The first woman solo rider to ride the Isle of Man TT, Beryl Swain, dies at 71.
It all started when Beryl Tolman fell for Eddie Swain, a mechanic and owner of a motorcycle repair shop in London. They married in 1952 and entered the realm of motorcycle racing with Beryl twisting the throttle.
Soon she’d find her niche in the 50cc class. Cutting her teeth competing at tracks such as Brands Hatch and Snetterton, then in 1962 she became the first woman solo rider to ride the Isle of Man TT course in an official event. Riding her Italian Itom 50cc she conquered the hair-raising circuit coming in 22nd in a field of 25.
Swain was hooked.
Shortly after crossing the finishing line she announced her plans to return the following year. Her announced plans to return the next year would seal her fate.
In an embarrassingly chauvinistic move, the FIM (the governing body) decided upon Beryl’s announcement to return to the TT to revoke her international racing license. The reason? It was reported that the FIM didn’t want to risk an outcome of a female dying on the dangerous circuit.
Or did they bristle at the thought of a woman achieving any success over men? Was it a backward show of concern that fans or the Press would react more negatively to a woman having an accident at the famous road course? Either way, the controversy was brought to the forefront. But, change was still slow in coming, as it wasn't until 1978 when Hilary Musson became the next woman to compete as a solo rider at the TT.
Beryl never returned to racing after her license was revoked. She worked as a manager in the London area for Sainsbury’s, a chain of supermarkets in the UK.
Today in motorcycle history proudly supports the National Association for Bikers with a Disability (NABD). www.nabd.org.uk
In an embarrassingly chauvinistic move, the FIM (the governing body) decided upon Beryl’s announcement to return to the TT to revoke her international racing license. The reason? It was reported that the FIM didn’t want to risk an outcome of a female dying on the dangerous circuit.
Beryl never returned to racing after her license was revoked. She worked as a manager in the London area for Sainsbury’s, a chain of supermarkets in the UK.
Beryl Swain would leave a legacy that still stirs the hearts of many woman racers.
Today in motorcycle history proudly supports the National Association for Bikers with a Disability (NABD). www.nabd.org.uk
