TT Riders Association PRESIDENT BEN BIRCHALL 2020-2021 Past Presidents Patrons Hon.Treasurer Hon. Secretary FREDDIE FRITH, OBE DUKE OF RICHMOND AND GORDON JUDITH ALCOCK FRANCES THORP J.R ALEXANDER MURRAY WALKER OBE 2 Station Lane Mountain View J.H. (Jimmie) SIMPSON JOHN SUTTON Farnsfield Glen Maye HAROLD DANIELL KEL PRINCE Newark Isle of Man REX JUDD Notts IM5 3BJ GRAHAM WALKER NG22 8LA 07624 402505 H.REM FOWLER [email protected] [email protected] GEOFF DUKE, OBE Committee members VICTOR HORSMAN Andrew Jessopp Neil Tuxworth STANLEY WOODS Mick Chatterton David Madsen-Mygdal ALEX. FRASER ERIC HEADLAM TOMMY BULLUS GEORGE TOTTEY ERIC OLIVER BERT TAYLOR NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER B85 JOCK WEST, OBE. FRANK PERRIS CROMIE McCANDLESS Hello, Frances here. F.R.W.ENGLAND MIKE HAILWOOD,MBE,GM Where do I begin. My main thoughts are with you and hope you are all safe, CHARLES MORTIMER ARTHUR WHEELER well and are managing to keep your life going along as smoothly as possible. BILL SMITH BILL LOMAS I do have to start by giving you the news that we are having to hold the KEN BILLS ROD COLEMAN EGM for Fottra members in the Isle of Man. This has given Judith and I a CECIL SANDFORD tremendous amount of work and because of Covid this is the only way TONY JEFFERIES ERNIE LYONS we can adhere to the Charity Commissioners Isle of Man Rules. You will STUART GRAHAM find all the relevant details and official paperwork which we trust you will JOHN SURTEES,MBE reply on the necessary voting forms, this is to be treated as urgent if you SAMMY MILLER PIP HARRIS would be so kind. A reply envelope is included. TOMMY ROBB I must apologise for this on behalf of the committee and hope you will CHARLIE WILLIAMS LUIGI TAVERI co-operate. PETER WILLIAMS JOEY DUNLOP.OBE The EGM for FoTTRA is Tuesday December 29th 2020. MICK BODDICE JACK WOOD th TONY RUTTER The Annual General Meeting is being held Saturday January 9 2021 MICK GRANT NICK JEFFERIES COLIN SEELEY We are hoping that the IOM resident members will attend. NEIL TUXWORTH ----------------------------------------------------------- PHILLIP McCALLEN JOHN KIDSON MICK CHATTERTON Who would have ever thought this time last year what we were heading for and NIGEL ROLLASON with deep regret we have lost members throughout the year, the last MALCOLM WHEELER ROY HANKS newsletter was purposely cut short on the Under the Chequered flag as I felt it DAVID MADSEN-MYGDAL was a bit too much. I like to proportion the names from the well known to the ALEX GEORGE many who put their heart and soul into their dream to race at the Isle of Man RICHARD QUAYLE MARIA COSTELLO, MBE TT races and are not so well recognised, in our thoughts all members have done the business which is an achievement and to be admired, they are still in our memories. 2. the pleasu I would like to give our thanks to many who have sent donations in lieu of their Luncheon Tickets. As you will be aware our main fund raising day has not happened, no TT race week when large donations are collected, our collection boxes were not distributed around the Island. Of course we are still caring for 2. NEW PRESIDENT FOR THE YEAR 2020-2021 It is our great pleasure to announce the new President is Mr Ben Birchall. Sadly it is unfortunate that we are not able to have the grand entrance but it has been agreed that we will make a special event for next year. Like a lot of annual events it has all been put in corruption but we must carry on. Ben will be a great ambassador and spread the word wherever he can. He and his brother Tom have been involved in Fundraising for the TTRA. One of the big events was when they did a head shave on two special lady fundraisers and supporters of the TTRA. This was in a TT week which helped to raise a considerable amount of money. WE MUST ALL KEEP IN GOOD SPIRIT AND HOPE FOR A BETTER YEAR 2021. It maybe of interest to know that we have organised a PAYPAL Account which is to [email protected] pay into “ friends and family “ so we don’t have to pay any charges. Any payments will be paid straight into TT Riders Association bank account. It has been suggested by a few that perhaps to help the financial status and loss that we are experiencing and will continue to for some time maybe organise a standing order for say £5 per month to the TTRA. If this appeals to any of you please give me a call. Thank you. XMAS CARDS. For anyone who is interested. I purchased from the Hospice IoM which gave them a donation, and in turn if you are interested to buy a pack of 10 cards postage included for £7. that will make just over £1 on each order of 10 cards for the TTRA. They are a very appropriate scene. The IOM Grandstand full of people watching Father Christmas on a Motorbike, doing a wheelie in the pits. Really cheerful, the size is about 6”x 6”, I could not resist them. UNDER THE CHEQUERED FLAG. The last newsletter had to be cut short due to the number of sad losses. Billy McCosh. From Ballamena, Passed away April 2020. Multiple times Ulster Champion competed in the TT from 1960 to 1974 finishing 6th in the 1956 Senior TT. Tony Rutter. Former TTRA President passed away March 2020 after a long illness. Tony was one of the most successful and popular British riders of the 60’s and 70’s. He won 7 TT races and multiple events both on the roads and short circuits. Colin Seeley. Former TTRA President passed away December 2019. had a very successful sidecar racing career between 1961 and 1967 including a 2nd place in the 1964 TT. After retiring from racing he began a very successful business producing British racing machinery after the factories stopped production and was seen by many as the saviour of British racing. Rod Coleman. Former TTRA President passed away August 2019. 93 yrs. As we will all remember Rod from New Zealand and became an AJS works rider who won the 1954 TT Junior Race. Was part of a well respected Motorcycling family in New Zealand. Les Archer Jnr. passed away December 2019.Following in his fathers footsteps Les was one of the biggest names in motorcycle sport in the 40’s and 50’s.A successful all rounder Les competed in the TT in 1947 before concentrating on scrambling in the 50’s becoming European Champion in 1956. Barry Myers has passed away. After doing the Manx in 1937 Barry rode in the TT from 1937 to 1950. Sandy Berwick passed away August 2020. Sandy competed in the TT from 1985 through to 1991 mainly on Suzuki machinery in the F1 and production races. Dennis (MAC) McMillan from Surrey. Passed away April 2020 aged 77 yrs. He raced in the TT in the 70’s, He did a lot of club and endurance racing which he shared with his son Ricky. Dennis Christian passed away 2020 age 91. His first ever road race was the 1949 Junior Manx Grand Prix on a Velocette .His best result was runner up in the 1953 Junior Manx to good friend Frank Fox.1954 he was 4th in the wet Senior won by George Costain and the following year returning to the podium with third place in the Senior on a G45 Matchless. Johnny Crick. passed away October 2020. Mainly known for his sidecar exploits on the short circuits, John from Barnsley only did two sidecar TT’s in 1970 and 71. he returned to compete in 2F1, 4F2 and 2 Production races until 1980. Carl Ward, passed away October 2020. Very well known on the northern circuits in the 60’s and early 70’s, Carl had a long Isle of Man career, starting with the 1961 MGP through until the 1974 125 TT, riding in all classes up to 750cc. Carl from Leeds was the elder brother of former TT star Steve Ward. Eric Cheers. Passed away May 2020. A very successful rider on the northern circuits particularly Oulton Park, Eric made his debut on Isle of Man in the 1953 Clubmans races moving to the MGP the following year. From 1955 to 59 Eric competed in the TT before taking a 28 year break returning to do the Classic MGP from 1988 to 93. Finally for this newsletter Stan Dibben. Passed away recently He was born 1925. After wartime service in Canada plus working as a professional musician over there, Stan started working for BSA before moving to Norton in the late 40’s. There he worked in the race shop under Joe Craig building and developing Manx Nortons which included testing at MIRA with the works rider of the time. He also built and raced his own Manx on all the British circuits including the Isle of Man. In 1953 Norton were keen to add the Sidecar world championship to their solo successes and Joe Craig sent Stan off to work with Eric Oliver on this project which included acting as passenger even though this is something Stan had never done before. Stan incidentally never agreed with the term passenger as a description of a sidecar racing partnership. Eric Oliver with Stan won the 1953 World Championship. At the same time Stan was riding his own 500 Manx at all the GP’s for a little extra start money as it was well known that Norton Motors did not go over the top when it came to employees’ wages.