Noel Pope

Noel Baddow Pope was born in Toxteth, a district of Liverpool, on 24th December 1909. He moved south in the 1920's and home became Surbiton Surrey. Spectating at his "local" circuit Brooklands, he was inspired by the great motorcycle racers of the time. Following his graduation in electrical engineering his racing took off and he took part in motorcycle races around the United Kingdom, and on the Continent riding machines as diverse as Norton, Velocette and Brough Superior. Between the years 1935-1939 he attained many motorcycle speed records at Brooklands, including the fastest lap for solo machines at 124.51 mph on a supercharged Brough Superior: a record that never beaten. For which he received the double Gold Star pictured above.

During WW2 he served in the Royal Army Service Corps from 1939-1945

Returning to speed events post war, in September 1949, on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. USA, supported in part by his local motorcycle dealership  Comerfords of Thames Ditton, he attempted the world land speed record on a streamlined  Brough Superior that he had used for the Brooklands record, following a high speed crash the attempt was abandoned. He wrote his autobiography Full Chat which was published in 1952. Noel died in 1971 at the age of 61. Bemsee of whom he was a member and the club's  Chairman had a trophy named after him to recognise his achievements, which is still presented annually to this day.

A really interesting article called A Quest for Speed written by David A Kennedy on the life of Noel, published on the Kingston History Research website
(his adopted home town)  can be read HERE