Charm school graduate passes driving test.

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The driving test became compulsory in United Kingdom for all that started driving after 1st April 1934. Disabled drivers had been tested since 1930. The picture shows Joan Rice photographed in 1951 alongside a BSM Austin A40 Devon. Judging her relaxed smile she had just passed her test. Joan Rice, then aged 21, had trained at the Rank Organisation charm school and appeared in at least 14 films between 1951 and 1970.
The British School of Motoring (BSM) is one of the oldest in Great Britain, it was founded in 1910 by Stanley Roberts in a garage behind his father’s house in Peckham. His first pupil was a coachman who was in danger of losing his livelihood after his employer had decided to trade in his coach-and-pair for one of the horseless variety. Their first car was a Dutch built Spyker, followed by a Brazier and later a Berliet. It was soon realised that for safety reasons there needed to be separate controls for the driver and BSM were the first to employ dual control, though we cannot find a date for this. As there was no official driving test to pass BSM issued a certificate to all those that had successfully completed their course (see picture of one from 1915).  

(text Michael E. Ware; pictures courtesy Motoring Picture Library, Beaulieu)

 

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