By kind permission of Ms. Catherine Hunter of Fort William, niece of Hugh Hunter, we are able to show the small collection of SSDT photographs taken at the 1951 and 1953 events in Fort William.
This collection shows many of the trials stars of their era and have only recently been discovered. Most of the photos were taken in or around the town of Fort William. The famous section in the middle of the town, ‘Town Hall Brae‘ was always known locally as ‘Rocky Brae‘ is featured in some images.
However, many of the photographs were taken with riders tackling the ‘M&D Hill‘ which was located just off Gordon Square behind where BT has a depot. Named after ‘MacRae & Dick’ the motor engineers, dealers and also in the 1960s and 70s had a filling station in Gordon Square. ‘M&D Hill‘ was tackled first thing on the daily run out on a ‘cold’ engine. This meant that the machine had not reached its usual operating temperature and was prone to stalling or not being so responsive and thus losing riders marks when least expected!
Hugh ‘Shugs’ Hunter was brought up in Fort William’s Lundavra Road, accepted into the Royal Air Force for his National Service and went to work for Westclox at the Vale of Leven factory near Glasgow before moving to Kent to live. He ended his days in Culloden, near Inverness. His daughter is Katie Hunter the BBC Scotland Television reporter/presenter.
Trials Guru is indebted to the Hunter family for the use of Hugh’s photographs.
G. C. Bennett (497cc Ariel SC)
G.C. Bennett and passenger (497cc Ariel sc) in trouble on Town Hall Brae in the 1950 Scottish Six Days Trial – Photo: Hugh Hunter.
Check on Mamore Road – 1951 SSDT
75 – E. King (Norton); 80 – N.S. Holmes (Royal Enfield); 79 – A.D. Rawnsley (Matchless); 74 – F.C. Perks (BSA); 63 – D. Lamb (Norton); 76 – P.F. Hammond (Triumph) – Photo: Hugh Hunter.
Check on Mamore Road near Kinlochleven in 1951 – 91 – E.H. Bentley (248cc BSA); 95 – D.J. Ratcliffe (347cc Matchless); 97 – R.B. Young (499cc Norton); 104 – S.B. Manns (347cc AJS); 105 – P.H. Alves (498cc Triumph) – Photo: Hugh Hunter.
B.H.M. VINEY (AJS)
B.H.M. ‘Hugh’ Viney (347cc AJS) on M&D Hill, Fort William in 1951 – Photo: Hugh Hunter.
B.H.M. Viney in 1951, same photo but showing the spectators on the Town Hall Brae wall – Photo: Hugh Hunter.
Hugh Viney (347cc AJS) on Town Hall Brae in 1951 – Photo: Hugh Hunter.
Hugh Viney (347cc AJS) near the top of Town Hall Brae in 1951 – Photo: Hugh Hunter.
B.H.M. Viney (347cc AJS) on Town Hall Brae in 1952 – Photo: Hugh Hunter.
L. A. ‘ARTIE’ RATCLIFFE ( MATCHLESS)
Artie Ratcliffe in the 1952 SSDT, he came sixth – Photo: Hugh Hunter.
BOB RAY (ARIEL)
C.M. ‘Bob’ Ray (497cc Ariel) in 1951 on Town Hall Brae, Fort William – Photo: Hugh Hunter.
Ariel factory rider Bob Ray in Fort William’s Gordon Square in 1953 – Photo: Hugh Hunter Collection
Jack Blackwell (197cc DMW) on M&D Hill in Fort William – 1952 – Photo: Hugh Hunter.
TOWN HALL BRAE
A healthy crowd watches a rider attempt ‘Town Hall Brae’ -Photo: Hugh Hunter Collection
D. McCOLL (TRIUMPH)
D. McColl (498cc Triumph) on Town Hall Brae in 1951, he gained a First Class award in 53rd position – Photo: Hugh Hunter.
1952 SSDT – B.F Rowbotham on his 350cc BSA tackles ‘Town Hall Brae’ – Photo: Hugh Hunter Collection
JOHN BRITTAIN (ROYAL ENFIELD)
1952 SSDT winner, John Brittain works on his factory Royal Enfield in Fort William – Photo: Hugh Hunter Collection
BILL LOMAS (JAMES)
1952 SSDT, World Motorcycle racing champion, Bill Lomas on his factory James in Gordon Square, Fort William – Photo: Hugh Hunter Collection
STANLEY WOODS (JAMES)
Famous racer, Stanley Woods (197cc James) rode in the 1951 SSDT, seen here on M&D Hill, he gained a First Class award – Photo: Hugh Hunter.
MISS OLGA KEVELOS (JAMES)
Miss Olga Kevelos (196cc James) on M&D Hill in the 1951 SSDT – Photo: Hugh Hunter.
MRS. MOLLY BRIGGS (DOT)
Mrs. Molly Briggs (197cc DOT) on M&D Hill, Fort William in 1952 – Photo: Hugh Hunter.
JOHN DRAPER (BSA & NORTON)
1951 SSDT winner, John Draper working on his factory BSA Gold Star – Photo: Hugh Hunter Collection
John Draper (499cc BSA) in 1951 at MacRae & Dick’s garage, Fort William – Photo: Hugh Hunter.
– – –
1951, trial winner, John Draper redies his BSA Gold Star after leaving the SSDT ‘garage’ to tackle ‘M&D Hill on a cold engine – Photo: Hugh Hunter Collection
John Draper making adjustments at Fort William in 1951 – Photo: Hugh Hunter.
G.J. Draper (499cc BSA) on Town Hall Brae in 1951 – Photo: Hugh Hunter.
John Draper in Fort William (490cc Norton) in 1952, he was seventh overall – Photo: Hugh Hunter.
John Draper (490cc Norton) on M&D Hill, Fort William in 1952 – Photo: Hugh Hunter.
FRED RIST (BSA)
F.M. Rist (499cc BSA) in 1951 – Photo: Hugh Hunter.
DAVID TYE (BSA)
David Tye (348cc BSA) on Town Hall Brae in 1952, he was runner-up in the event – Photo: Hugh Hunter.
BRIAN MARTIN (BSA)
Brian Martin (348cc BSA) on Town Hall Brae in 1952 – Photo: Hugh Hunter.
T.U. ELLIS (BSA)
Tom Ellis (499cc BSA) on Town Hall Brae in 1952. He was fourth overall – Photo: Hugh Hunter.
A.C. GORDON (DOUGLAS)
A.C. Gordon (348cc Douglas) on Town Hall Brae in 1951 – Photo: Hugh Hunter.
GORDON JACKSON (AJS)
1953 SSDT, Gordon Jackson on his factory AJS in Gordon Square, Fort William – Photo: Hugh Hunter Collection
N.S. ;Stan’ Holmes (346cc Royal Enfield) on Town Hall Brae in 1952 – Photo: Hugh Hunter.
BERT GAYMER (TRIUMPH)
1951 SSDT, A.F. ‘Bert’ Gaymer on his factory 498cc Triumph Trophy, behind is R.C. May (498cc Triumph) – Photo: Hugh Hunter Collection
BOB MANNS (AJS)
A study of AJS works rider at the 1951 SSDT in Fort William, S.B. ‘Bob’ Manns who later became Competitions Manager at Associated Motor Cycles – Photo: Hugh Hunter Collection
Bob Manns (347cc AJS) tackles Town Hall Brae in 1952 – Photo: Hugh Hunter.
JIM ALVES (TRIUMPH)
Triumph works rider, P.H. ‘Jim’ Alves at the 1951 SSDT – Photo: Hugh Hunter Collection
P.H. ‘Jim’ Alves (498cc Triumph) on Town Hall Brae in 1951 – Photo: Hugh Hunter.
P.H. ‘Jim’ Alves (Triumph) on Town Hall Brae in 1952 – Photo: Hugh Hunter.
NIPPER PARSONS (ARIEL)
Ariel factory rider, ‘Nipper’ Parsons in Gordon Square outside the Grand Hotel at the 1953 SSDT – Photo: Hugh Hunter Collection
‘Hugh Hunter Collection’ is the copyright of Trials Guru and the Hunter family.
Apart from ‘Fair Dealing’ for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright, Design and Patents Act, 1988, no part of this article may be copied, reproduced, stored in any form of retrieval system, electronic or otherwise or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrical, mechanical, optical, chemical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the author as stated above. This article is not being published for any monetary reward or monetisation, be that online or in print.
TRIALS GURU - DEDICATED TO TRIAL 