I've known Jack Bamford many years, he used to run our local butchers but I've only just found out in the last few days that he's raced in the Manx GP. I met him this morning in a local supermarket where I've seen him now and again shopping with his wife. He's knocking on a bit now age wise and sadly he's not in the best of health, having suffered strokes in the past and he has to use an invalid scooter now. Nothing like the 350cc Manx Norton he used to race. Anyway, I asked him about his racing and he chirped away quite merrily, it really seemed to cheer him up. Seems he used to take the front wheel off the race bike and get it in the back of an A35 van with the back doors tied up and they used to stay at the same boarding house on the IOM year after year, said it was just like home. In fact to save money there were loads of them staying in the same room. It all came to an end when he got married and had to buy a house. So I've looked him up and put a link to his record : https://www.iomtt.com/TT-Database/Events/Races.aspx?meet_code=ALL&ride_id=6077 Must have been great rubbing shoulders with the greats of the time.
i bought my first nearly new "BIG" bike from Jack Gows in Dundee, he also used to race at the TT,he died at one of the races,i think it was the MGP about 20 years ago, he wasn't keen on giving me a test ride but he took me out as a pillion,first time I'd ever been pillion and he wasn't holding back..after a few fags to settle my nerves i bought the bike
