Banbury in Oxfordshire is known for a few things, these being Banbury Cakes which is similar to an Eccles cake and is pretty tasty, Banbury Cross which is a monument that's smack dab in the middle of the road and forms a roundabout or traffic circle/rotary, and it's cattle market which at one time was the largest in Europe and then there's two motorcycle racers.
The Cross, cakes, etc can be Googled for more info if you like, the racers are Dan Shorey and Eddie Dow.
They both had dealerships in Banbury which unfortunately closed down back before Bodger became a part of the Banbury motorcycle scene back in the mid 70s.
Dan Shorey had his dealership up in North Bar which was a street in Banbury and there was a huge metal sign attached to the building wall that was still there as far as 1980 if I recall.
Shorey raced at the IoM and at Thruxton near Andover, Hants, partnering with one Mike Hailwood to win a race there, a 24 hour I think it was.
The other well known gent was Eddie Dow. he also raced at the IoM as well as in ISDT events and did well in all.
He's more notably known for his association with BSA Gold Stars and his improvements on another BSA model that was highly desirable.
There was one more in the Banbury area, living in the village and running, with her brother, the Three Tuns pub that Bodger at one time used to frequent from time to time.
This lady was the late Olga Kevelos who was quite well known and experienced on the trials circuit as well as other forms of two wheel sport plus a dabble in four wheel.
Besides being a publican and well versed in/on two wheels, Olga also had a very colorful life being a twice contestant on "Mastermind", a TV knowledge show as well as canal boat operator during WWII, hauling vital war supplies between cities.
I believe she was in a previous posting in this bloggy thing.
If you want to know more about them, Google them or check in Wikipedia for more info....you'll always be surprised at what you find, like Bodger is.
Eccles cake..? Guess I'll have to look that up too. A friend of mine has a featherbed rolling frame that came with some Eddie Dow parts on it. Read an article on Olga a while back in Classic Bike I believe.
ReplyDeleteManaged to post some links and a youtube vid you might find interesting, about some of the "old-timers".
Never did know where Eddie Dow's place was, it had been closed a couple of years I think.
ReplyDeleteWill check the vid and links out, Cheers HL
Banbury also well known for "The Banbury Run", A VMCC organised run for vintage and veteran motorcycles. See pics on my Faceache page.
ReplyDeleteDOH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteQuite right Stuart, Muggins here had a Seniorish moment and COMPLETELY forgot about that 'un.
Also didn't mention the old nursey ryhme, "Ride a Cock Horse to Banbury Cross, etc, etc."
Cheers for reminding me!