9 replies to this topic

[taylov]

Here is a page from an autograph album collected at Donington Park in 1936. I can identify several of the signatures but can forum members fill the gaps ? From the top -

Norman Geldhill (1932 Manx GP winner).

Maurice Cann (1937 Manx GP & 1948 lightweight TT winner).

UNKNOWN

A.R. Foster (the Cheltenham rider who raced a 350 AJS at Donington, won the 1947 Junior TT).

Harold Daniell (3-times Senior TT winner in 1938, 1947 and 1948).

UNKNOWN

J.J.Booker (The Redditch rider who raced a A.J.S. at Donington as early as 1933).

UNKNOWN ? possibly C.E. Harrison, a local Castle Donington rider who raced a 500cc Norton).

J.H. Hoult (raced a 500 Norton at Donington and at the 1934 Manx GP. Came from the village of Melbourne, a mile from the track).


The only date is 4.8.1936 which is mid-week. Anyone got a programme from around this date ?


Tony



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Edited by taylov, 22 May 2011 - 16:44.

[larryd]

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Hi Tony

This was the August Bank Holiday Donington Grand Prix meeting in 1936.

The "missing links" are, in order:

Ron Harris - who had a chequered career, to say the least. Pre-war, he rode a 500 Norton which he sold to Fergus Anderson for the 1939 season.

Post-war, he specialised in the supply of racing machines "on the drip" and, as a sideline, could provide on demand movies of the less salubrious sort.

He ended up running the Team Lotus Formula Two cars in the mid-sixties.

Sadly, he died by his own hand, I believe, in the early 70s

Next, we have H C (Harry) Lamacraft and, finally, you are correct in E C Harrison - I wonder if this might be Cuth Harrison who raced an ERA after the war?

All I can do!

[taylov]

Thank you for the information.

The autographs were collected by a John Hoult of Melbourne, Derbyshire who was the son or younger brother of the J.H. Hoult who has signed the page shown above. The album contains approx 40 signatures, mainly of racing drivers including Richard Seaman and Prince Bira and there are three pages of signatures of m/cyclists, including "Ginger" Wood.

I don't think this Harrison was the ERA driver. That was Thomas Cuthbert Harrison who lived and worked in Sheffield.

Tony

Edited by taylov, 23 May 2011 - 04:25.

[fil2.8]

Very interesting as one of my uncles was a prolific solo and sidecar racer of the period racing and winning at most Midlands tracks up until the outbreak of WW11 , indeed ,I have one of his trophy's from the ' Syston TT ' , 1927 , 600cc , sidecar , general . What the ' general ' stood for , who knows ??

He was ' George Richards ' , his brother Jack also raced , I wonder if those are any of the names you have ??

I used to have quite a lot of information on him , including press cuttings , programmes etc , which I ' lent ' to the late Bob Currie , who was going to do an article on him , for 'The Motor Cycle ' , unfortunately , Bob died ..............

[GD66]

There's a quite comprehensive Ron Harris thread over in the car archives of TNF forum.

[taylov]

Very interesting as one of my uncles was a prolific solo and sidecar racer of the period racing and winning at most Midlands tracks up until the outbreak of WW11 , indeed ,I have one of his trophy's from the ' Syston TT ' , 1927 , 600cc , sidecar , general . What the ' general ' stood for , who knows ??

He was ' George Richards ' , his brother Jack also raced , I wonder if those are any of the names you have ??

I used to have quite a lot of information on him , including press cuttings , programmes etc , which I ' lent ' to the late Bob Currie , who was going to do an article on him , for 'The Motor Cycle ' , unfortunately , Bob died ..............

No "Richards" in the autograph album, nor can I find George or G. Richards in my pre-war Donington Programmes. I did find a "J.G. Richards" from Nottingham, racing at meetings held on 2.4.34 and 21.5.34. Is that your Uncle Jack ?

He raced a 746cc Douglas sidecar on the first date. In May he entered that outfit again plus a 494cc Douglas sidecar. He failed to finish in the top 3 in all of his three races. The sidecar passengers are not named in the programmes. Perhaps Jack raced with George in the chair of the sidecar.

Tony

Edited by taylov, 23 May 2011 - 12:08.

[taylov]

Here's the autograph of a TT superstar from the Donington album.



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Freddy Dixon (photo) and W.L. "Walter" Handley co-drove a Riley in the 1936 British Empire Trophy race at Donington. Dixon had already got the Riley up to third before handing it over. However Handley crashed it at the hairpin, ten minutes into his stint and was injured.

Both had successful motorbike careers before taking up car racing. Dixon second in the Senior TT of 1921, winning the sidecar TT in 1923 and the Junior in 1927. He also scored a third place in the 1923 French GP at Le Mans. Handley was a star, however. He was a 4-times TT winner in the 1920s, and the first rider ever to win 2 TT races in a single week in 1925. Sadly he was killed flying in WW2.

Tony

Edited by taylov, 23 May 2011 - 12:12.

[larryd]

Here's the autograph of a TT superstar from the Donington album.



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Freddy Dixon (photo) and W.L. "Walter" Handley co-drove a Riley in the 1936 British Empire Trophy race at Donington.

Both had successful motorbike careers before taking up car racing. Handley was a star, however. He was a 4-times TT winner in the 1920s, and the first rider ever to win 2 TT races in a single week in 1925. Sadly he was killed flying in WW2.

Tony

Tony - that is some autograph book!!

Larry

[fil2.8]

No "Richards" in the autograph album, nor can I find George or G. Richards in my pre-war Donington Programmes. I did find a "J.G. Richards" from Nottingham, racing at meetings held on 2.4.34 and 21.5.34. Is that your Uncle Jack ?

He raced a 746cc Douglas sidecar on the first date. In May he entered that outfit again plus a 494cc Douglas sidecar. He failed to finish in the top 3 in all of his three races. The sidecar passengers are not named in the programmes. Perhaps George raced with Jack in the chair of the sidecar.

Tony

Yes , Tony , that is indeed them , they owned ' Richards Garage ' just up Hucknall Road in Nottingham , George and Jack were in partnership , one which eventually turned sour ......resulting in the closure of the garage in the early / mid 60's ........................
I have a couple of pics on my Facebook page , Imageshack won't let me re-scan for some reason

[taylov]

Tony - that is some autograph book!!

Larry

Yes. As I touched on above as well as the 'bike racers, there are also 25 car racers including Dick Seaman, Prince Bira, Earl Howe, Billy Cotton, Arthur Dobson, Chris Staniland, "Doc" Benjafield, etc. I'll post some photos on the main Nostalgia Forum later tonight. Thank you John Hoult.

Tony