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The Beat Goes On
The Beat Goes On
Doreen Evans and Kay Petre at a race, possibly in July 1935, with Doreen sitting in the car and Kay standing beside her

Wandsworth Council Green Plaque: Doreen Evans

Date
Fri 20 Mar 2026

No Booking Required

This plaque commemorates British racing driver Doreen Evans (1916-1982) and the Bellevue Garage where her family specialised in MG racing cars.

In 1931, the houses at 18 and 19 Bellevue Road were converted into what became a renowned racing workshop, as well as a sales depot and service station run by the Evans family, a family of motor enthusiasts. The two brothers, Kenneth and Dennis, were directors and, along with their younger sister Doreen, international racing drivers. The chief mechanic at the garage was the legendary Wilkie Wilkinson, a tuning genius who built the MG Bellevue Special.

Doreen Evans began her career in 1933 at Brooklands. After marrying American racing driver Alan Phipps in 1936, she moved to the USA and trained as a pilot. During the second World War, the garage became an ambulance depot and manufactured aircraft components. Shortly afterwards, it closed down.

This plaque is generously funded by the National Heritage Lottery Fund as part of Wandsworth's London Borough of Culture programme.

Event Performance Details

Fri 20 Mar
14:00 (45 minutes) - Outside Bellevue House, corner of Althorp Rd and Bellevue Rd

Event Location

Outside Bellevue House, corner of Althorp Rd and Bellevue Rd

Venue Info
Bellevue House
Althorp Road
London
SW17 7ED
View on Google Maps

Need to Know

Genre
Wandsworth Heritage
Pricing
Free
Recommended Age
All Ages
Accessibility
Relaxed performance