Information Please!

[Maria]

Hello All,

I hope I'm posting this in the right place as I'm new to all this.

I'm hoping that someone may be able to help me find out some information about my Husband's Grandfather as we are currently doing the family history for the first time.

We have a lovely cup which was given to him by the Douglas Brothers on the Isle of Mann for riding one of their motorcycles 2025 miles in 6 days in June 1911.

His name was Hedley Vickers Swift who was born in 1887 and went on to fight at the Somme in World War 1 and coincidently rode their motorcycles while he was at war too.

I was hoping to gain any relevant information you may have or to be pointed in the right direction as to where I may be able to find out about his wonderful achievement.

Thanks in advance for any information given,

Maria
Sheffield

[Doug]

maria,

It was not uncommon for Douglas Motors to include testimonials in the back of their annual catalogs. So I had a look in the 1912 edition, and found a write-up that H.V. Swift submitted. I am not sure where the I.o.M. comes into the picture, as the route ridden was in England.



I might be that the period issues of The Motorcycle and Motorcycling carried a write-up, but do not be surprised if the same letter were used over verbatim. Anyway, this should shed a few more details on the event, in the words of the man himself. (Well, it can not be overlooked that it may have been authored within the Douglas publicity department!)

-Doug

[Maria]

Doug,

Thank you very much! That's brilliant.

My Mum in law will be absolutely delighted when she reads this as we are actually putting together the family history as a surprise for her 75th birthday next month. 

I will look into the other publication you mentioned and also the Sheffield Telegraph to see if they have anything.

Thank you again for taking the time to look this up for us, you've made one family very happy!

 Maria