Monday, June 27, 2011

Stanley and Mildred Woods photo album of their Australian tour late 1936,early 1937, during which Stanley raced works Velocettes at Victor Harbour, SA and Phillip Island, Victoria.....

I mentioned earlier that I was bidding at the Bonhams auction at the Staffs show in the UK on Easter Sunday and did a blog on it.....
http://velobanjogent.blogspot.com/2011/04/bidders-perspective-of-bonhams-auction.html
I succeeded in purchasing Stanley and Mildred Woods photo album of their tour to Australia in Dec.1936 to early 1937.
Stanley brought out two factory Velocette's with him...a 350 and 500, both "dog-kennel" engine variants which were left in the hand of Frank Mussett the Australian rider and local agent in Melbourne.
I said I would feature the album and apart from the "touristy" shots featuring Koala bears, views of scenery etc, the motorcycle content follows.....
Left click on the images to enlarge....
Outside Lou Borgelt's Velocette agency in Adelaide, South Australia.
The Woods disembarked in Adelaide for the start of their tour.
They were loaned a car, arranged by Lord Nuffield in the UK.
Stanley rode in the South Australian Centenary TT meeting at Victor Harbour, a combined car and motorcycle race meeting, 26-29th December 1939.


Stanley and Mildred at Victor Harbour.
Stanley won the Junior race comfortably and was in the lead in the senior race at pitting for fuel a pit attendant broke the clutch lever off at the handlebar...Stanley had no clutch and they had a devils own job starting it without a clutch and he fell well back in the placings, finishing 3rd.


Stanley, likely with Lou Borgelt....




Following the races at Victor Harbour, they drove to Phillip Island for the races.
Stanley again easily won the 350 race, but in practice suffered engine trouble with the 500 and had to use his 350, he finished 3rd .


Les Parry was an owner with Stillwell of the Velocette distributorship in Victoria and Percy Williams was from the NSW Velocette distributor, P & R Williams.
At Phillip Island...










The historical significance of most of the photos is that they have never been on public display before and likely never published.....
They are yours to capture, but please credit Stanley and Mildred Woods, whose photos they were.....

No comments: