The MG Car Club’s MG100 Cavalcade is a month long celebration of 100 years of the MG Marque, with Geoff and Linda Mansfield travelling from John O’Groats to Land’s End visiting all the UK geographical Centres of the Club (MGCC) writes Terry Ingles.
Their journey also commemorates Geoff’s drive in his 1931 MG M Type Sportsman Coupe from John O’Groats to Land’s End in 2021, this time with the car on a trailer and only being used on selected parts of the route. They also carry a life size figure of the founder of the MG Marque, Cecil Kimber, as the baton for handover to the Centres for their events. The Mansfields, their MG and “Cecil” arrived on Friday 3 May, to take part in the Ulster Centre’s weekend activities.
The Ulster Centre’s part in the MG100 Cavalcade took place on Saturday and Sunday, 4 and 5 May, commencing on the Saturday morning with a Cars and Coffee meeting at Mervyn Stewart MG, Bangor, Co. Down.
Heavy rain put a dampener on setting up the event, but did not deter the drivers of the display cars who were on parade early as requested. The rain abated somewhat and the event started at 10.00 am with other MGCC members and MG enthusiasts arriving through the morning, with many MGs from all eras given reserved parking. Ten display cars provided the main interest and with the rain clearing, the formal transfer of “Cecil” took place from Geoff to Mike Armstrong, the Ulster Centre President.
The clouds, remained, but it was a great social occasion and many old MG acquaintances were revived! Geoff Mansfield declared it a success and extremely enjoyable experience. MGCC literature was available in the showroom and included a leaflet by John Moore on MGs at the Ards TT. John is the co-author of the 1978 book on the races in which MG cars competed from 1931 to 1935, winning on three occasions, 1931, 1933 and 1934.
The MG display cars including Geoff and Linda’s 1931 car and the showroom’s MG4 EV XPower, the latest all-electric high performance sports saloon, comprised the following timeline of MG cars from one of the earliest models:
1929 18-80 Mk 1 Two Seat plus Dickey, 2.5 litre 6 cylinder engined car and one of only 30 surviving examples.
1930 M Type built in the style of the works Double Twelve cars which beat the Bentleys at Brooklands.
1934 K Type, built with genuine K3 parts in the style of the Nuvolari car that won the 1933 Ards TT.
1949 TC
1960 MGA Coupe
1961 Mk1 Midget
1964 Mk1 MGB
2001 MGF 160 Trophy
After the meeting, “Cecil” was taken to the Craigantlet Hill Climb, for the Ulster Automobile Club’s British National Championship event, allowing us to parade “Cecil” up the hill in the 1934 K3 replica. The parade celebrated not only the MG100 Cavalcade, but Cecil Kimber’s 1932 class win in a works C Type. His car going on to be rebuilt the next weekend for the Ards TT with the racing engine from Hammy Hamilton’s C Type, after he had crashed and been injured in practice, only for replacement Stanley Barnes to retire.
Geoff, Linda, “Cecil” and members of the MGCC Ulster Centre took part in our car Run from Carrickfergus to Glenariff Glen on Sunday and despite the inclement weather gave our guests the experience of the Antrim Coast Road via Gleno, Cairncastle and Glenarm. The atmospheric, if damp scenery and the hospitality of the Ulster Centre members has encouraged them to return to Northern Ireland next year to experience more of the Province.
Words: Terry Ingles | MGCC Ulster Centre Photos: GRAHAM BAALHAM-CURRY [Images must not be used in any way without prior written consent of the photographer]
