George Enoch Stanley (1884-1949)
was a British motorcyclist who was a member of ‘The British Motorcycle Racing Club’.
History
From 1909 to 1911 he rode a Premier motorcycle then from 1911 to 1914 he rode a three and a half horsepower single cylinder
Singer
Singing is the art of creating music with the voice. It is the oldest form of musical expression, and the human voice can be considered the first musical instrument. The definition of singing varies across sources. Some sources define singi ...
motorcycle and lastly he rode a
Triumph
The Roman triumph (Latin triumphus) was a celebration for a victorious military commander in ancient Rome. For later imitations, in life or in art, see Trionfo. Numerous later uses of the term, up to the present, are derived directly or indirectl ...
. George broke the one-hour record at
Brooklands
Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England, United Kingdom. It opened in 1907 and was the world's first purpose-built 'banked' motor racing circuit as well as one of Britain's first airfields, ...
race track on a Singer motorcycle in 1912, becoming the first ever rider of a 350 cc motorcycle to cover over 60 miles (97 km) in an hour. George was born in
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands of England. Located around 12 miles (20 km) north of Birmingham, it forms the northwestern part of the West Midlands conurbation, with the towns of ...
, England in 1884 and died on 4 June 1949 in a cemetery in Beddgelert. George had four children named Kenneth, Victor, Graham, Roy and his second wife called Kate. His father was Enoch Stanley and George's uncle was
William Stanley who set up the English football team,
Coventry City
Coventry City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Coventry, West Midlands. The club plays in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football. The club is nicknamed The Sky Blues after the sky blue colou ...
. George’s nickname was ‘The Wizard’.
In 1913, there was a short newspaper article about him, it read: "George E. Stanley, Engineer, in Wolver-Hampton. - Probably- the most outstanding rider in years just preceding the war, Stanley, will long be remembered as ‘The Wizard’. By super-tuning and brilliant riding he was one of the most successful riders of 1910-1913 periods, His 350cc hour record (63.39 mph) on a Singer stood from October, 1913, to November 1920, and his 500cc hour record (72.48 mph), also on a Singer, from October 1920. He entered the competition world on a Premier".
After motorcycling career, George was a consultant of Singer and a designer. After retiring from consultancy, he moved to
Beddgelert
Beddgelert () is a village and community (Wales), community in the Snowdonia area of Gwynedd, Wales. The population of the community taken at the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 census was 460 (rounded to the nearest 10). This includes Nan ...
in
Wales
Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...
where he met Kate.
Races won
* Distance of 56 miles in one Hour
* Covered a distance of 60 miles and winning the third One Hour Senior
* Covered a distance of 5 miles in 4.34 minutes
1912
* Brooklands Meeting - 2nd
* Brooklands Meeting - 1st
* Brooklands Time Trials - 1st
* Brooklands Time Trials - 1st
* Brooklands Three Lap Scratch Race - 2nd
* Brooklands Meeting - 2nd
* Brooklands Third Meeting - 1st
* Brooklands Flying Mile - 1st
* Brooklands Car Challenge Race - 1st
* Brooklands Meeting - Eighth Short Handicap - 3rd
* Invitation Race - 2nd
* All Comers Race - 1st
* Eight Long Motorcycle Race - 2nd
* Brooklands Flying Kilometre - 2nd
* Brooklands Flying Mile - 2nd
* Brooklands Junior Scratch Race - 1st
* Brooklands Senior Scratch Race - 1st
* Coventry Club's Open Hill Climb - 1st
* Coventry Club's Open Hill Climb - 1st. on time
- 1st. on form
* Coventry Club's Open Hill Climb - 1st. on time
* Coventry Club's Open Hill Climb - 1st. on form
* Brooklands Junior Hour Race - 1st
1913
* Brooklands 3 Lap Scratch - 1st
* Brooklands 3 Lap Scratch - 1st
* Brooklands 3 Lap Handicap - 1st
* Brooklands 3 Lap Handicap - 3rd
* Senior Lap TT - 1st
* Brooklands Time Trials - 1st
* 22 Lap Junior TT - 1st
* 26 Lap Senior TT - 1st
* 3 Lap Scratch - 1st
* 3 Lap Scratch - 1st
* 3 Lap Handicap - 1st
* 3 Lap Hindicap - 1st
* The Daily Express Motorcycle Benzol Race - 1st
* 10 Mile Record Race and Sealed Handicap - 1st
* Junior One Lap Sprint Race - 1st
* Five Lap A.C.U. Championship Race - 3rd
* Junior One Hour A.C.U. Championship Race - 1st
World records held
Class "B":
* Flying 5 Miles
* Standard 10 Miles
* 50 Miles
* One Hour
Class "C":
* Flying Kilometers
* Flying Mile
* Flying 5 Miles
* Standard 10 Miles
* 50 Miles
* One Hour
Class "C":
* Flying Kilometre
* Flying Mile
* Flying 5 Miles
* Standard 10 Miles
* 50 Miles
* One Hour
See also
*
Brooklands
Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England, United Kingdom. It opened in 1907 and was the world's first purpose-built 'banked' motor racing circuit as well as one of Britain's first airfields, ...
*
Premier Motorcycles
Premier Motorcycles were British motorcycles manufactured by a business founded as a bicycle manufacturer by W. H. Herbert and William Hillman in 1876. Their "Hillman and Herbert Cycle Company" was renamed "Premier Cycle Co." in 1891.
White & ...
*
Triumph Motorcycles
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stanley, George E.
British motorsport people
20th-century British sportsmen
1884 births
1949 deaths
Sportspeople from Wolverhampton
People from Beddgelert