Motor cycle itineraries of T.E. Lawrence ("Lawrence of Arabia")

There is some interest in recreating motorcycle routes that T.E. Lawrence may have used on his Brough motorcycles in the 1920’s and 1930’s.

Lawrence’s nickname in the Tank Corps was "Broughie Shaw”, Shaw was the surname he adopted by deed poll, perhaps in tribute to contemporary literary figure G.B. Shaw and his wife. Lawrence was a frequent visitor to their household. "Broughie" because of the series of Brough motorcycles which he rode - including a Brough Superior model had been bought for him by the Shaws in 1925.

A well-documented excursion is from Easter Day 1923. Of course most of the roads were then single carriageway, this was before even the A3 London to Portsmouth route improvement; Lawrence describes elsewhere the sport of dodging the potholes in the road surface.

The mileage he gives for this route is about 20% longer than indicated on a contemporary map or a modern computer route finder. Motorcycle odometers are not particularly accurate even in 2005 and this inaccuracy may be simply a reflection of that mechanical fact. It could also indicate a diversion, or inaccurate memory, or another aspect of Lawrence’s self-mythologising. Lawrence’s data gives an average speed of about 45 mph, which would be pretty creditable nowadays for B road travel on a motorcycle at the beginning of April.

Petrol consumption would be another factor, especially on a Sunday when petrol stations or garages might not be open. Brough motorcycles had large capacity tanks and excellent fuel economy, so more than a hundred miles without a refuelling stop would not be pushing the range.

TO D. G. HOGARTH

Easter Day [April 1] [1923] Tank-town

     Yesterday fatigues for us ran short at 10 A.M. (usually their ingenuity keeps us at it till near noon): so I leaped for my bike, & raced her madly up the London road: Wimbourne, Ringwood, Romsey, Winchester, Basingstoke, Bagshot, Staines, Hounslow by 1.20 P.M. (three hours less five minutes). Good for 125 miles: return journey took 10 minutes less! 

Suggested journey itinerary for T.E. Lawrence to visit the Astors at Cliveden House and then a flagellation party in Chelsea, London, such as those organised in the 1920's by "Bluebeard", a German; Lawrence used his connections to suppress this rumour but there is substantial other evidence that he enjoyed corporal punishment.