Fay Taylour

[speedyguy 20]

We can all sincerely hope not.

 

 

I asked because there was talk of a follow-up book about Fay Taylour at one time.

[speedyguy 20]

http://www.douglasmotorcycles.net/index.php?topic=1514.0

http://www.diamondsmcc.org.uk/profilesoffroad.html

http://midgetcarpanorama.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=titty&action=display&thread=16

Some interesting links regarding Fay Taylour.

[kennylane 3]

http://www.douglasmotorcycles.net/index.php?topic=1514.0

http://www.diamondsmcc.org.uk/profilesoffroad.html

http://midgetcarpanorama.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=titty&action=display&thread=16

Some interesting links regarding Fay Taylour.

 

 

It was interesting to see a photo of the much-maligned Brian Belton in the Douglas Bikes site dealing with his book on Fay Taylor.

[speedyguy 20]

Best woman speedway rider ever - despite claims running for Kate Mason (???) in another thread in Years Gone By.

[speedyguy 20]

I was talking to a guy about speedboat racing and he claims that Fay Taylour also tried this off the south of England coast in some events about 1961?

[kennylane 3]

I was talking to a guy about speedboat racing and he claims that Fay Taylour also tried this off the south of England coast in some events about 1961?

 

 

While I have never heard of this racing aspect of Fay Taylour's life, does anybody at all have results or know where they can be found concerning her big circuit and Grand Prix car race career. I think she was ninth in the 1939 South African Grand Prix and years before that drove at both Brooklands and Mallory Park.

[speedyguy 20]

Does any member know if Fay Taylour ever raced grass tracks?

[iris123 20,918]

Don’t know about grass track, but she did ride in Copenhagen and Hamburg. Although she looked pretty capable the whole thing was a bit of a let down in Hamburg as her to women competitors were not that good. There was a big gap between Taylour and 2nd places Bans Nield And then another big gap between Nield and Thornhill and it was repeated in all 3 heats they rode

Tgey stuck around for the next meeting and Taylour was put in with some low level men, but unfortunately her bike packed up, so it couldn’t be judged just how good she was. And in the Women’s handicap she couldn’t make up the 20 second advantage that Thornbil l had and Nield dropped out with an e.f

Not a great couple of meetings, but Taylour style was praised

This was the summer of 1930 and not sure if they were by this time banned in the UK? Think she went to Denmark in 1929 and also made a visit to Australia 

Edited May 2, 2019 by iris123

[iris123 20,918]

See during her visit to Australia in 1929 she did beat Sig Schlam, which was no mean feat

[Bavarian 765]

Fay Taylour first came to Australia at the end of 1928, and she made her racing debut in front of a record crowd at the Claremont Speedway in Perth on January 5, 1929.

She made a brilliant first appearance, defeating Frank Brown (N.S.W.) in a match race in a very fast time. Her attempt to break the three-lap record at the next meeting on January 12, unfortunately ended due to bike problems with only a few laps of the opening lap covered. She did not appear again during the evening, and it was announced that she would make her attempt at the next meeting.

A considerable stir was caused by the announcement of W.A. Speedways Ltd. that she would not appear at the next meeting on January 19. The following official statement was issued by W.A. Speedways: "After her first ride on her first appearance here, we looked forward to seeing some wonderful racing put up by Miss Taylour. Nevertheless, we were disappointed that she did not fulfill the engagements billed for that night, but we were more disappointed still that she did not complete her ride on the second occasion for which she was billed. This, we understand, was due to mechanical trouble. We think, however, that a person who has been billed to make a record attempt and has brought two machines to the State, would have both in readiness. Apparently Miss Taylour placed all her faith in the one machine. It was announced last Saturday night that Miss Taylour would make her record attempt next Saturday night. At this coming meeting, however, Miss Taylour will not ride."        

Fay Taylour replied vigorously to the Statement of the W.A.Speedways director (Mr. E. Baker): "His statement is quite unfair, and he has taken the liberty of cutting me out of the programme because he will not agree to put up special prize money ($50) for an international match race between myself and Sig. Schlam.

"Mr. Baker has said in his Statement that I did not fulfill my engagements. That is not true because actually I did not have any engagements. Before my arrival at Perth, Mr.Baker, without my consent, advertised me to appear in no fewer than three events, in addition to the usual preliminaries. That is too much to ask of any rider after 40 days' journey aboard ship and taking into account that the riding conditions and the ground were both strange. I told him that on the day I arrived.

"Unfortunately I am not under contract with W.A.Speedways. I came to Australia and brought my two machines from England, entirely at my own expense. It was most unfortunate last Saturday that the armature shaft in my magneto broke. I am sure that I was more disappointed than the people who had come to see the racing. I am anxious to appear, but Mr. Baker has cut me out next Saturday. As far as I can see, it is only a childish whim. He knows that I am prepared to ride next Saturday under the same conditions as last Saturday."

This is Mr. Baker's reply: "Her complaint that she was entered in three events on her first appearance on Janaury 5 without her authority, was ridiculous. She was entered for the match race, scratch race, and A-grade handicap. These being the three principal events and those which every visiting rider competed in, thus giving them the opportunity of winning the maximum amount of prize money."

Mr. Baker said that although he met Miss Taylour on arrival a few days before her first appearance, and saw her frequently after, she did not ask for the nominations to be withdrawn. It was not until she had won her match race with Frank Brown, that she told him she had been advised not to start in the other two events.

"Regarding Miss Taylour's statement that she had not been allowed to ride because she had asked for a $50 prize for her match race with Schlam", said Mr. Baker, "this is only partly correct. Miss Taylour demanded a substancial sum as appearance money, and on top of this the substancial prize of $50 for the match race. The management was unable to acede to these extravagant demand, feeling it would be unfair to put her in a position so very different from the other professional riders. She has caused the public great disappointment as she was expected to appear in five events, three on January 5, and two on January 12, but only finished in one. Last week her performance was particularly disappointing. She was advertised to attempt to break a track record and also to ride in a match race with Alf Chick. Her machine broke down, and although she had two machines in the State, she had only taken one to the ground. All experienced riders, who can afford to have two machines, always have both in readiness. When engaged in attempting to break a track record, which is considered a special attraction, a competitor should take every precaution to see that the engagement may be fulfilled."

Fay Taylour did not ride in the Claremont Speedway meeting on January 19, but would make another appearance at the track and meet Sig Schlam in a match race in a special association carnival meeting on the following Saturday, January 26. It was in this meeting that Taylour did beat Schlam in the Special International Match Race. In fairness to Schlam, it must be stated that his machine did not function properly. Miss Taylour had the inside and both riders were together for half a lap when the lady shot to the front. She increased her lead to win comfortably by thirty yards. Miss Taylour also made a brilliant, yet unsuccessful attempt to lower the three-lap track record held by Alf Chick. Her time was 1.17 1-5.

This was absolutely her last appearance on the Claremont track, as she left for Adelaide by the express on Sunday night.            

    

I wonder if Fay Taylour was the very first British dirt track rider ever to race in Australia, or has any other British rider been racing in Australia before her?

Edited January 1, 2020 by Bavarian

[norbold 7,098]

7 hours ago, Bavarian said:

           

    

I wonder if Fay Taylour was the very first British dirt track rider ever to race in Australia, or has any other British rider been racing in Australia before her?

Good question, Bavarian.

Lionel Wills, a Cambridge undergraduate and keen motorcyclist, visited Australia in 1926 and witnessed speedway first hand at the Sydney Royal track. He was so enthused by what he saw that he asked Johnnie Hoskins, the promoter at Sydney Royal, if he could have a go himself. After his first outing he wrote home to the motor cycle press in this country describing his own experiences and recounting the hair-raising exploits of the likes of Charlie Datson, Paddy Dean, ‘Cyclone’ Billy Lamont and the American, Sprouts Elder, urging motor cycling clubs to take up the sport.

What is not clear however is whether Wills took part in the programmed meeting or whether he just had a practice. Either way though, it seems likely he was the first domiciled Briton to ride speedway.

Edit: Just found the article I was looking for. This is the part where Lionel Wills recounts his encounter with speedway racing.

 

Edited January 1, 2020 by norbold

[iris123 20,918]

Yes I think so. As I posted elsewhere A. Hunter was billed as being from England when he rode in Australia in early 1928. Also seen at least one rider billed as ‘the Flying Scotsman’ but he appears to be someone living in Australia as well

[norbold 7,098]

2 minutes ago, iris123 said:

Yes I think so. As I posted elsewhere A. Hunter was billed as being from England when he rode in Australia in early 1928. Also seen at least one rider billed as ‘the Flying Scotsman’ but he appears to be someone living in Australia as well

And, of course, there was Ron Johnson unless he was 'the Flying Scotsman'.

[iris123 20,918]

22 minutes ago, norbold said:

And, of course, there was Ron Johnson unless he was 'the Flying Scotsman'.

No he wasn’t the one I saw listed. In fact from memory Billy Galloway was listed as such. Interesting that he ended up living in Scotland after his career ended

Edited January 1, 2020 by iris123

[iris123 20,918]

As an addition, but also a diversion, looking at US reports from 1933/34 Lamoreax was known as 'The Flying Frenchman' !!!