Harry Pearce

Record type: Motorsport Biographies

Biography: Junior - A.J.S
Senior - Matchless

Age 32, Harry Pearce is a tool-maker and lives in Surbiton. Though he first rode in the TT in 1953 he had already ridden in several M.G.P’s and won four Manx replicas. He started riding in trials and scrambles at the age of sixteen, and in 1947 won the Southern Experts scramble. He took up road racing in 1948, and in 1951 rode a 350 Velocette in the Junior and Senior M.G.P’s. He finished ninth in both, and collected two replicas. Incidentally, his Junior speed was 75.38 m.p.h. whereas on the same machine his speed in the Senior was 80.50 - which, had he done it in the Junior, would have put him into third place.

He started off well in 1952 by winning the 350cc class of the North-West “200” whilst at the end of the season he was fifth in the Junior Manx, on his Velocette at 82.07, and seventh in the Senior on a Norton at 85.87, finishing less than five minutes behind the winner.

In the 350cc class of the 1953 North West “200” he finished second on his Velocette to Bob McIntyre, averaging 86.34 m.p.h. and coming home only 47 seconds behind the winner.

He later rode a Velocette in the Junior TT and a Matchless twin in the Senior. He was 41st in the Junior (bronze replica) and ninth in the Senior at a speed of 86.38 m.p.h. winning a sliver replica. He scored two more finishes in the 1954 TT races on the same machines, this time he was 13th in the Junior (Silver replica) and 40th in the Senior event (“Bronze”)
(TT Special, 10 June 1955, p.16.)

Name Variant: Harry *Pearce

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