Which Monty Banks?
I refer to the Classic Camera piece in TCM for October, concerning Valerie Peto.
According to the caption, she was a Streatham resident, so possibly a member of the Streatham & District
MCC. At one time this was one of the larger clubs in the ACU’s South-Eastern Centre, organising social and all types of sporting events, including the interests in which Mrs Peto took part.
Sadly, the Streatham Club folded some years ago and no one seems to know if archive material survives, or who might still hold it.
There is also a reference to a ‘Monty Banks Gold Star’. This is where social history gets rather foggy. The original(?) Montague ‘Monty’ Banks was married to Gracie Fields, both were hugely successful comics and actors. The couple were megastars of their day in preTV times. Inevitably, in the way of popular culture, any male with the surname of Banks was nicknamed ‘Monty’.
One such Monty Banks was a well known grasstrack rider in Kent, successful in the 1950s and early 1960s with self-tuned engines. He had two sons, Graham and Trevor. Graham was killed in a horrific track accident, but Trevor persisted with the sport and eventually became British 500cc champion in 1979 and 1980. Trevor’s son, Harvie, has ridden speedway in more recent years.
Monty remained on the scene and was still preparing engines and bikes almost until his death in 2009. He was a real character with irrepressible humour. When the legendary Rhodes Minnis track returned to race use, Monty was one of many who was invited to take part in parade laps. He was somewhat disappointed when the thunderflash he had hidden on the bike did not go off mid-lap as intended!
The British Masters Championship meeting, held at Rhodes Minnis the year he died, was dedicated to his memory.
However, noting that anyone with the Banks name might acquire the Monty moniker, there was another ‘Monty’ Banks who had a reputation for tuning scrambles bikes, although these were usually two-strokes.
Hopefully, there are others in TCM-land who can cast light on these shadows of halfknowledge!