Sir Algernon Guinness, 3rd Baronet

Sir Algernon Arthur St. Lawrence Lee Guinness, 3rd Baronet (11 May 1883 – 20 October 1954) was an Anglo-Irish racing driver and military reserves officer.

Sir Algernon Guinness, 3rd Baronet
Personal details
Born	(1883-05-11)11 May 1883
Died	20 October 1954(1954-10-20) (aged 71) Berkshire, England
Spouse	Winifred Hall
Children	1
Parents	Benjamin Guinness II (father) Lady Henrietta St Lawrence (mother)
Education	Eton College
Occupation	racing driver
Military service
Allegiance
Branch/service	Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Rank	Lieutenant commander Flight lieutenant

Early life and family

He was born on 11 May 1883 to Captain Benjamin Lee Guinness II and Lady Henrietta St Lawrence.^[1][2] His paternal grandfather, Sir Benjamin Guinness, 1st Baronet, was a brewer and philanthropist. His maternal grandfather was Thomas St Lawrence, 3rd Earl of Howth. Guinness had two brothers, Kenelm Lee Guinness and Nigel Digby Lee Guinness.^[2] He was the nephew of Lord Ardilaun, Lady Plunket, and Lord Iveagh.^[2]

Guinness was educated at Eton College.^[2]

Career

Guinness was a racing driver,^[3] and hired his brother, Kenelm, as his mechanic.^[4][1] He funded his motor racing with his inheritance from the Guinness family, competing in his first speed trials in Portmarnock in 1904 and later participating in th Gaillon hill climb in France, reaching a record speed of 89 mph.^[2] He completed the Ostend speed trials, reaching a top speed of 117 mph, in 1906.^[2] Later that year, Guinness purchased an 18-litre V8 Darracq, and used it in his Brooklands race in September, reaching a speed of 115 mph.^[2] He placed third in the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy in 1907 and placed second and third in two circuit races in Ardennes.^[2] Guinness crashed through a barrier during the 1908 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy after failing to make a turn while going 80 mph, killing a spectator.^[2]

He served in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve during World War I as an acting lieutenant commander, from 1914 to 1918.^[2]

Like his parents, he was fond of sailing and yachting, and raced a high-speed boat in the 1920 British International Trophy for the Harmsworth Cup, but lost to the American racer Garfield Wood.^[2] He returned to motor racing and, in 1922, he won the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy for voiturettes, reaching an average speed of 53 mph over a distance of 226 miles.^[2] Following his retirement from racing, Guinness served as a steward of the British Racing Drivers' Club and the Royal Automobile Club.^[2]

He again served during World War II, this time as a flight lieutenant in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, where he was involved in air-sea rescues.^[2]

Personal life

Guinness was married to Winifred Hall, with whom he had one daughter, Susan Rosemary Lee Guinness.^[2] He succeeded his uncle, Arthur Guinness to the Guinness baronetcy of Ashford in 1915.

Following his brother's death in 1937, at the inquest of the coroner, Guinness produced a letter indicating the likelihood that his brother died by suicide.^[4]

Guinness died on 26 October 1954 at his home in Cookham, Berkshire and was buried there.^[2]