At the recent Southern 100 Annual Dinner, which kick-started the celebrations of the Diamond Jubilee of the Southern 100 the Clerk of the Course Phil Taubman was rendered speechless after being presented with a decanter set in recognition of his 60 years’ service to the races on the Billown Course which were first run in 1955.

In 1955, as it is today road race organisers rely heavily on volunteers to help set up the course and amongst the many volunteers in early 1955 were two young teenagers who were jumping on and off his wagon humping bales to get the course ready.


These two young teenage friends became life-long best of friends, they were no less than the late Gordon ‘Hoss’ Clague and Phil Taubman.

At this time the races were run by the Southern Motorcycle Club Committee which Philip joined in 1961 and followed on by becoming a member of the Southern MCC Race Committee in 1964.