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Whitney Straight: Racing Driver, War Hero, Industrialist
Book Launch: Join Paul Kenny in conversation with Peter Nicholson
Meet the author and book signing after the event
Whitney was the eldest son of Dorothy Straight (later Elmhirst), and one of the founding pupils of Dartington Hall School. Paul has been granted unfettered access to Whitney‘s diaries and photograph albums and has scoured archives on both sides of the Atlantic, including Dartington’s, leaving no stone unturned in pursuit of the full story of one of the twentieth century’s greatest mavericks.
Whitney Straight made his own way in life. Born in New York with a silver spoon in his mouth, he would earn his living in the boardrooms of some of Britain’s greatest companies. He dropped out of Cambridge to become an outstanding racing driver and run a team of Maseratis across Europe and Africa.
A qualified pilot at 17, he revolutionised aircraft design for the enthusiast, and his extraordinary efforts in the Second World War saw him rise from Pilot Officer to Air Commodore. He survived the invasion of Norway, a crash-landing in occupied France and a year as a PoW to emerge with an MC, DFC and US Legion of Merit.
After the war, Straight rejected Churchill’s proposal of a career in politics and instead became CEO of BOAC, transforming it into a national airline to be proud of. At Rolls-Royce, he railed against a company dominated by engineers who made poor businessmen, and played a founding role in the separate paths of the aero and auto businesses that are still seen today. An incurable romantic, he could never imagine being married to anyone other than his wife, yet he had numerous relationships.
This event is part of the centenary celebrations at Dartington, with a focus on discussing Dartington’s earliest, most utopian days.
Meet the author and book signing after the event
Whitney was the eldest son of Dorothy Straight (later Elmhirst), and one of the founding pupils of Dartington Hall School. Paul has been granted unfettered access to Whitney‘s diaries and photograph albums and has scoured archives on both sides of the Atlantic, including Dartington’s, leaving no stone unturned in pursuit of the full story of one of the twentieth century’s greatest mavericks.
Whitney Straight made his own way in life. Born in New York with a silver spoon in his mouth, he would earn his living in the boardrooms of some of Britain’s greatest companies. He dropped out of Cambridge to become an outstanding racing driver and run a team of Maseratis across Europe and Africa.
A qualified pilot at 17, he revolutionised aircraft design for the enthusiast, and his extraordinary efforts in the Second World War saw him rise from Pilot Officer to Air Commodore. He survived the invasion of Norway, a crash-landing in occupied France and a year as a PoW to emerge with an MC, DFC and US Legion of Merit.
After the war, Straight rejected Churchill’s proposal of a career in politics and instead became CEO of BOAC, transforming it into a national airline to be proud of. At Rolls-Royce, he railed against a company dominated by engineers who made poor businessmen, and played a founding role in the separate paths of the aero and auto businesses that are still seen today. An incurable romantic, he could never imagine being married to anyone other than his wife, yet he had numerous relationships.
This event is part of the centenary celebrations at Dartington, with a focus on discussing Dartington’s earliest, most utopian days.
Tuesday 21 October
The Great Hall
Dartington Estate
Totnes Devon TQ9 6EL
6.30pm, Tuesday 21 OctoberGreat Hall, Dartington
Ticket £12 | Ticket + Book £30
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