Description
This motorcycle is Lot 297 - To be auctioned by Bonhams at The Spring Stafford Sale (The International Classic MotorCycle Show) on 26th & 27th April, please see the Bonhams website for full details.
Auction Timings:
Lots 101 - 147 are to be sold from 14:00 on Saturday 26th April 2025.
Lots 201 - 410 are to be sold from 11:00 on Sunday 27th April 2025.
Public Viewing:
Available 26th & 27th April 2025 from 09:00 until 17:00, at The Stafford County Showground (The International Classic MotorCycle Show).
Lot 297
From the estate of the late Geoffrey St John
1939 Velocette 348cc KTT Mark VIII
Registration no. GWB 943
Frame no. SF31
Engine no. KTT 806 Gearbox no. 7-5252
Iconic and beautiful Mark VIII KTT
Long-term ownership of over 45 years
A rare matching numbers machine
One of the few sought after pre-war Mark VIIIs
The Velocette Mark VIII KTT is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful motorcycles ever made. It was introduced at the 1938 Earls Court Show, and was effectively a production version of Stanley Woods' works machine which had won the Junior TT only a few months before. That victory was repeated in 1939, 1947, 1948 and 1949. These wins were of course by the factory machines, but in the hands of privateer riders the Mark VIII production racer was hugely successful in its own right. 25 of the 35 bikes which finished the 1939 Junior were Velocettes, albeit some of these would have been the preceding rigid framed mark VII model. It was also an exceptional demonstration of high-speed reliability: out of the 32 Velocettes which started the 1939 race, only 7 retired. By comparison, of the 15 Nortons which started, there were 9 DNFs.
Fewer than 50 Mark VIIIs were manufactured before the war, and a further 189 afterwards. In his excellent book "Classic Motorcycles" the highly respected motorcycle journalist, Vic Willoughby, who raced them both pre- and post-war, observed: "Regrettably, some of the post-war Mark VIIIs, though supposedly identical, were inferior in workmanship and performance to the pre-war ones............ But these post-war problems detracted not one whit from the brilliance of the original design. So far as production models were concerned, the Mark VIII KTT typified the initiative, superb engineering and soundly based confidence that put Velocette on the map in their golden years...."
The Veloce despatch records indicate that KTT806's frame, engine, and gearbox are the original matching components. It was despatched to Henstocks of Mansfield on 27. 4. 39 for its first owner J. G. Wilson - this was J. Gordon Wilson of Gordon Tools in Sheffield, the highly respected tool manufacturers. Many of the pre-war Mark VIIIs were raced in the 1939 Junior TT, but KTT806 was not among them. However, Ron Gibson, Gordon Wilson's work colleague and close friend, also ordered a Mark VIII. This was KTT820 which Ron rode to 33rd place. We don't know whether Gordon Wilson was on the Isle of Man to see the 1939 race, but it seems very likely that he would have been.
Gordon Wilson registered 806 for road use on 14th July 1939, the registration number being GWB 943. Road registrations on competition motorcycles are comparatively rare, but when they still exist, old style logbooks are invaluable when it comes to checking a bike's history. In this case the original logbook must have been lost in the early post-war years, but fortunately the bike comes with a replacement logbook issued by London County Council on 16th May 1950. Some of the information recorded on this logbook goes back to 1939, but it is stamped "Previous owners omitted to save space" - therefore Gordon Wilson's name does not appear.
We don't know when Gordon Wilson sold 806, but the first recorded keeper on this replacement logbook is Charles Rene Bruguiere of London SE26. Manx iMuseum records indicate that Charlie Bruguiere raced in the 1948 Junior TT, retiring for unknown reasons (it should be noted that in these Manx records his name is spelt Brugiere). Thanks to Hedley Cox, one of the post-war Velocette factory race mechanics, we know that the bike that Charlie rode was KTT806. In his "KTT Engine Notes" (the list of Mark VIII KTTs on which he had worked), Hedley's very first entry reads: "KTT 806. Owned by Brugiere. Ridden by him in 1948 TT no. 48".
The Manx records indicate that in 1948 and 1949 Charlie Bruguiere also raced with some success in Belgium, and, including second place in the 350 and fifth in the 500 class on a 350 Velocette at Chimay in 1949. We cannot be sure that this was achieved on 806, but it seems reasonably likely given that the bike was still in his possession at that time. Charlie returned to the Island in 1951, but this time on an AJS, presumably a 7R. The logbook indicates that 806 passed to its next owner, Ross Westmacott Porter of Spalding, in 1954. In October 1955 Charlie Bruguiere emigrated to Australia, quoting his occupation as "racing motorcyclist".
KTT806 had six further owners before it was purchased by the late Geoffrey St John who, according to the accompanying green continuation logbook, registered his ownership on 27. 6. 1972. He owned several Velocettes over the years, but he kept this one for the rest of his life: a long-term ownership of over 45 years. In the earlier years of his ownership it was raced in various events by local Gloucestershire rider George Ridgeon.
The motorcycle is accompanied by a V5C, the aforementioned buff and green logbooks, and a substantial document file which includes correspondence, invoices, price lists, and a couple of photos of it being raced by George Ridgeon. Judging by the accompanying paperwork, Geoffrey St John did a fair amount of work on the Velo through the 1970s. Later, around 2000-2001, he had a very thorough cosmetic restoration carried out by Frank Chapman of Minster Lovell. A photographic record of this restoration is supplied.
This is a rare opportunity to acquire an extremely desirable matching numbers pre-war Mark VIII KTT. Recommissioning will be required following a period of storage. Prospective bidders should satisfy themselves as to the motorcycle's completeness and mechanical condition prior to bidding. Sold strictly as viewed.
All lots are sold 'as is/ where is' and Bidders must satisfy themselves as to the provenance, condition, age, completeness and originality prior to bidding. Visit the Bonhams Motorcycles website for all pertinent auction information.
