Book Review
“Playing with the Boys” Olga Kevelos – Motorcycle Sportswoman – an extraordinary 20th century life in words and photographs
Author: Colin Turbett
Published by: Banovallum Books, an imprint of Mortons Books Ltd, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6JR www.mortonsbooks.co.uk
Tel: 01507 529529 Softback, 295 x 210mm;
173pp with over 250 photographs.
ISBN 978-1-5272-0795-0 £25 UK; $28 USD; $39 CAD; $45 AUD
Olga Kevelos (1923-2009) was undoubtedly one of the most versatile and talented female motorcycle competitors of the post-Second World War period, riding successfully in centre and national one-day trials, riding many times in the Scottish Six Days Trial and winning gold, silver and bronze medals in the International Six Days Trial.
She even did the occasional scramble and road race; was a member of the successful Honda Maudes Trophy team and raced a Manx Nortonengined Formula 3 car for Rex McCandless – this was just part of her extraordinary life.
The oldest child of a middle-class Birmingham family – her father was Greek and her mother English – she volunteered on the outbreak of the Second World War as narrow boat crew on the Grand Union canal.
Post-war, she went on a cycle tour across Europe before returning to run her father’s Cherry Orchard Restaurant in Birmingham, where she met many trade personalities, journalists and riders.
An attractive and vivacious brunette, she surrounded herself with legions of men who, it was said, would do anything for her. Birmingham dealer and racing competitor Frank Cope, who sold her one the first Norton 500T trials machines in 1949, was probably one of them, as was Len Vale-Onslow, another Birmingham dealer whose competition machine was used by Olga.
Throughout her career, Olga competed on James, AJS, Norton, Francis Barnet, Parilla, CZ, BSA, Triumph, Greeves, Valon, DOT, Suzuki and Butler machines, retiring in 1970 to become a highly respected ACU Midlands Centre delegate.
On selling the family restaurant, Olga joined her brother Ray and sister-in-law to become co-licensee of the Three Tuns public house at Kings Sutton in Oxfordshire, where she became involved in village life organising and competing in the pub quiz scene.
Being widely read and with an excellent general knowledge, she also participated in TV’s Mastermind quiz show.
Playing with the Boys is an excellent book based on the photographs and extensive research undertaken by the author – retaining important information of a previously unrecorded career that would have been lost forever. It dispels some of the myths about Olga and it also candidly reflects the life of a woman who ploughed her own furrow and was beholden to no one.