Unless you hold an interest in vintage racing cars, the chances are that you will never have heard of Sir Henry ‘Tim’ Birkin. But a century ago he was a household name, especially in the county of Norfolk. He was undoubtedly one of the area’s most colourful residents during the Roaring Twenties, his exploits allowing him to spend little time at his adopted home of Tacolneston Hall.
Having served in World War I, Birkin had returned home a dashing young chap who appeared to have the world at his feet. His biography was titled Full Throttle, which perfectly summed up his hectic, privileged lifestyle.
Birkin’s family were manufacturers in the lucrative Nottingham lace trade but, strongly against his father’s wishes, his life predominantly revolved around flying aeroplanes and driving fast cars. In the spirit of the age
