The women - Florence left and Theresa right - are pictured posing with their precious motorbike as locals they met during their adventure stand behind them.Theresa Wallach and Florence Blenkiron rode their 600cc single-cylinder Panther motorcycle from London to Cape Town in 1934.
The two ladies were reported to have crossed the Sahara Desert without a compass, a rare feat in those days. It was the first motorbike crossing. They became the first people to complete the journey on a motorbike.
Theresa kept a diary during her travels and later recounted the journey in her book, The Rugged Road
Theresa was from Stowe in Buckinghamshire. She was a keen mechanic. At a certain point, she was reportedly the only female student on Northampton Polytechnic Institute's engineering course.
Theresa's expertise came in handy as the duo's bike suffered serious mechanical failure. She was said to have rebuilt the entire engine.
Florence Blenkiron can be seen posing behind the duo's motorbike. Written on the sidecar are the words: 'Cape Town to London Expedition'
Theresa's expertise came in handy as the duo's bike suffered serious mechanical failure. She was said to have rebuilt the entire engine.
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