Henry George Tyrell-Smith (1907–1982) was an Irish motorcycle road racer. He was born in Co Dublin and studied at Trinity College, Dublin for a B.A. And B.A.I.degree. He raced at the Isle of Man TT from 1927 to 1939, and between 1929 and 1936 competed in the German Grand Prix. He also raced in The Swedish Grand Prix in Saxtorp 1933–36.
Henry's first motorcycle was an ex War Department Douglas. From 1924 to 1929 he studied for engineering degree at Trinity College Dublin. From 1936 to 1939 he worked for the Experimental Department at Excelsior motorcycles. From 1939 to 1942 he was with the Bristol Aeroplane Co working on single-cylinder test stands. In 1942 he received a direct officer commission for REME. He was with the Workshop Office for Guards Armoured Division during D-Day landings and Normandy. In 1945 he was promoted to major as a workshop control officer in an engine repair shop at Volkswagen in Wolfsburg. After the war he worked in the Experimental Department for Triumph Motorcycles.[1]
Motorcycle racing careeredit
Tyrell-Smith started out on a Douglas, and finished second in the 1926 Leinster 200.[1] He rode a Triumph in the 1927 Isle of Man TT, and by the next year rode for Rudge, and continued to do so until 1935.
Henry Tyrell-Smith crashing at Glen Helen during the 1929 Senior TT
In the 1929 IOM Senior TT Tyrell-Smith began in the lead, and by the fourth lap was more than three minutes ahead. Then he crashed at Glen Helen, allowing a number of bikes to pass before he could rejoin, and this put Tim Hunt, on a Norton, in front. When Hunt had problems, Sunbeam's Charlie Dodson moved into the lead. Interest then began to focus on Tyrell-Smith, who, riding furiously, was making up time on the leaders. Dodson won, with his teammate Alec Bennett more than four minutes behind, and Tyrell-Smith only 50 seconds behind him, taking third. When he was examined after the race, it was found that he had leg injuries and three cracked ribs.[2] The Rudge team of those years consisted of competition manager Graham Walker, with Ernie Nott, and H.G. Tyrell Smith.[3]
Tyrell-Smith won the 1930 500cc European Championship for Rudge. In 1933 he rode an OK-Supreme in the Lightweight. In 1934 he rode an AJS in the Senior, and the 1935 Junior, having his last TT ride for Rudge in the 1935 Senior. From 1936 to 1939 he rode for Excelsior. The bike Tyrell-Smith rode in the 1936 Lightweight was a four-valve OHC radial head Excelsior with two carburettors. He finished second and went on to win the 250 cc European Championship. In the late 1930s he worked for Excelsior motorcycle company and when the war broke out, joined the British Army and served in the D-Day landings with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME).[4] After the war, a career followed with Girling Ltd as sales engineer supplying suspension units to the British Motorcycle industry[5]
In the 1960s he was regularly seen at the Isle of Man TT races accompanying the Girling racing department in his capacity as representative to the motorcycle industry but also helping to provide the support to the sport that he loved. "Tyrell" took retirement in 1972.[6] On 30 September 1956 the first Coventry Parade – then known as the Coventry–Birmingham–Coventry Veteran Motorcycle Run – was held. There were 61 entries, including "H.G. Tyrrell (sic.) Smith, successful TT rider of the 20s and 30s"[7]
^Isle of Man Weekly Times – Golden Jubilee TT Supplement 1957 p.8
^. Archived from the original on 30 September 2008. Retrieved 30 September 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) MCB Bikesport Photo Archives 1931 – 1939 (Retrieved 15 November 2006)
^[3] VMCC Coventry Parade (Retrieved 15 November 2006)
^[4] RacingMemo L'Histoire Du Grand Prix D'Allemagne (Retrieved 15 November 2006)
henry, tyrell, smith, henry, george, tyrell, smith, 1907, 1982, irish, motorcycle, road, racer, born, dublin, studied, trinity, college, dublin, degree, raced, isle, from, 1927, 1939, between, 1929, 1936, competed, german, grand, prix, also, raced, swedish, gr. Henry George Tyrell Smith 1907 1982 was an Irish motorcycle road racer He was born in Co Dublin and studied at Trinity College Dublin for a B A And B A I degree He raced at the Isle of Man TT from 1927 to 1939 and between 1929 and 1936 competed in the German Grand Prix He also raced in The Swedish Grand Prix in Saxtorp 1933 36 Henry Tyrell SmithNationalityIrishBorn1907Died1982 aged 74 75 Motorcycle racing career statisticsIsle of Man TT careerTTs contested13 1927 1939 TT wins1First TT win1930 Junior TTLast TT win1930 Junior TTTT podiums8 Contents 1 Background 2 Motorcycle racing career 3 Isle of Man TT Race career 3 1 German Motorcycle GP 3 2 Other race wins 4 References 5 External linksBackground editHenry s first motorcycle was an ex War Department Douglas From 1924 to 1929 he studied for engineering degree at Trinity College Dublin From 1936 to 1939 he worked for the Experimental Department at Excelsior motorcycles From 1939 to 1942 he was with the Bristol Aeroplane Co working on single cylinder test stands In 1942 he received a direct officer commission for REME He was with the Workshop Office for Guards Armoured Division during D Day landings and Normandy In 1945 he was promoted to major as a workshop control officer in an engine repair shop at Volkswagen in Wolfsburg After the war he worked in the Experimental Department for Triumph Motorcycles 1 Motorcycle racing career editTyrell Smith started out on a Douglas and finished second in the 1926 Leinster 200 1 He rode a Triumph in the 1927 Isle of Man TT and by the next year rode for Rudge and continued to do so until 1935 nbsp Henry Tyrell Smith crashing at Glen Helen during the 1929 Senior TT In the 1929 IOM Senior TT Tyrell Smith began in the lead and by the fourth lap was more than three minutes ahead Then he crashed at Glen Helen allowing a number of bikes to pass before he could rejoin and this put Tim Hunt on a Norton in front When Hunt had problems Sunbeam s Charlie Dodson moved into the lead Interest then began to focus on Tyrell Smith who riding furiously was making up time on the leaders Dodson won with his teammate Alec Bennett more than four minutes behind and Tyrell Smith only 50 seconds behind him taking third When he was examined after the race it was found that he had leg injuries and three cracked ribs 2 The Rudge team of those years consisted of competition manager Graham Walker with Ernie Nott and H G Tyrell Smith 3 Tyrell Smith won the 1930 500cc European Championship for Rudge In 1933 he rode an OK Supreme in the Lightweight In 1934 he rode an AJS in the Senior and the 1935 Junior having his last TT ride for Rudge in the 1935 Senior From 1936 to 1939 he rode for Excelsior The bike Tyrell Smith rode in the 1936 Lightweight was a four valve OHC radial head Excelsior with two carburettors He finished second and went on to win the 250 cc European Championship In the late 1930s he worked for Excelsior motorcycle company and when the war broke out joined the British Army and served in the D Day landings with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers REME 4 After the war a career followed with Girling Ltd as sales engineer supplying suspension units to the British Motorcycle industry 5 In the 1960s he was regularly seen at the Isle of Man TT races accompanying the Girling racing department in his capacity as representative to the motorcycle industry but also helping to provide the support to the sport that he loved Tyrell took retirement in 1972 6 On 30 September 1956 the first Coventry Parade then known as the Coventry Birmingham Coventry Veteran Motorcycle Run was held There were 61 entries including H G Tyrrell sic Smith successful TT rider of the 20s and 30s 7 Isle of Man TT Race career editYear Placing Race Motorcycle Average Speed 1927 13th Senior TT Triumph 60 99 mph 1928 4th Senior TT Rudge 60 52 mph 1929 3rd Senior TT Rudge 70 25 mph 1930 6th Senior TT Rudge 71 11 mph 1930 1st Junior TT Rudge 71 08 mph 1931 2nd Lightweight TT Rudge 68 25 mph 1932 8th Senior TT Rudge 75 70 mph 1932 3rd Junior TT Rudge 74 02 mph 1933 9th Senior TT Rudge 75 34 mph 1933 5th Junior TT Rudge 75 46 mph 1933 11th Lightweight TT OK Supreme 65 62 mph 1934 7th Senior TT AJS 70 56 mph 1935 10th Junior TT AJS 75 21 mph 1935 2nd Lightweight TT Rudge 70 67 mph 1936 2nd Lightweight TT Excelsior 72 51 mph 1937 7th Junior TT Excelsior 77 25 mph 1938 3rd Lightweight Excelsior 73 62 mph 1938 13th Junior TT Excelsior 76 69 mph 1939 3rd Lightweight TT Excelsior 71 91 mph DNF in 1931 Junior and Senior DNF in 1936 Junior Excelsior Retired Lap 3 at Creg ny Baa DNF in 1937 Lightweight Excelsior Retired Lap 6 at Creg ny Baa with broken connecting rod DNF in 1939 Senior TT Career Summary Finishing Position 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 DNF Number of times 1 3 4 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 6 German Motorcycle GP edit In 1929 Henry Tyrell Smith won the 500 cc class at the German motorcycle Grand Prix In 1931 the 350 cc Grand Prix In 1934 the 250 cc Grand Prix In 1936 the 250 cc Grand Prix 8 Other race wins edit 1931 250cc Dutch Grand Prix 1932 350cc Ulster Grand Prix Rudge 77 89 mph 350cc Brooklands Grand Prix 1933 500cc Leinster 200 1934 250cc Belgium Grand Prix 1936 350cc Dublin 100 1937 350cc Dublin 100 250cc Leinster 200 1938 250cc North West 200 1 References edit a b c Title TT Special Published 12 June 1953 page 22 1 Archived 7 December 2006 at the Wayback Machine LocalHistory Boulton Part6 Retrieved 15 November 2006 2 Archived 7 December 2006 at the Wayback Machine LocalHistory Boulton Part5 Retrieved 15 November 2006 TT Special Edited by G S Davison Article Practice Report 1950 edition Isle of Man Weekly Times Golden Jubilee TT Supplement 1957 p 8 Archived copy Archived from the original on 30 September 2008 Retrieved 30 September 2008 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint archived copy as title link MCB Bikesport Photo Archives 1931 1939 Retrieved 15 November 2006 3 VMCC Coventry Parade Retrieved 15 November 2006 4 RacingMemo L Histoire Du Grand Prix D Allemagne Retrieved 15 November 2006 External links editrace results Isle of Man TT winners Mountain Course map https web archive org web 20071202065211 http www reisemosaik at Oldtimer Krackowizer Motorcycles M R htm Saxtorp Grand Prix Henry Tyrell Smith s rootsweb profile Sporting positions Preceded byPercy Hunt 500cc Motorcycle European Champion1930 Succeeded byPercy Hunt Preceded byArthur Geiss 250cc Motorcycle European Champion1936 Succeeded byOmobono Tenni Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Henry Tyrell Smith amp oldid 1216978193, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
