Carl Skinner had two children, Barbara (1936) and Peter (1939), both would become avid motorsport fans and drivers in their own right.
Carl Skinner had two children, Barbara (1936) and Peter (1939), both would become avid motorsport fans and drivers in their own right.
On her 21st birthday, Carl gifted Barbara his Morris Cowley Special. She entered the car at Shelsley Walsh on 3rd September 1932 and won the MAC Ladies Cup awarded for fastest ascent of the day – 56.6 seconds. The car was also used as Barbara’s own personal transport and towcar until 1937, though soon became uncompetitive in competition.
In February 1934 Carl Skinner obtained a Morris Minor rolling chassis from Morris Motors and had the SU Experimental Department build a special for Barbara to drive in sprints and hillclimbs. The car was named the White Minor and featured a supercharged Minor engine.
This was the start of a number of MG specials raced between ’32 and ’39, mainly centred around hillclimbing and sprints, but in 1935 Barbara raced an MG PA Midget at Le Mans, one of six experienced lady racers in a three-car team. Barabra finished the race in 24th place with co-driver Doreen Evans.
The looming war paused motor racing in 1939. Barbara, and partner John Bolster, decided to start a family and their daughter Annabel arrived in 1940. Tragically Barbara was killed in a road accident, a passenger in a car driven by John, in 1942. Every motoring journal published her obituary.
Peter Skinner was gifted the £100/100mph/100mpg Morris special by his father to start his own racing career and was always associated with the Red Skinner Special. The younger brother to Barbara he followed her to the hillclimb circuit where he scored a number of class wins between 1932 and 1939.
Add skinners union logo and design