Farquhar - from the Gaelic 'fear' and 'char' meaning 'dear one'.

Margaret Farquhar

Lifetime President Vespa Club Of Scotland,Vice President Vespa Club Of Britain.

Margaret was already a pioneer woman scooterist of five years standing with several continental trips under her belt when she became full-time Assistant General Secretary of the VCB in 1957.

Since that time Margaret has always been on the VCB and/or VVC committees, has been involved in the organisation of countless events and has a reputation for total honesty. Margaret Farquhar has been a fine ambassador for the club and for Vespa.

Margaret has it seems been involved with Vespas most of her life. She attended her first scooter rally in 1954 at Oxford. Margaret was Secretary to the legendary Bill Bond and at one time worked for Douglas Vespa in Bristol. Today she lives in Warwickshire and is retired.

Margaret was born 25th June 1927 on Loanhead Farm, Daviot , Inverurie, Aberdeenshire.In 1952 she got her 1st scooter, A Douglas Vespa 125  and kept on riding right up until 2004 when she finaly hung up her helmet and parked up her Vespa P200E for the very last time. Margaret's life is the stuff of legend.

Margaret We Salute Your Remarkble Story, Passion And Devotion To Vespa.

Margaret Farquhar is the only female in history to have been awarded  Piaggio's prestigious  FIV (Fedaration International Vespa) star medal for her involvment in the Vespa Movement.

THE AUDAX FEMININ ROAD TRIAL VICHY, FRANCE, JUNE 14 AND 15 1958

Described at the time as “a rather severe road trial of about 170 miles of hairpin bends and steep gradients” this ladies-only event has been rather unfairly relegated to obscurity. Each national Vespa Club was invited to send as many teams of three as they wished, a total of thirty one teams being actually entered. There was only one British Team, this consisting of Cynthia Matthews, Janette Manson and Margaret Farquhar. They did, however, cover themselves in glory by coming second and winning a large cup, a gold plaque and individual travelling clocks and perfume.

Writing in Vespa News just after the event, Margaret tells of how they spent one night at Nevers as the guests of the local Vespa Club, then rode on to Vichy itself where once again the local club had made all the arrangements. After completing the gruelling road trial – resplendent in VCB yellow boiler suits - she describes the subsequent banquet with “gallons of wine and champagne” and a cabaret which ended at 3 a.m.

On the way home our three ladies did a bit of a detour to Versailles, only to find it closed, but this was the sole blot on what had been a memorable few days.

As with Eurovespa at this time, the VCB rather took the view that these continental types couldn’t be trusted to organise something as important as a proper cog badge, so they had a special “British Team” version done. It is believed that six badges were made, including the example shown here. Margaret still has hers, as well as the travelling clock. And for sure some happy memories too.

The Mayor of Vichy congratulated Margaret.

                                                          1954 Brighton Rally

                                   Margaret 3rd From Right