Diana Margery Crick was born about 1925. She was the daughter of Albert Crick and Margery Deakin. Although her record of birth is yet to be located, Diana's parents heralded from England and two older siblings were born at King's Norton, England.
Diana became a dental nurse.
Diana married Lex Davison, a Melbourne businessman and budding racing driver, on 2nd October 1946 in St Peter's Roman Catholic Church, Toorak, Victoria. [1]
Lex and Diana Davison |
Diana soon became one of Australia's pioneer female racing car drivers, regularly competing in hillclimb events; one of the oldest forms of motorsport. Indeed, theirs became a multi-generational racing family, with sons Jon Davison, Richard Davison and Chris, and grandsons James Davison, Alex Davison and Will Davison following in their footsteps. The couple had seven children:
Lex took up motor racing, his first race just three days after their wedding. It was not long before Diana, feeling left out of the excitement, wanted in and Lex bought her an MG TC; her first ever car. Sadly he, not she, crashed the car later. Both Diana and Lex had raced it at Rob Roy Hillclimb, Victoria, where Lex had coached Diana from the passenger’s seat. Diana also raced the MG at the final Killara Park Sprints – 'dashing back to the house between runs to check on baby Anthony, who usually travelled in the car in a wooden cradle fitted behind the seats'. With Diana beside him in his 'pit team', Lex went on to win the Australian Grand Prix on four occasions: 1954, 1957, 1958 and 1961; results only ever equalled by Michael Schumacher.
Diana Davison in Austin 7 Special |
Following Lex's death at Sandown Park Racing Circuit in 1965, and a twelve year period of mourning, Diana married another Aussie motor racing pioneer and decorated RAF pilot, Tony Gaze, in July 1977. They settled in Nagambie, Victoria. [3]
Diana and Tony Gaze |
She passed away in her mid-80s on 6th August 2012 at Melbourne. [4] A tribute to Diana by son, Jon, and grandsons read: "Our family pauses for a moment and raises our eyes towards the Almighty and thanks Him for His divine providence in bringing her to us and sustaining her heroic contribution over her entire adult life." [3] She was survived by Tony, four sons, two daughters and seven grandchildren.
Diana Davison in her MG TC |
Diana is remembered as a foundation member of Women for Wheels (WFW) in 1971, a group of motorsport wives (and widows) who, initially, raised funds to improve safety facilities at Australian race circuits. [5] Today, WFW are involved in all of the major forms of motor racing in South Australia including circuit racing, drag racing, speedway, hillclimb events and speedboat racing, as well as promotional events and providing fire training for motor sport officials. [6]
The perpetual Diana Davison/Gaze Trophy offered at the annual Rob Roy Historic and Classic Meeting to the fastest lady driver was named in her honour. [7]
Featured German connections: Diana is 24 degrees from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 29 degrees from Dietrich Bonhoeffer, 29 degrees from Lucas Cranach, 25 degrees from Stefanie Graf, 22 degrees from Wilhelm Grimm, 26 degrees from Fanny Hensel, 32 degrees from Theodor Heuss, 24 degrees from Alexander Mack, 41 degrees from Carl Miele, 16 degrees from Nathan Rothschild, 23 degrees from Hermann Friedrich Albert von Ihering and 18 degrees from Ferdinand von Zeppelin on our single family tree. Login to see how you relate to 33 million family members.
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