Graham Walker (motorcyclist)

Graham William Walker (4 August 1896 – 7 September 1962[1]) was an English motorcycle racer, broadcaster and journalist. He also contributed greatly to the motorcycle section of the National Motor Museum.

Graham Walker
Graham Walker in 1921.
NationalityBritish
Born4 August 1896
Wallington, Surrey, England, UK
Died7 September 1962(1962-09-07) (aged 66)
Motorcycle racing career statistics
Isle of Man TT career
TTs contested15 (1920-1934)
TT wins1
First TT win1931 Lightweight TT
Last TT win1931 Lightweight TT
Podiums6

Graham Walker was born in Wallington, Surrey[2] and was the son of William Walker (1851–?), a shipping company clerk, and Jessie née Goodman (1859–?), he had two sisters and two brothers one of whom was Eric Anderson Walker. He was educated at Highgate School from 1910-1912[3] and had five siblings - three brothers and two sisters.[4] Walker married Elsie Norah Fyfield née Spratt (1897–1999)[4] and together they had one son, Graeme Murray Walker (born 10 October 1923) who went on to have a long career as a motorsport commentator.

Walker was a motorcycle despatch rider in the First World War for the Royal Engineers Signal Service, where he received a leg injury requiring him to ride a motorcycle with a modified brake pedal. Despite this he had a successful racing career with Rudge, Sunbeam and Norton. Riding a 493cc Sunbeam he was a member of the victorious British International Trophy Team at the ISDT held in Buxton 1926 and Ambleside 1927 then saw success on the Silver Vase team in 1928 at Harrogate and 1932 Merano in Italy. Road successes included winning the Ulster Grand Prix on a Rudge Ulster in 1928, the first road race win with an average of 80 mph.[5] Walker also won the 350cc class at the 1931 North West 200, again on a Rudge. He rode many times in the Isle of Man TT, winning the lightweight (250cc) class in 1931,[6] and became president of the TT Riders Association.[7]

During World War II, Walker took part in a campaign to recruit new dispatch riders.[8]

In 1935, after his motorcycle racing career had finished, Walker was employed by the BBC as a commentator for motorcycle racing events on television and radio.[1] In 1949, Walker was partnered on the BBC's motorcycle commentaries with his son, Murray.[9]

He was editor of Motor Cycling magazine from 1938 to 1954[5] and he then took up a directorship at the Montagu Motor Museum, of which his enthusiasm for preserving historic motorcycles partly led to the museum having opened a motorcycle section in 1956.[8]

Isle of Man TT Race Career
YearRacePositionMake of Motorcycle
1920Senior TT13thNorton
1921Senior TTRetNorton
1922Senior TT5thNorton
1923Senior TT4thNorton
Sidecar TT2ndNorton
1924Sidecar TTRetSunbeam
1925Senior TTRetSunbeam
Sidecar TTRetSunbeam
1926Senior TT10thSunbeam
1927Senior TT5thSunbeam
Junior TTRetSunbeam
1928Senior TTRetRudge
1929Senior TTRetRudge
1930Senior TT2ndRudge
Junior TT3rdRudge
1931Senior TT5thRudge
Lightweight TT1stRudge
Junior TT5thRudge
1932Senior TT6thRudge
Lightweight TT2ndRudge
Junior TT5thRudge
1933Senior TTRetRudge
1934Senior TT6thRudge
Lightweight TT3rdRudge
gollark: This is a *prokaryote* ribosome SSU.
gollark: Wrong.
gollark: Yes, copypasting images from Wikipedia is indicative of extreme intelligence.
gollark: "Bee" is gender-neutral.
gollark: It's part of a ribosome, which is you.

References
  • Murray Walker (2002). Unless I'm Very Much Mistaken. ISBN 0-00-712696-4.
  1. "Obituary: Mr. Graham Walker". The Times. London. 10 September 1962. p. 16.
  2. 1901 United Kingdom census
  3. ed. Boreham, J.Y. Highgate School Register 1838-1938 (4th ed.). p. 246.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  4. Walker, pp. 12-14
  5. The National Archives | Access to Archives
  6. Meetings - The official Isle of Man TT 2008 website
  7. TTRA - The TT Riders Association website Archived 12 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  8. "Obituary: Mr. Graham Walker". The Times. London. 14 September 1962. p. 13.
  9. Walker pp. 5-8
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Jimmie Simpson		 500cc Motorcycle European Champion
1927		 Succeeded by
Wal Handley
Preceded by
Syd Crabtree		 250cc Motorcycle European Champion
1930		 Succeeded by
Riccardo Brusi
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.