Comments on: Norman Surtees

By: Brian Clark

Brian Clark — Tue, 03 Jan 2023 17:07:56 +0000

Spoke to John at Scarborough 1 year. Had been a friend of Norman. He confirmed that Norman had gone to Aussie, was a coal merchant & that Normans Daughter was coming over to England to spent time with John & his family. He also said he would send my greetings to Norman. Had quite a few conversations & laughs with Norman. At a Snetterton meeting a massive thunderstorm in the night. He had left some things outside his van & got up to bring them inside when lightning struck the wire fencing & blue flashes spread along it. Norman dived back into the van double quick & covered his head he informed us the next morning.
I was sharing a tent with a friens & was on a camp bed. Les on the flor when suddenly he shouted out, water was pouring through the tent which was on a slight slope. We had a van & car with a cover draped over it. My Entrant & future father in law got up to check if things were OK & the “awning?” was full of water. He used a knife to slit the cover & let the water out. Next morning Les went to his bike, parked under the cover & his food floated out of the panniers. Oh the good old days

By: Jane Subachus

Jane Subachus — Tue, 27 Dec 2022 11:37:51 +0000

Hi Karen, did you receive my last message? Thank you

Jane Subachus x

By: Jane Subachus

Jane Subachus — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 11:55:44 +0000

Hello Karen

I wonder if you could do me a huge favour? My mum, Anne Callow used to date your mums cousin, Norman way back in the 1950’s on the Isle of Man!!! She was asking if we could try and find him to say Hello!!!
Please can you say a huge hello and do you remember me??
Hahaha!! She’d love to make contact!

Many thanks

Jane x

By: David streatfield

David streatfield — Mon, 16 Dec 2019 13:29:59 +0000

Hi there…I was at brands on practice day and I was following him on the short circuit he fell off just before clearway.he was riding the bultaco.cheers.

By: philip Kenny

philip Kenny — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 12:09:24 +0000

I saw Norman Surtees come off his bike coming out of Paddock Hill Bend, Brands Hatch in the early ’60′s. He hit the Bank with some force and his bike coming after him hit him very hard. He lay prone and was seriously injured. it was said that his back was broken and I never saw him ride, or heard of him after that. I did hear a few years ago that he had gone to New Zealand.
It seemed that he and his brother had no contact? I wonder if he was Johns Brother, or half brother?

By: Jason Wright

Jason Wright — Thu, 28 Dec 2017 20:31:53 +0000

Dear All,
Can any one tell me anything about Norman or John with a 350 Manx Norton it is a 1959
Kind Regards

By: Jason Wright

Jason Wright — Thu, 28 Dec 2017 20:28:59 +0000

Dear All,
Can any one tell me anything about Norman or John with a 350 Manx Norton it is a 1959
Kind Regards

By: Jason Wright

Jason Wright — Wed, 13 Dec 2017 17:10:35 +0000

Hello Graham do you remember if Norman raced a 350 Manx Norton from around February 1959 onward

By: Pamela Melville

Pamela Melville — Mon, 13 Nov 2017 16:56:53 +0000

My father owned a motorcycle shop and new the Surtees family well i believe Norman married married my friends sister from Abernathy road Lewisham SE13 any information please

By: Brian Clark

Brian Clark — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 11:02:40 +0000

I spoke to John a few years ago at a Scarborough Gold Cup meeting. I asked him about Norman who raced an Aer Macchi in 1962/3 at the same time as me. We became racing friends.
He told me that Norman was in Australia, & also said he had a coal merchants business (can that be true in Oz?) He also said that Norman’s daughter was coming over, on a gap year I believe, & would be staying with him & his family.
I also remember a Snetterton meeting where we had a terrific thunder & lightning storm in the night. He had got out of his van to ensure his bike was well covered but a flash of lightning had him straight back in & buried his head in his bedding.
Next morning we had a good laugh looking at guys who had camped hanging their soaking kit over the paddock fences to dry out.
The bomb hole was so flooded it needed the fire brigade to pump it out & cones were placed round the edges where the water had reached. no lap records that day!
Those were the days of “austerity” racing.& camarade