Bro Sir Malcolm Campbell. Famous for being the first to break the land speed record in 1924

 

Bro Sir Malcolm Campbell. 1885 - 1948

Bro Sir Malcolm Campbell was born in Chislehurst, London on the 11th March 1885, and is a famed British motor racing driver and motoring journalist. 

He is famous for being the first to break the land speed record in 1924 at 146.16 mph at Pendine Sands near Carmarthen Bay on the South Coast of Wales, driving a 350 horsepower V12 Sunbeam (now on display at the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu). 

Between 1924 and 1935 he broke nine land speed records.  He set his final record at the Bonneville Salt Flats on Utah USA on the 3rd September 1935 and was the first person to drive an automobile over 300 mph. 

Bro Campbell also set the water speed record four times, his highest speed being 141.740 mph in the Blue Bird K4 on the 19th August 1939. 

Bro Campbell was initiated into Freemasonry on the 15th October 1924 into Old Uppinghamian Lodge No.4227, passed on the 9th December 1924 and raised on the 14th January 1925. 

Bro Campbell passed to the Grand Lodge Above on the 31st December 1948, and is buried at St Nicholas Church in Chislehurst.

He is the father of Donald Campbell who was killed in his Hydroplane Bluebird K7 as he attempted to break the 300mph barrier on 4 January 1967 (age 45 years) defending his father speed record on Coniston Water, United Kingdom, having broken eight absolute world speed records on water and on land in the 1950s and 1960s.  He remains the only person to set both world land and water speed records in the same year.

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Freemasons NZ - published in Masonica 21 March 2026

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