Arthur Waite an Australian, born in 1894, was an accomplished soldier as well as a driver, who won the M.C. in France in the First World War. In October 1918, he married Irene, one of Herbert Austin's daughters. Waite drove the first Austin racer, way back in 1923 and went on to develop the first supercharged Seven in 1925. In 1928, by then back in Australia, Waite urgently requested, from England, his successful 1926/27 U.K. car for a race which was to cover 100 miles around a square course in Phillip Island, Victoria and called simply the "100 Miles Race". But much to his surprise, he took delivery of an upright, rather stubby car that was later to become the "Ulster". Certainly it was not the sleek car he expected, for that had been sold, minus engine, to J. Pares back here and later became "Slippery-Anne". Whatever the truth of the matter, he won the race in the then modified, new car, proving again, his competence. Waite competed successfully again back in England, at both Brooklands and the T.T. in Ulster, but after a serious accident he retired from racing, however his influence on racing continued.

 

Waite at Brooklands

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