Harry’s game

At the start of the 20th century, the Automobile Club (it received ‘Royal’ status in 1907) was an influential pressure group to further the cause of motoring, a divisive issue at the time. When the idea of creating a race course to demonstrate the potential of vehicles using the internal-combustion engine, the name of Harry Preston was high on the list.

Harry was the entrepreneur who had turned around the fortunes of the seaside town of Brighton. After the glitter of royal patronage in the Regency period some decades past, its reputation had slid to a level low as an ebb tide. When Harry arrived from Bournemouth he invested heavily in his new home town. He brought new ideas and energy. He had connections with numerous influential people, which helped to make all sorts of things happen. Following the Automobile Club’s request, he persuaded the town