THE CRAFTY KIWI

Born on 18 January 1936 and raised on a New Zealand dairy farm, Hugh Robertson Anderson played rugby league, began his working life in a foundry before moving into a coal mine. He loved motorcycles and knew from as young as 10-years old that he’d one day race the Isle of Man TT.

At 17 years old, Anderson won every race he entered during his first off-road race meeting and, not long after, riding an eight-year-old bike purchased in pieces he also won the first road race he entered.

A multitude of wins and races culminated in double Senior and Junior victories at the 1960 New Zealand TT and a one-way ticket to England, aged 24, to take on the world. Three weeks after arriving in the UK, he qualified fourth at the Austrian GP, and finished seventh. Anderson won at Madrid, and finished seventh again at the French GP. The same year, Anderson’s 14-year-old dream came true when when he made his debut at the Isle of Man in the 350cc Junior class

“I like things in writing, and John Hempleman took me around and told me where to brake and what gear to use on every corner, and I wrote it all down. I didn’t see the sense going past Ballacraine which is seven miles out if you didn’t know every part of that track. So I got that right then another section right, and another. So many people have spoken about doing 200 laps on a motorcycle but I didn’t see the point, I didn’t even have a motorbike, or a car, or a van! All