Fron Purslow

Record type: Motorsport Biographies

Biography: Age 37, Fron Purslow is a motor cycle agent, with depots in Shrewsbury and Wellington; well known on the TT circuit, he was sixth on a 250 cc Norton, in the 1951 Lightweight race, also winning the 250 cc Enniskillen 100 on the same machine that year, and being placed third in the 250 cc North West 200.

Riding the same machine he retired in the 1952 Lightweight TT but in 1953, on a 125 cc MV he was tenth. An absentee from the Isle of Man in 1954, he returned in 1955 with a most interesting machine - a French built AMC entered by the manufacturers. Ateliers Mechanique du Centre (no relation of AMC of Woolwich!) Unfortunately he was a non-starter. He did not ride in the 1956 TT either, but he came back last year to collect a Bronze Replica for 17th place in the Lightweight on an NSU.

He has already done well on the short circuits this year with firsts at Kirkby Mallory and Oulton Park, whilst in the recent Spanish Grand Prix he was second in the 205 on an NSU, third in the 125 on a Ducati and third again in the 500 on a Norton. At Aintree early last month he won both 125 and 250 cc races, and he was second in the 350 cc class of the recent North West 200.
(TT Special, Friday, June 06, 1958, p22)

Mount: Lightweight – Norton

Age 30, Purslow is a motor-cycle agent—B.S.A. specialist —of Shrewsbury. He has had a wide experience of racing on circuits all over the country and in Northern Ireland, has had several successes at Ansty, Eppynt, Scarborough, etc., and in 1949 scored seventeen firsts. He rode in the Junior Clubman's T.T. of 1947 and finished fifth at 66.7, and in the Junior Manx the following year finished 42nd at 69.34.

In 1949 he was much fancied for the Clubman's Lightweight, having made second fastest practice lap in 33 mins. 51 secs. In the race itself, however, he retired with magneto trouble after the first lap. He rode a B.S.A. in the 1950 Junior T.T., but again had to retire – on his last lap. He also rode in the 1950 Dutch T.T., finishing 23rd and was second in the Enniskillen 100, at 65.41 m.p.h.

Hobbies: “None other than B.S.A.”
(TT Special, 6 June 1951, p.8.)

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