Steve Turnbull (son of George) is researching the tale(s) of Edgar Jessop and the famous burnt foot TT race..

If anyone has any clean stories about Edgar Jessop, could they please contact steve at:-

s.turnbull@updatesport.com

Also Steve would like to hear from anyone who knew his Dad George (who was Sports reporter for the Daily Telegraph) in those TT Golden Years when we all met up in the Round Bar in what is now the Hilton, and in the Texas Bar in the old Douglas Bay Hotel.

Ey, lad, them wor the days

Thanks to all of you who have taken time to send us your memories and tales of Edgar Jessop, who apparently is now living abroad but intends coming for the big one in 2007 to commemorate the 100th year since the TT started.

I was interested to read a number of communications which stated that 2007 is the 100th TT which I feel, with respect, is not quite right.

With the gaps due to Wars etc this may be only the 88th TT or even less if you take off the years when racing was on the shorter courses. So which TT IS 2007 then ?? Your answers and controversial comments please !!!

see also:
http://www.ttfan.com/edgj.htm

1907 was the first TT; 2007 is one hundred years so.....

But I take your point Ian, there is another Centenary scheduled for the anniversary coinciding with the hundredth year on the Mountain circuit.

Buggered if I can remember when it is with out checking an' I can't be bothered !!!.

I think 1922 was when the course as we know it now (more or less) was used for the first time so it is 2007-1922-WW2 which is 80 is it not ??

Here is a thought-----

Is it the TTs 100th birthday in 2007 or only its 99th ???
1907=0
1908=1
1909=2 etc !!

Sorry, I do have some time on my hands at the moment and the tablets give me hallucinations !!

I presume Ian that 2007 is a 100 yrs of the TTs exsistance.
If my memory serves me right in 1966 when it was held in August due to the Seamans strike,as it was then a round of the world championship,there was a suggestion, in order to keep to the June date,of holding it in mainland Europe.
I know the switch to August did cause immense problems,not least getting there.I finished up on cargo ship taking coal to the island,craned my van and bikes onto deck,but must admit it was a pleasant journey even if a bit long,as i got free refreshments all the way.

See this one Arthur !!!

http://www.bbhmg.com/1966.htm

Thanks Ian,thats incredible ethusiasm and a great story.Can't claim anything like that as it was to Douglas on a freighter and back 12 days later on the Manx Maid,which had a loading arrangement like a fairground helter skelter. Fine untill the begger infront stoppped and you were left stationary on about a 1 in 4 gradient.What i do remember of 1966 was really good weather and chatting to a family who were there for a peacefull holiday,they had never seen a motorbike race in their life.
The husband told me that when they heard the races were on they almost cancelled their holiday as they imagined 2 weeks of bedlam.
However the event had made their holiday and they were thrilled by it and were booking to come back in June next year.
Which makes me think even now.Is there a much wider audiance that the TT could be sold to?, but then I guess now accomodation would be a problem unless they put some trailer parks in for peak season events.

Thanks Ian,thats incredible ethusiasm and a great story.Can't claim anything like that as it was to Douglas on a freighter and back 12 days later on the Manx Maid,which had a loading arrangement like a fairground helter skelter. Fine untill the begger infront stoppped and you were left stationary on about a 1 in 4 gradient.What i do remember of 1966 was really good weather and chatting to a family who were there for a peacefull holiday,they had never seen a motorbike race in their life.
The husband told me that when they heard the races were on they almost cancelled their holiday as they imagined 2 weeks of bedlam.
However the event had made their holiday and they were thrilled by it and were booking to come back in June next year.
Which makes me think even now.Is there a much wider audiance that the TT could be sold to?, but then I guess now accomodation would be a problem unless they put some trailer parks in for peak season events.

just read your 1966 story, Ian...magic!

A great story Ian, I don't think many will beat that unless they were crew on the ferries.

Many years ago I managed two in the fortnight, went back for an interview on the Friday of practice week and back on the Saturday, but three in a week........

Regarding the 1966 TT/manx meetings, I heard that the 'thin black line' was still visible after the TT, it had not been washed or worn away before the Manx. It was very visible for those wearing polaroid glasses - or is this just another TT fable!

Bill your bang on about the line all the way round. I spent the entire month on the island, for both the TT and the MGP. unimaginable today but the road surface all the way round was just sprayed tar and chippings, unheard of on a public road today.

66 the year of the boat strike was stinking hot T.T, we don't seem to get the very hot summers like that now, Melting Tar at Sulby!! etc etc, warning boards at the start of races was the norm, of course the road was well lubed up with lashings of oil from drip feed primary chain oilers and exposed oil fed cam boxes, holes punched in screens and shattered goggle lenses from flying loose chippings just added to the excitement.

Pete Welfare and Ralph Grew and others did a roaring trade in replacement screens

I went to the TT in 66 with Albert Moule and Pat walsh, I was doing the Manx the fortnight following and Pat was staying to help me and Albert to do his travelling Marshall bit.

At the end of the TT there was a continuous ribbon of black smooth sticky tar all round the course, absolutely perfect for riders in the 'AMATEUR' Manx Grand Prix to get the right line from the trail left by the experts, I clearly remember it been bought to the attention of newcomers in particular. getting it of the bike, boots and leathers with petrol took ages.

Never in the world would you have been able to race modern bikes on the TT course then, the place is almost like the M25 now and as smooth as a babys bottom like a billiard table by comparison.

If your look at the photographs on Ian Huntleys posting of the 1947 TT some of them must have been taken TT week because you can clearly see black tracks, yep that's from melting tar.

It has been mentioned about spectator numbers, by Charlie Hulse and others, there were spectators bikes parked side by side, wheels to the curb in front of the hotels from the harbour, including Douglas sea front itself almost to the old Douglas Bay Hotel, every back street and alley was jammed with bikes. Not a bed to be found in spite of the amazing number of hotels and boarding houses that existed in those days.

But times change in those days it was a big family affair to go to the TT Mothers Fathers, kids, aunts, uncles and Grandparents. The TT also had a tremendous amount of support from mainland national and regional newspapers, I have copy of a 68 Manchester evening news broaddsheet with two full pages of practice photographs of starters in the the following days 125 and the Senior races on the 125 page is Gary Dickinson John Kiddie, Les Isles. myself and half a dozen others, buy todays Daily Mail once a great supporter of the T.T and the TT does not get a mention.

The island could never accomadate such numbers today

The queues of bikes waiting for ferries stretching from the docks almost to the Liverool Liver Building all day and all night, you could stand at Guthries and there would not be an inch of room and the banks as far as the eye could see down to the Bungalow and round the Verandah to the Black Hut. The seagulls were a serious problem on that part of the course because of their scavenging.

Truly an amazing times.

See http://www.bbhmg.com/0708.htm and look at the crowds on the beach on days between races............

Now you have to be careful not to stand in something or breath in some noxious gas or other.

I have to admit to being a Skinny Dipper in years gone by, when, after a super evening in the Douglas Bay we would walk down to the sea front oppsite the Castle Mona, the bravest (most p****d ) of us would peel off, some entirely, yes, and our dollies as well, and plunge into the moonlit sea which was still warm from the glorious sunshiny day.

A few splashes, a few kisses and that was it all sealed up for the night. Some of us couldn't find our outer pants, or socks etc but we stayed near to the Castle Mona and carefully made it to our bedrooms, a bit sandy, damp and partially dressed but strangely sober

Anyone else done the skinny dip in those far off days ???

Been there done that got the Pnumonia.

At that's a picture of a proper hospitality tent.

I once entered the Douglas Bay swim race. But I withdrew on the day....

....It was raining!! :roll: Sorry, I'll get me' coat.

HA...almost as old as Edgar hisself !!

We swam out to the Tower of Refuge on one or two occasions, but hated the feeling of all that seaweed clutching at our legs as though it had a mind of its own...

Perhaps it had !!

And the jelly fish.......................................................

I know what you mean about seaweed I think that's what drove the crowds away in your picture, the smell of it rotting.

I've swum out to the Tower as well. In fact I've walked there on more than one occasion without getting my feet wet. God knows why! But as the tides used to go out well beyond the Tower....

....and it passed the time between Manx Ices. Not what it is now, the real creamy stuff. "Lovely"

and what we used to call Candy Floss.................

and the bottles of VIMTO...................................

and the Queenies at Peel...................................

and the black Guiness, cold, for breakfast !!! ......

And JOES the photograph shop in Strand Street...

My goodness, will it all ever come back ?????????