Donald Campbell, 1921 – 1967, came to Coniston in the wake of his father, the great speed ace of the 1920s and 1930s, Sir Malcolm Campbell, holder of both land and water speed records.
From August 1939, when Sir Malcolm broke his own water speed record with a new one of 141.74mph, a variety of Bluebirds sped across Coniston Water in ever faster pursuit – and capture – of the World Water Speed Record, until, on 4 January 1967, tragedy struck.
Donald Campbell perished whilst breaking the 300mph barrier, [so dear to him as Sir Malcolm had been the first to do so on Land in 1935], and thus joined that select band of folk heroes which includes Scott of the Antarctic, Sir Edmund Hillary, and Neil Armstrong, who set out to achieve the seemingly impossible knowing they may die in the attempt.