Dorothy Paget

Whitney heiress who financed Birkin & Co.’s four Bentley 4½ Litre Supercharged Team Cars at Welwyn Garden City. She ended the team’s funding in late October 1930 and retained the Brooklands single-seater until 1939.

Dorothy Wyndham Paget was born in London on 21 February 1905, the second daughter of Almeric Hugh Paget, later the first and last Baron Queenborough, and Pauline Payne Whitney. On 21 February 1926, she came of age and inherited a half share of her mother’s fortune. She never married. Her early pursuits included a debutante season, hunting and fast cars before she became a racehorse owner.

At Brooklands, Sir Henry “Tim” Birkin gave Paget driving lessons. By 1929, Birkin was pursuing a supercharged 4½ Litre despite W.O. Bentley’s opposition to the scheme; Paget financed his team. Bentley identifies UU 5872 as the second of four Team Cars developed at Birkin & Co.’s Welwyn Garden City workshops with her financial backing.

The team competed at Brooklands and alongside Bentley’s works Speed Sixes at the 1930 Le Mans 24 Hours. Birkin set the race’s fastest lap but the car retired; the two Speed Sixes finished first and second. The Blower team did not win a major race, and Paget ended her financial support in late October 1930. She retained the Brooklands single-seater until 1939.