The Beginning

I can blame by elder brother Edwin for my interests in motorcycles. He always seemed to be on a bike of some sort. He had an Excelsior moped and always looked so free and confident as he drove up to our house at the top of Blackheath Hill in S.E London.
He took me to Brands Hatch to see some car racing on the back of his BSA C11G and  I remember well seeing the 500cc cars as they looked as if they were going backwards due to their shape. I found the noise and the smell of the engine oil very enticing and exciting.
The track was  anti clockwise then and Don Parker in a Keift (maroon car number 12) is one name I remember as always seemed to win. I have been told there were other famous names of the future racing such as Stirling Moss also racing.

Below are three pictures of the car racing from that time. Sorry about the quality.

I also found some bike pictures. I believe a couple are of Brands and another is of a scramble but don't know where.

The first two pictures could be Brands as a grass track.

    Brother Edwin's C11G. I can remember going to Margate on that pillion seat. I was wearing short trousers and it snowed. My legs were so chapped and sore when I got home after a good 60 miles each way. We must have been hard then. That's my blind brother sitting on it.

     My blind brother Arthur with me on the back of Edwin's BSA C11G

The pictures above were taken by my brother Edwin. Luckily he was a keen amateur photographer.

A workmate took the following pictures and gave them to me as bikes were my interest.

    No.106 Dudley Hedley (Melham Special) Norton 250cc - No.3 Phil Webb JABS - No.10 ? Pike. No.23 John Surtees

    John Surtees. Does anybody know the year these pictures were taken?

My first motorcycle meeting was Crystal Palace, I was dating a girl who lived nearby and it seemed a good idea to go and to my surprise she was willing. Can't remember too much about the day or the girl now other than I really enjoyed the racing.