caption image_size nationality image article_title name
frith motor cycle club 's founder 's day rally , race demonstrating meeting and parade gathering , 27 april 1969 at mallory a park 1930s manx norton at the vintage 280px british file : freddie frith.jpg freddie frith
 freddie frith
freddie frith

frederick lee `` freddie '' frith obe -lrb- born 30 may , 1909 - 24 may , 1988 grimsby , lincolnshire , england -rrb- was a british former grand prix motorcycle road racing world champion .
a former stonemason and later a motor cycle retailer in grimsby , he was a stylish rider and five times winner of the isle of man tt .
frith had the distinction of being one of the few to win tt races before and after the second world war .
he entered his first major race , the first manx grand prix in 1930 riding an over-the counter , 350 cc velocette ktt in the junior event , finishing third at a speed of 60.34 mph .
he retired from the 500 cc race with a blown engine , again riding his 350 , when holding third place .
he won the 1935 junior manx grand prix and then joined the norton team for the 1936 tt races .
it was a winning combination as he claimed the junior tt and finished second in the senior tt as well as winning the 350cc european championship .
in 1937 he went one better in the senior and took a brilliant win and setting the first 90 mph plus lap of the snaefell mountain course .
after finishing third in the 1939 senior he missed the 1947 tt due to a practice spill on a 500cc moto guzzi .
turning to velocettes in 1948 he won the junior race , repeating this success a year later .
freddie also has the distinction of being the first ever 350cc world champion in 1949 when , he won all five events of the inaugural campaign .
frith , alongside other riders from bsa , ariel and matchless works teams , served in the army during world war 2 at the infantry driving & maintenance school stationed at keswick , where officers and ncos learned how to ride cross-country .
sgt. freddie frith taught teams of four on norton 500s over skiddaw in all weathers .
a special treat on the last day was reserved for roadwork , following frith 's track-style fast cornering .
