Page under construction always…
Introduction
Because the event took place such a long time ago very few of those present are are still alive and we continue in our quest of gathering original content for this section and would very much welcome any gifts of material, especially the entry list or results. Thank you for your interest! Thanks to “STB” who again came up with some rare images from the event.
This year the ISDT took place over the 15th to 20th August in the English Lake District attracting a lot of competitors. Based at Ambleside it ended with L Crisp, G W Walker, and F W Giles winning the Trophy with Silver Vase almost uniquely being taken by the British Vase Team entirely made up of women racers Marjorie Cottle, Edyth Foley and Louise MacLean.
Front Cover if the official ACU Programme ISDT 1927
See our blog here for a link to the online copy of the full programme at our issue.com library and also details of the riders and list of steepest hills used for the event
In an article Dec 1926 the Canberra Times reported that a poor level of entries had been received due to the issues of currency exchange rates not favouring European entries.
“MOTOR CYCLE NOTES
No fewer than eight lady riders have entered for this year’s International Six Day’s Trial.
The International Six Days’ Trial has attracted an entry of over 100 competitors. It Is to be regretted that France, Belgium, Italy and Switzerland will, not be officially represented, as a six days’ trial with seven or eight nations competing would be an unusually interesting and informative event. It Is understood that the present unfavourable rate of exchange is accountable for the absence of European competitors.”
On the Map!
Image of scanned map of course of ISDT 1927
Most notable was the fact the British had entered a 3 rider team in the Silver Vase category. In August 1927, the News of the World carried a picture of Marjorie Cottle, Edyth Foley, Miss Louise MacLean and two other leading female motorcyclists, Mrs M Grenfell and the appropriately named Mrs Spokes. The five were described as “the British ladies who triumphed in the International Trials” on 20 August. This was the International Six Days’ Trial of 1927, in which the British Ladies’ Team won the International Silver Vase.
Photo – #20 Mrs Louise McLean at Longlands Watersplash ISDT 1927
Photo of Mech Scrutineer Prep ISDT 1927
Image of scanned photo from newsprint of the Englishwomen including #39 Marjorie Cottle #20 McLean #79 who won the Silver Vase Trophy ISDT 1927
The above image is taken from a German Language publication and although it mentions the six english women and may be the same image that appeared an August edition of ‘the News of the World‘ in 1927 but it appears cropped.
The below sequences of images are taken from the report of the event that appeared in the 25th August 1927 edition of ‘the Motor Cycle‘. Thanks, as ever, to forum helper ‘STB’ who provided the scanned copy of this issue a link to read this can be found in our ‘What the Papers Said‘ section
Image of rider #86 at Ullswater ISDT 1927 (image from STT collection)
Image of rider ascending the Honister Pass ISDT 1927 (image from STT collection)
Day 1
Image of riders on the the Honister Pass ISDT 1927 (image from STT collection)
H S Wheeldon (HRD) and J N Arnott (Rudge Whitworth)
Image of rider#23 ascending the Kirkstone Pass ISDT 1927 (image from STT collection)
#23 JJ van Kooten (Harley Davidson) and WF Newsome (Humber)
Image of #44 G E Rowley ascending the Honister Pass ISDT 1927 (image from STT collection)
Image of competitor RT Horton struggling with the Morgan in high water ISDT 1927 (image from STT collection)
A horse looks on in amusement with its cart as it contemplates its own future prospects whilst RT Horton chives his Morgan through a flooded ford.
Image of #100 H van der Veen (Scott) and Y Ericsson (Husqvarna) on Bassenthwaite Hause ISDT 1927 (image from STT collection)
Image of #23 JJ van Kooten (Harley Davidson) and WF Newsome (Humber) & CW Hough (AJS) at the Longlands Splash ISDT 1927 (image from STT collection)
Image of B Malmberg (Husqvarna sc) on the grass track at Widewath ISDT 1927 (image from STT collection)
Images of the women riders of the Great Britain ‘B’ Vase Team ISDT 1927
Double page spread features the most successful ladies team in the ISDT ever featuring #1 Minnie Grenfell on her Franny B, #39 Marjorie Cottle, Louise Mclean, and Betty Lermitte,
Image of scanned newspaper photo of Miss B Lermitte Royal Enfield at a ford on the river Troutbeck ISDT 1927 (stb)
Image of Miss Marjorie Cottle on (Raleigh) at Troutbeck ISDT 1927
Image of GW Hole (Raleigh) PA Holder (Royal Enfield) JJ Boyd-Harvey (James) and M Valgaard (Rudge Whitworth) resting at Shap ISDT 1927 (image from STT collection)
Image of a Lunch Stop with lashings of Beer at ISDT 1927 (image from STT collection)
Image of W T Tiffin (Velocette) as his bike sinks out of site in the Asby splash ISDT 1927 (image from STT collection)
Image of #44 G E Rowley (AJS) through a number of drowned bikes including #27 #39 Marjorie Cottle and #42 #25 with wet magnetos at the Asby Splash ISDT 1927 (image from STT collection)
Day 4
Image of N Hall (Excelsior) and J W Mortimer (P & M Panthette) climb Tow Top ISDT 1927 (image from STT collection)
Image of #27 W Smit (Rex-Acme) on Ashtead Farm Hill ISDT 1927 (image from STT collection)
Image of #110 W H Clough on (Scott sc) alongside C Weichelt on a (DKW sc) at Ashtead Farm Hill ISDT 1927
Image of A Paster (D-Rad) on Tow Top ISDT 1927 (image from STT collection)
Photo VC King (Douglas) CH King (Douglas) and G Wright (Humber) on Strawberry Bank, ISDT 1927
Photo J Parker (BSA) and SL Snill (James) on Hard Knott Pass ISDT 1927
Photo – #124 RT Horton with Morgan [CJ 6343] storming Hard Knott ISDT 1927
Photo FW Giles (AJS sc) on Hard Knott Pass ISDT 1927
Photo – RL Galloway (New Scale sc) and P Cranmore (BSA sc)on Hard Knott ISDT 1927
Photo – CW Hough (AJS) EW Spencer (Douglas) and WF Bicknell (Royal Enfield) on Hard Knott ISDT 1927
Photo – D McQueen and TG Meeten both on Francis Barnett on Wrynose Pass ISDT 1927
Photo – GW Walker (Sunbeam) of the English team on Wrynose ISDT 1927
Photo – Betty Lermitte (Royal Enfield), L Crisp (Humber) and CH King Douglason Wrynose ISDT 1927
Image of scanned newspaper photo of Miss McLean (Douglas) on Wrynose at ISDT 1927
Riders #69 #73 at Water Crossing near Ambleside, Lake District ISDT 1927 (Courtesy of Neal Owen)
The following image was found on the excellent http://www.austinharris.co.uk website which is a man’s dedication to maintaining the history of historic motorsports using the amazing photo archive at Haymarket. Original prints of these images can be obtained from that site by following this link.
Photo – Riders assemble at an on course fuelstop supported by a BP truck, 3 riders #37 #38 & #39 Marjorie Cottle on her Raleigh [AU 8497] are surrounded by a crowd of onlookers
Photo of #73 H R ‘Ginger’ Lees on his Rudge [EN3297] in ISDT 1927
What the papers said!
A full report on the preparation, proceeding and results of the event was provided by the Motorcycling Press. Thanks to the generosity of ‘STB’ we are able to provide access to a readable copy of the issue of the 28 August 1927 which carried the event report. This can be read at our library provided by issuu.com.
There was a Preview of the event in ‘the Motor Cycle‘ of 11th August 1927. This included details of the course and a useful list of points along the route to spectate and times to see the event passing. Thanks to Michael Ryan who has scanned and passed us his copy of the article and a hi resolution version can be seen via our library at issuu.com
Images – scanned page of the Motorcycle 11 August 1927 the route pt 1 ISDT 1927
Images – scanned page of the Motorcycle 11 August 1927 the route part 2 ISDT 1927
Images – scanned page of the Motorcycle 11 August 1927 the riders ISDT 1927
Images – scanned page of the Motorcycle 11 August 1927 Course map and spectator points ISDT 1927
I have located a copy of the 1927 Motor Ccycling full report for the event which hopefully can be teased our way.. more details soon
image – cover of Motor Cycling 24 August 1927 ISDT 1927
A scanned pdf copy of the article has now been included into a blog which can me read here
image – scanned article in Canberra Times, Australia 31 Dec 1926 commenting on the economic issues in Europe impacting on entry numbers to the ISDT 1927
Image of scanned article in Western Morning News 17th August 1927 reporting the exceptional performance of the women riders ISDT 1927
Image – scanned report in Cairns Post 17 Aug 1927 reporting how Australian rider Melrose was washed off his bike at Longlands in 36″ of water but completed the first days run ISDT 1927
Image of scanned article in The Citizen 17th August 1927 ISDT 1927
Image of scanned article in The Citizen 18th August 1927 ISDT 1927
Image of scanned article in The Cornishman 19th August 1927 ISDT 1927
Image of scanned article in The Citizen 20th August 1927 ISDT 1927
Image of scanned article in The Daily Mail 20th August 1927 ISDT 1927
Image of scanned article in The Daily Mail 22nd August 1927 ISDT 1927
Image of scanned article in The Citizen 22nd August 1927 ISDT 1927
Image of scanned article in Devon & Exeter Gazette 25th August 1927 ISDT 1927
Image of scanned article in Devon & Exeter Gazette 25th August 1927 ISDT 1927
Image of scanned article in The Citizen 8th Sept1927 ISDT 1927
Image of scanned article in The Citizen 08th Sept – cont 1927 ISDT 1927
Image of scanned article in The Citizen 8th Sept – cont 1927 ISDT 1927
Image of scanned report in Westmorland Gazette 27th August 1927 reporting results of ISDT 1927
Image of Event results ISDT 1927
image – scanned article in Sunday Times, Perth Western Australia 13 Nov 1927 reporting on F W Giles’s win ISDT 1927
We would welcome any more details on this important Englsih event in particular detailed route maps
Speed Track Tales 
Pingback: A Hundred Years of ISDT Approaches 1913 – 2013 « Speed Track Tales
Any sign of individual results?
nope not yet but am about to post the 1927 article.
Pingback: ISDT 1927: Report from Motor Cycling 24 August 1927 | Speed Track Tales
Very good article, got what I needed from that!
I thought you might like it I have the 1931 Motor Cycle report to upload shortly thanks to STB
i might have something, louise mclean was my aunt and i have a bunch of clippings somewhere
Hello thanks for visiting the site. If you have any material you are able to share I would be very grateful
Pingback: ISDT 1927: Rider list and steepest hills greater than 1 in 7 | Speed Track Tales