In 1962, Beryl Swain became the first woman to compete in an Isle of Man TT race for solo motorcycles. Riding a 50cc Itom, she finished 22nd. The results record a time of 1:33:41.4 and an average speed of 48.33 mph, approximately 77.8 km/h.
There was no follow-up campaign: the sport’s governing body withdrew her racing licence, deeming the sport unsuitable for women. The next woman to ride solo at the TT was Hilary Musson in 1978, sixteen years later.
In 2019, a blue plaque was installed at Swain’s former home in Walthamstow, London. It commemorates a place in racing history that a tally of victories cannot explain. For Swain, reaching the start and finish lines was itself a barrier-breaking achievement.