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General => Douglas Racers and Racing History => Topic started by: Walt on 14 Apr 2010 at 04:28

Title: E. Longden
Post by: Walt on 14 Apr 2010 at 04:28
Can anyone help with the given name and any bio details for E. Longden, an Australian who rode a Douglas in the 1914 IoM TT?  W.
Title: Re: E. Longden
Post by: Dave on 14 Apr 2010 at 20:16
Hi Walt,

The site "BRITISH MOTOR MANUFACTURERS" -  has a page about an "Eric Longden" (http://www.britishmm.co.uk/history.asp?id=350) which says

Quote
Eric Longden was an Australian jockey who came to London to start a theatrical agency after a serious injury. He prepared and raced motorcycles at Brooklands before assembling Light Cars. The Air Navigation & Engineering Company , makers of the Bleriot-Whippet, bought his business in 1922 and built JAP and Alpha engined cars. They went into liquidation in 1927.

Does that sound like the fellow?

The Isle of Man TT site lists the race results for an E. Longden (http://www.iomtt.com/TT-Database/Events/Races.aspx?meet_code=ALL&ride_id=278) showing results from races in 1914, 1920 and 1921.

The Isle of Man Government website also lists race results for an "Eric Longden" (http://www.gov.im/mnh/collections/tt/RiderInfo.asp?RiderID=9500) which perhaps confirms that the "E" stands for "Eric".

There are some photos from the LAT Photographic Archive (http://www.latphoto.co.uk/) shown on the Austin Harris website with the caption "Eric Longden at 1923 JCC 200 Mile Race at Brooklands" (http://www.austinharris.co.uk/photo/eric-longden-1923-jcc-200-mile-race-brooklands/1125)

If this is the same "Eric Longden", you may find more about him searching on "Longden Brooklands" etc.

Dave



Title: Re: E. Longden
Post by: Walt on 15 Apr 2010 at 00:28
Many thanks for the quick response. W. 
Title: Re: E. Longden
Post by: Dirt Track on 15 Apr 2010 at 00:53
G'day Dave & Walt
Many thanks for putting us onto the LAT Photographic Archive site......fabulous!
What a shame its not all motorcycles..........is there another site dealing with motorcycles we should know about?
Howard.