, she married the Honourable Victor Austin Bruce, son of Henry Bruce, 2nd Baron Aberdare. He was a works driver for AC Cars Ltd., and won the 1926 Monte Carlo Rally in an AC car. She and her husband divorced in 1941. They had no children.
She borrowed an AC Six car (PF6465) from Selwyn Edge, and started the 1927 Monte Carlo Rally from John o' Groats. After travelling 1,700 miles (2,700 km) and 72 hours without sleeping, she finished sixth overall, and won the Coupe des Dames, for the women's class. On 28 January 1927, she departed Monte Carlo on an 8,000-mile (13,000 km) endurance trial through Italy, Sicily, Tunisia, Morocco, Spain, and France. There, she drove the car 1,000 miles (1,600 km) around the Montlhéry oval circuit near Paris, then finally returned to England. On 9 July 1927, she departed from London in the same car (PF6465), once again accompanied by her husband plus a journalist and an engineer. They drove through France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and finally planted a Union Jack flag about 250 miles (400 km) north of the Arctic Circle. It was farther north than anyone had previously driven, a record that remained unbroken until the 21st century. On 9 December 1927, she and her husband, assisted by J. A. Joyce, started a 10-day endurance record in fog at Montlhéry, driving an AC Six fitted with a racing screen but minus roof, mudguards and lights. The average speed was 68 miles per hour (109 km/h) over about 15,000 miles (24,000 km). On 6 June 1929, she drove a Bentley 4½ Litre at Montlhéry for 24 hours, to capture the world record for single-handed driving, averaging over 89 miles per hour (143 km/h).
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