Ted Mellors

Edward Ambrose Mellors (10 April 1907 – 7 June 1946) was an English international motorcycle road racer who rode in the Manx Grand Prix in 1927 and the Isle of Man TT from 1928 to 1939. He was the 350 cc European Champion in 1938, but died in 1946, overcome by exhaust fumes while working in a new home's poorly ventilated garage.

Personal life Mellors was born in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, one of five sons of a wheelwright and a clergyman's daughter. Two of his brothers drowned in a local canal as children. He wanted to be an International motorcycle racer and spent a lot of time riding in the Derbyshire hills. Mellors met his future wife when he was still 15. She was 21, so he lied about his age. After seven months, they got married. In 1936, when Mellors became a works rider for Velocette, they moved south to Shirley near Birmingham. They had two daughters, Gladys and Joan. Mellors also won the Dutch TT in the 250cc class in 1932 and 1933.

In 1927, Benelli produced a SOHC 175 cc model. In 1930, this became DOHC, and in 1935 the capacity was increased to 250 cc. With this machine, Mellors won the Lightweight 1939 Isle of Man TT.

World War II During World War II, Mellors worked in munitions and was with the volunteer fire service. He applied, but was not accepted for the Air Force due to slightly defective eyesight, despite already having a private air pilot's licence.

Accidental death In 1946, two days after moving into a new home in Etwall Road, Hall Green, Birmingham, Mellors was overcome by exhaust fumes while working on a car, and it was his daughter Joan, arriving home from school, who found him. The Birmingham Coroner's Court recorded a verdict of accidental death. He was 39 years old.