Paddy Johnston
Record type: Motorsport Biographies
Biography: Mount: 125 c.c. – Sun
Age 52, lives at Normandy, Surrey, when we found “Paddy” describing himself as “Riding Master,” we were not quite sure whether he was pulling our leg, but as he says his hobbies include “show-jumping horses,” he seems to have meant it literally and not to have been referring to iron steeds. However he certainly has had some mastery of these latter. Back in 1923 he won the Brooklands 200 mile event, 250 class, and in 1925, a little matter of twenty six years ago, he was making his mark in the T.T. In that year he was second in both the Lightweight and Ultra-lightweight events on Cottons. The following year he won the Lightweight, again on a Cotton and in 1930 he came second, this time riding an O.K. Supreme. He has three times won the 250 class in the Leinster 100, holds a Brooklands Gold Star for a 100 m.p.h. lap and in 1923 won the Sidecar and Solo Class in the Belgian Grand Prix. He returned to the T.T. in the 1947 series finishing 22nd in the Junior on a Norton at 69.76 m.p.h.
He is entered by S. H. Goddard, of Brixton, and his machine is a Sun-Villiers.
(TT Special, 6 June 1951, p.9.)
Mounts: Junior – Norton
Lightweight – C.T.S.
Age 48 lives at Normandy, Surrey. When we found “Paddy” describing his occupation as “Riding Master” we were not quite sure whether he was pulling our leg, but as he says his hobbies include “show-jumping horses” he seems to have meant it literally and not to have been referring to iron steeds.
However, he certainly has some mastery of these latter. Back in 1923 he won the Brooklands 200-mile event, 250 class, and in 1925, a little matter 22 years ago, he was making his mark in the T.T.
In that year he was second in both the Lightweight and Ultra-Lightweight events on Cottons. The following year he won the Lightweight, again on a Cotton, and in 1930 he came second this time riding an O.K. Supreme J.A.P. He has three times won the 250 class in the Leinster 100, holds a Brooklands Gold Star for a 100 m.p.h. lap, and in 1923 won the Sidecar and Solo classes in the Belgian Grand Prix.
His lightweight is a 1939 249 c.c. C.T.S. with Rudge engine and gearbox, the frame etc., “designed by Chris Tattersall (Master Farrier) and ridden by me (Riding Master). What a queer combination!” is Paddy’s comment.
(TT Special, 9 June 1947, p.15.)
Nationality: Irish