Graham William Walker (4 August 1896 – 7 September 1962) was an English motorcycle racer, broadcaster and journalist. He also contributed greatly to the motorcycle section of the National Motor Museum.
Biography Walker was born on 4 August 1896 in Wallington, Surrey,1901 United Kingdom census and was the son of William Walker (1851–?), a shipping company clerk, and Jessie née Goodman (1859–?). He had two sisters and two brothers, one of whom was Eric Anderson Walker. He was educated at Highgate School from 1910 to 1912 and had five siblings - three brothers and two sisters.Walker, pp. 12-14 Walker married Elsie Norah Fyfield née Spratt (1897–1999) and together they had one son, Graeme Murray Walker, who went on to have a long career as a motorsport commentator.
Walker was a motorcycle despatch rider in the First World War for the Royal Engineers Signal Service, where he received a leg injury requiring him to ride a motorcycle with a modified brake pedal. Despite this, he had a successful racing career with Rudge, Sunbeam and Norton. Riding a 493cc Sunbeam, he was a member of the victorious British International Trophy Team at the ISDT held in Buxton 1926 and Ambleside 1927 then saw success on the Silver Vase team in 1928 at Harrogate and 1932 Merano in Italy. Road successes included winning the Ulster Grand Prix on a Rudge Ulster in 1928, the first road race win with an average of 80 mph.The National Archives | Access to Archives Walker also won the 350cc class at the 1931 North West 200, again on a Rudge. He rode many times in the Isle of Man TT, winning the lightweight (250cc) class in 1931,Meetings - The official Isle of Man TT 2008 website and became president of the TT Riders Association.TTRA - The TT Riders Association website
During the Second World War, Walker took part in a campaign to recruit new dispatch riders.
In 1935, after his motorcycle racing career had finished, Walker was employed by the BBC as a commentator for motorcycle racing events on television and radio. In 1949, Walker was partnered on the BBC's motorcycle commentaries with his son, Murray.Walker pp. 5-8
Walker was editor of Motor Cycling magazine from 1938 to 1954 and he then took up a directorship at the Montagu Motor Museum, of which his enthusiasm for preserving historic motorcycles partly led to the museum having opened a motorcycle section in 1956.
Isle of Man TT Race career Year Race Position Make of Motorcycle 1920 Senior TT 13th Norton 1921 Senior TT Ret Norton 1922 Senior TT 5th Norton 1923 Senior TT 4th Norton Sidecar TT 2nd Norton 1924 Sidecar TT Ret Sunbeam 1925 Senior TT Ret Sunbeam Sidecar TT Ret Sunbeam 1926 Senior TT 10th Sunbeam 1927 Senior TT 5th Sunbeam Junior TT Ret Sunbeam 1928 Senior TT Ret Rudge 1929 Senior TT Ret Rudge 1930 Senior TT 2nd Rudge Junior TT 3rd Rudge 1931 Senior TT 5th Rudge Lightweight TT 1st Rudge Junior TT 5th Rudge 1932 Senior TT 6th Rudge Lightweight TT 2nd Rudge Junior TT 5th Rudge 1933 Senior TT Ret Rudge 1934 Senior TT 6th Rudge Lightweight TT 3rd Rudge
References
External links Motor Cycling magazine site TT results and photos