In the autumn Salisbury Motorcycle and Light Car Club celebrated 100 years since the first running of the Arbuthnot Reliability Trial with the Arbuthnot 100 Centenary Trial.
The challenge of over 80 miles of mainly Ox Droves and byways between Salisbury and Shaftesbury was taken on by 110 classic British machines, more than a century after the introduction of the event to commemorate a real-life hero both on and off two wheels, Sir Robert Keith Arbuthnot.
Arbuthnot
On two wheels, Captain Arbuthnot became the only serving naval captain to take part in the Isle of Man TT, riding his Triumph to third place in the 1908 Single Cylinder TT. He completed the 158 mile course, against 36 other riders, in four hours and seven minutes, averaging 38.22 mph.
Arbuthnot was an all-round motorcyclist, winning many medals and awards for his two-wheeled exploits, which included five gold awards for the Edinburgh Trial between 1908 and 1914, and gold awards in the 1910 Land’s End Trial and the 1912 Exeter Trial. Many of these awards came up for auction in June 2022.
Off two wheels, Rear Admiral Sir Robert Keith Arbuthnot, 4th Baronet, KCB, MVO (to give his full title) was a real Boys Own character; an all-round sportsman, winning awards for boxing, rowing and running.
However, his life was ended at the Battle of Jutland in 1916 when his ship,, part of a cruiser squadron he commanded, came under fire and was sunk after an attack on the German fleet.
