Graham Walker

Graham William Walker (1896 – September 7, 1962cite news |title=Obituary: Mr. Graham Walker |work=The Times |page=16 |date=September 10, 1962|url=http://archive.timesonline.co.uk/tol/viewArticle.arc?toDate=1962-09-11&fromDate=1962-09-10&currentPageNumber=1&resultsPerPage=10&sortBy=default&offset=0&viewName=&addFilters=&removeFilters=&addCat=&queryKeywords=walker&sectionId=1040&currPgSmartSet=1&pageId=ARCHIVE-The_Times-1962-09-10-16&articleId=ARCHIVE-The_Times-1962-09-10-16-014&xmlpath=&pubId=17&totalResults=8&addRefineFilters=&removeRefineFilters=&addRefineCat=&next_Page=false&prev_Page=false&date_dd_From=10&date_mm_From=09&date_yyyy_From=1962&date_dd_to_range=11&date_mm_to_range=09&date_yyyy_to_range=1962&date_dd_from_precise=10&date_mm_from_precise=09&date_yyyy_from_precise=1962&isDateSearch=false&dateSearchType=precise&refineQuerykeywordText=|format=Registration required] ) was an English motorcycle racer, broadcaster and journalist. He also contributed greatly to the motorcycle section of the National Motor Museum.

Graham Walker was the son of William and Jessie Walker. He had five siblings - three brothers and two sisters.Walker, pp. 12-14] Walker married Elsie Spratt and together they had one son, Graeme Murray Walker (born 10 October 1923) who went on to have a long career as a motorsport commentator.

Walker was a dispatch rider in the First World War, 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, winning the Ulster Grand Prix of 1928, the first road race win with an average of 80mph [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/A2A/records.aspx?cat=307-walker&cid=-1&Gsm=2008-06-18 The National Archives | Access to Archives ] ] . He rode many times in the Isle of Man TT, winning the lightweight (250cc) class in 1931 [ [http://www.iomtt.com/TT-Database/Events.aspx?meet_code=TT31%20%20&era=2 Meetings - The official Isle of Man TT 2008 website ] ] , and became president of the TT Riders Association [ [http://www.ttra.co.uk/ttraabout.htm TTRA - The TT Riders Association website ] ] .

During World War II, Walker took part in a campaign to recruit new dispatch riders.cite news |title=Obituary: Mr. Graham Walker |work=The Times |page=13 |date=September 14, 1962|url=http://archive.timesonline.co.uk/tol/viewArticle.arc?toDate=1985-12-31&fromDate=1785-01-01&currentPageNumber=1&resultsPerPage=10&sortBy=default&offset=0&viewName=&addFilters=&removeFilters=&addCat=&queryKeywords=graham+walker&sectionId=1040&currPgSmartSet=1&pageId=ARCHIVE-The_Times-1962-09-14-13&articleId=ARCHIVE-The_Times-1962-09-14-13-003&xmlpath=&pubId=17&totalResults=19396&addRefineFilters=&removeRefineFilters=&addRefineCat=&next_Page=false&prev_Page=false&date_dd_From=1&date_mm_From=01&date_yyyy_From=1785&date_dd_to_range=31&date_mm_to_range=12&date_yyyy_to_range=1985&date_dd_from_precise=1&date_mm_from_precise=01&date_yyyy_from_precise=1785&isDateSearch=false&dateSearchType=range&refineQuerykeywordText=|format=Registration required]

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]

He 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

References

* cite book
author = Murray Walker
title = Unless I'm Very Much Mistaken
year = 2002
id = ISBN 0-007-12696-4

External links

* [http://www.motor-cycling.co.uk/ Motor Cycling magazine site]
* [http://www.iomtt.com/TT-Database/competitors.aspx?ride_id=339&filter=W TT results and photos]