Richard Harding

Record type: Motorsport Biographies

Biography: Lightweight – Norton
Senior – Norton

Age 24, Richard Maclean Harding comes from Blackheath, London. He served in the Grenadier Guards from 1952 until invalided out after a lorry accident in January, 1955, and took part in his first-ever race (at Brand’s Hatch) early in the year; this was against doctor’s orders, for he had been advised not to ride a motor cycle, let alone race one! Later in the year he rode in the Junior Clubman’s race and was tenth, despite a bad start and a stop to disentangle a wayward speedometer cable.

Events later in 1955 included the Nine Hours race at Thruxton and the Manx Grand Prix, in which he finished 26th in the Junior and 20th in the Senior on the same 350 cc A.J.S. Last season he was most successful with the 250 c.c. G.M.V (Geoff Monty Velocette), winning his class at Brand’s Hatch and being placed second at Crystal Palace and Alton Towers.

He was unfortunate enough to retire on the last lap of the 1956 Junior T.T. and his lot was the same in the Lightweight Race when he retired at the pits on the sixth lap with his G.M.V.
(TT Special, 5 June 1957, p.13.)

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