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Graham William Walker (1897^[1] – September 7, 1962^[2]) was an English motorcycle racer, broadcaster and journalist. He also contributed greatly to the motorcycle section of the National Motor Museum.

Graham Walker was the son of William and Jessie Walker. He had five siblings - three brothers and two sisters.^[3] Walker married Elsie Spratt^[3] and together they had one son, Graeme Murray Walker (born 10 October 1923) who went on to have a long career as a motorsport commentator.

Walker was a dispatch rider in the First World War, where he received a leg injury requiring him to ride a motorcycle with a modified brake pedal. Despite this he had a successful racing career with Rudge, Sunbeam and Norton, winning the Ulster Grand Prix on a Rudge Ulster in 1928, the first road race win with an average of 80 mph ^[4]. He rode many times in the Isle of Man TT, winning the lightweight (250cc) class in 1931^[5], and became president of the TT Riders Association^[6].

During World War II, Walker took part in a campaign to recruit new dispatch riders.^[7]

In 1935, after his motorcycle racing career had finished, Walker was employed by the BBC as a commentator for motorcycle racing events on television and radio.^[2] In 1949, Walker was partnered on the BBC's motorcycle commentaries with his son, Murray.^[8]

He was editor of Motor Cycling magazine from 1938 to 1954^[4] and he then took up a directorship at the Montagu Motor Museum, of which his enthusiasm for preserving historic motorcycles partly led to the museum having opened a motorcycle section in 1956.^[7]

Isle of Man TT Race Career

References

• Murray Walker (2002). Unless I'm Very Much Mistaken. ISBN 0-007-12696-4.  

External links

• Motor Cycling magazine site
• TT results and photos