Tommy L Hatch – a request for any information

[scottown]

Hi Ashley,

Thanks for contacting us with your enquiry. There are other enthusiasts out there who are much more knowledgable on these matters than myself so i have posted your message on the Scott Owners’ Club forum (your email address removed). Please keep an eye out for any responses which may be of interest to you and others who get to read this…

Regards,

Paul
webmaster@scottownersclub.org

On 4 Nov 2014, at 10:32, Ashley Wright wrote:

Hi,
I wonder if you could help I am doing some research about a motorbike rider from the 1920/30’s his name is Tommy L Hatch he road Scotts in the 1928 1929 and 1933 IOM TT. Coming 3rd in 1928.

https://www.iomtt.com/TT-Database/Events/Races.aspx?meet_code=TT28&race_seq=3

https://www.iomtt.com/TT-Database/Events/Races.aspx?meet_code=TT29&race_seq=3

https://www.iomtt.com/TT-Database/Events/Races.aspx?meet_code=TT33&race_seq=3

I presume he raced in other years too but maybe didn’t finnish.

I have found two photo’s of him:

https://www.iomtt.com/Photo-Gallery/GalleryPicPreview.aspx?image=6761&ref=

https://www.motoringpicturelibrary.com/Images?item=4564&order_by=2004-P-3163.jpg&unique_name=Images&filter=Isle&filterfrom=keywords&rows=200

and a video of the tt in 1928 although unlikely to show him:

https://www.britishpathe.com/video/tourist-trophy-thrills

I believe this is the model Scott that he road:

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/17358/lot/441/
https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/21897/lot/159/
https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/21898/lot/272/
https://www.vintagebike.co.uk/pictures/1929-scott-works-tt-machine/#.VFii5CiEPw4

https://thevintagent.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/the-1929-tt-ex-works-scotts.html

I wondered if you may have any iom tt pictures and videos or even programs that would have him listed. Also is there any information in any Scott books did he work for them etc. Is there any info in the green or blue un for the tt for those years that mention him. Any other sources of information you could suggest.

Your help would be much appreciated and I would be happy to let you have any information I find about him including a photo of his medal from his great granddaughter.

Many thanks
Ashley Wright

[BRIAN MARSHALL]

Hi, I met Tommy’s son when my 1929 TT Replica won “Best Vintage” at the Northern Classic Bike Show in 1993, and he sat on my bike for photographs.I’m sure that David Waring organised that, so he may have photos of the occasion, or other information. Since then of course I have had four of the 1928 works TT bikes through my hands, and also a 1929 works bike. Two of them are on page 40 of the December 2014 issue of “The Classic MotorCycle” magazine. I have copies of ‘period’ black and white photos of Tommy, but nothing not previously published I think. I believe he was a factory employee for a while, unlike for instance Phil Vare, who declared himself “just a hired jockey” in one of his letters that I have a copy of.
Brian

[Jem Wilcox]

There is an article by George Stevens in the May 1963 issue of Yowl (available in the ‘Yowl Archive’ section of this website) (pages 24 to 26) which is an account of Tommy Hatch’s ride in the 1933 TT. It is heavily based on first-hand communication with Tommy Hatch and may give an insight into that ‘Last Scott in the TT’ ride.

[BRIAN MARSHALL]

I’ve just looked up that 1963 article, and as is often the case, then got distracted by other interesting articles, and so continued reading onto further issues from over half a century ago. Lo and behold, in the August 1963 issue (Volume 3, Number 6, Page 10), there is a ‘follow-up’ piece that includes a good photo of Tommy, with a front view of his machine that, sadly, gives us little or no technical information. There IS however some technical information in the text, and I was surprised to read that the machine only had a three-speed gearbox, (footchange by then), and I find it hard to believe the bit about the pressurised radiator with ‘steam valve’…
Although Tommy finished the race, he said that he was about 35mph slower than the fastest machines, with a disappointing top speed of only 85mph, and he was lapped by Stanley Woods ! The last Scott to take part in the Senior TT, with lots of A E Reynolds input of course, but there were Scotts in later years in the Manx Grand Prix, notably the 1938 event, with a fastest-ever lap by a Scott at over 71mph. The glory days were long gone…..

[David J Waring]

Brian is correct that it was I who was the organiser of that 1993 show, which was to be the last to be held in Bolton, as the venue, the Silverwell Street Sports Hall, was due to be demolished.
Tommy’s son attended with his late Father’s 1928 trophy at my invitation, as he lived a few miles from me in north Cheshire.
In Yowl February 1994, I recorded my experiences surrounding the show entitled “A Week on the Guinness is not a Good Prelude to Organising a Bike Show Stand”.
I still have an album of photos, but have recently given all the show stand posters which I made to Trevor Scott for his museum project.
I wrote a small piece for Yowl June 2003 entitled “Tommy Hatch 75 Years Ago This Month” recording the reports about Tommy in the 1928 Senior TT as published in The Warrington Guardian of Saturday 16th June 1928, Tommy being a Warringtonian. I followed this in Yowl August 2003 with a biography(Tommy Hatch – 75 Years on from June 1928) about Tommy & his motorcycling, that recorded the memories recounted to me by Tommy’s widow, including a photo from the 1993 show of Tommy’s son with the 1928 trophy, and Brian’s TT Replica. Note Tommy’s unusual middle name above.
Pre 1928 Tommy entered trials, including the Scott Trial and grass tracked. Somewhere in my files I have copies of press reports & photos of Tommy competing in speedway, but, at the moment, am too busy to look for them.
In the meantime, a bit more information about Ashley Wright, who is at the root of this discussion, would be useful and for what purpose is his research?

[fishboy1669]

Hi everyone,
got access to the forum now so can inquire more.

To answer your question David, I usually only have interest for sunbeams of the 1937 era and mid 70’s urals (don’t ask) but while chatting to a guy in the bar I work in re IOM TT as he plans on racing a sidecar outfit there soon one of the barmaids mentioned that her great grandfather came third at the TT but didn’t know that much more. Due to my interest in bikes and therefore the TT I did a bit of research and managed to find footage of him racing and some other info so basically go hooked on finding out more about him and his Scott.

Up to now I have found out he did some trials the TT and it seems mainly he was a speedway racer at Warrington where he won and then at Manchester.

The girl is going to get some of his memorabilia for me to have a look over and I’ll take some photos and share with every one but I thought I would ask about and then collect all I find together and share with relevant places like the iom tt site that doesn’t have much about him and also the speedway and wiki pages. Seems a shame not to put a good history of him together and then make it all public.

Ash

[fishboy1669]

Hi Brian,
from what I have read on the web I suspected him to be a works rider although he had ridden a sunbeam previously so guess he was not just limited to Scotts. I would be grateful for any scans of the photos or the magazine articles so I can put a dossier together on Tommy.

Can anyone tell me how I get to the yowl magazines online? Can someone post me the links to the relevant editions.

Cheers
Ash

[fishboy1669]

Hi David,
do you still live in Warrington?

Cheers
Ash

[David J Waring]

Ashley,
Yes, as you will see from my “Viewing Profile”, I am in Grappenhall on the outskirts of Warrington in north Cheshire. Tommy’s son & a grandson were living 3miles & 2 miles respectively from me in 2003 when I wrote articles for Yowl.
How about filling in your profile?

[TedParkin]

😀 😀 It may help to try the VMCC Achive Ashley. They have old plate pics of the bikes. He may be there. Regards 😀 😀

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