Frederick Lee Frith OBE went from stonemason, to motorcycle retailer, to motorcycle racer before the onset of the Second World War. The first key race was at the 1930 Manx GP (Junior) which he entered on an over-the-counter 350cc Velocette KTT, and finished in a respectable third place.
Freddie continued to be a regular face at the major competitions, and in 1935 he won the Junior Manx Grand Prix, before Norton snatched him up to ride for them at the TT in 1936. It was a winning combination, where he won the Junior TT and finished second in the Senior. In 1937 Freddie took the chequered flat in the Senior event, setting the first 90 mph plus lap of the Snaefell Mountain course.
Freddie continued to lap up the glory, and returned to Velocette in 1948 where he won the Junior TT.
1949 was Freddie’s final year on the circuits, but one that he would leave on a high, winning all of his GP races. In fact, Freddie did not have to compete in the sixth and last race of the season (the Italian Grand Prix at Monza) having already won the Championship with maximum points. Oh, and he also won the Isle of Man TT and Dutch TT Junior events, not bad for someone at the tail end of his career! At the end of the year, Freddie was honoured with an OBE by King George VI at the end of the year for ‘services to British motorcycle racing’ and ‘British prestige’.
This is a photo of the legend Freddie Frith cranking over his Velocette racer at the 1949 Dutch TT in Assen. The photo in fact has a great story behind it… it was sent in by Gerrit Kan, whose uncle used to send letters to those in the motorcycle hall of fame, in the hope of a response. This is what TT and GP legend Freddie sent back, along with a personal letter about his days in Assen.
Thanks to Gerrit Kan for the great photo, and great story behind the legend of Freddie Frith.
an article by The Girder Club
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