MARTINSYDE ANNIVERSARIES

TO mark the 50th anniversary of Martinsyde motorcycles and the 60th of Martinsyde aeroplanes the Martinsyde Committee is holding an exhibition of appropriate products, photographs, trophies, models etc., at the Brooklands Technical College, Weybridge, on July 18th. This will be open to the public (ample parking) and any cash surplus from the sale of souvenir programmes will go to charity. Members only will be admitted to Brooklands and the old Martinsyde sheds and they will then ride to Woking on some of the surviving 20 Martinsyde motorcycles (out of 2,000 made between 1920 and 1923) to take tea at the old Martinsyde factory, by courtesy of James Walker & Co. Ltd., who have supplied many excellent gaskets to old-car rebuilders and whose extensive “Lion” jointing factory now embraces the old motorcycle works.

The Brooklands connections with this make include their Team-Prize in the once-only 500-Mile motorcycle race in 1921, a year after their Semiquaver aeroplane had won the Aerial Derby at 161.45 m.p.h. Sir Sydney Camm was a Martinsyde draughtsman and went as mechanic in the Martinsyde F.6 in the 1922 King’s Cup Race; he designed the Hawker Hurricane of Second World War fame. The smaller rallies can be as much fun as the big ones and we wish these nostalgically-motivated Martinsyders a good day and fine weather. Unfortunately, the date clashes with the VSCC Silverstone Race Meeting.—W. B.