Senior Isle of Man Tourist Trophy (TT) motorcycle number board
Date made: 1914
Maker: unknown
Description: A rectangular plywood board with number 56 stencilled on front. The board was attached by metal nuts and bolts to a motorcycle (2 are still in place). The number board was attached to Alfred Charles Wright's Abingdon Echo motorcycle in the 1914 Senior Tourist Trophy (TT) race. A. C. Wright was a retirement in the Senior TT race due to trouble with his gears (Isle of Man Weekly Times May 23 1914, p.3). The 1914 Isle of Man TT was the last held before the outbreak of the First World War.
The board has printed on reverse: Notice. This Number Board must not be bent or cut under pain of disqualification. It must be attached to a special bracket, such bracket to be provided by the entrant, and fixed in such a position as to be vertical and facing forward, and so as to be clear of all other obstructions.
Alfred Charles Wright was born in 1891 in Kidderminster and his father was a glass, oil and colour dealer. A. C. Wright served in the Royal Field Artillery in the First World War (48th Divisional Ammunition Column) as a Fitter Corporal and died on the 5th November 1918 in northern Italy (Vicenza).
See PG/8736/1 and PG/8736/2 for photographs of Wright riding his machine, with this number board attached.
Measurements: overall: 23 cm x 28 cm x 3.5 cm
Materials: metal: iron, paint: other, wood: composite
Object name: number board
Collection: Social History Collection
ID Number: 2008-0163
Subject tags : #TT&MOTORSPORT