1954 Alvis Grey Lady

At the 2004 Goodwood Revival, a most unlikely machine quickly became the large crowd’s favorite as Ivan Dutton and the late Gerry Marshall pedaled Dutton’s rather majestic 1954 Alvis Grey Lady to a 2nd and 4th in the two heats of the St. Mary’s Trophy race. Not only did the car and drivers perform spectacularly, but this was the Alvis’s race debut. We were very pleased when Ivan agreed to bring the car back to Goodwood for us to have a serious opportunity to examine it at close quarters.

Alvis—A long, racing pedigree

The very first Alvis, the 10/30 four-cylinder, was produced in 1920 by the Coventry, England firm T.G. John Ltd., which had been founded the previous year. The new car’s designer, one G.P.H. de Freville took a silver medal at the Edinburgh trial. A few weeks later another 10/30 took fastest time of the day at the Rhiwbina hill climb in Wales, while company director T.G. John himself competed successfully throughout 1921 and 1922 in hill climbs and trials. Major C.M. Harvey was an Alvis-works driver in 1921 and he won two races at a Brooklands’ meeting which was something of a test for an attempt at the Coupe Internationale des Voiturettes at Le Mans. Racing had been taking place at Le Mans sometime before the 24 Hours started in 1923. A modified car was in 4th at that event when a cracked sump forced retirement.