L.A. Bees motorcycle competition medals, photographs and scrapbook, 1912-1923, comprising a 1913 MCC Standard Trial silver finisher's medal, the obver
£300 - £400
L.A. Bees motorcycle competition medals, photographs and scrapbook, 1912-1923, comprising a 1913 MCC Standard Trial silver finisher's medal, the obverse featuring a classical scene in relief and inscribed MOTOR CYCLING CLUB, FOUNDED 1901, the reverse engraved STANDARD TRIAL, 2ND & 4TH AUGUST 1913, MOTOR-CYCLE, L.A. BEES, hallmarked Birmingham 1913, with maker's mark, two BIRMINGHAM MOTOR CYCLE CLUB silver medals, both sides in relief with the obverse bearing the City coat of arms in blue enamel beneath a motor cycle cylinder block, the reverse featuring a racing motorcyclist, one engraved 15.4.22, SANGSTER CUP, L.A. BEES, the other 17.3.23, VICTORY CUP, L.A. BEES, both hallmarked Birmingham 1922 with the same maker's mark, 26 assorted period photographs, including thirteen from the 1923 Junior TT, eight on card embossed with a Ramsey, IOM, photographer's stamp, also hillclimb, sidecar and trials events, a small scrapbook containing 20 pages of press cuttings and hand-written notes covering his motorcycle competition successes from 1912 to 1923, plus two 1914 personal Automobile Association & Motor Union documents and his New Alldays & Onions Ltd business card (33) Leonard A. Bees was well known in the Birmingham motorcycle trade. In 1912 he became involved with the local L.M.C. concern and proved an accomplished trials and hillclimb rider. He won many medals prior to WWI, including a hat trick of golds in the annual MCC Six-Day Trial, and also won gold in the Prix de Paris, despite being the only British entrant. His successes continued after the hostilities and he then moved to the New Alldays & Onions Company. His competition swansong seems to have been taking part in the 1923 Junior TT on the Isle of Man. He died at the age of 54 in 1941.