Creator of the “Rolls Royce of motorbikes”, and born and raised in Nottingham, George Brough had his factory in the Haydn Road area of the city, where the Brough Superior SS 100 was produced between 1924 and 1940.
George lived in the Basford area of Nottingham, and it was here that two plaques were unveiled in honour of his memory – at his birthplace on 10 Mandalay Street, as well as the house in which he lived with his wife, 101 Arnold Road.
The ceremony was attended by the sheriff of Nottingham and councillor Ian Malcolm, alongside the Nottingham Civic Society and the Brough Superior Club.
Prior to this event George Brough’s legacy had been largely forgotten, despite his many achievements. The Brough Superior SS 100 was known for its speed, with British racer Eric Fernihough setting a motorcycle land-speed record on one in 1936, reaching a speed of 163.82 mph.
The Brough Superior was associated with some of the most famous people of its day and fans included George Bernard Shaw and World War One army officer, TE Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia.
Each bike was meticulously crafted, and assembled twice, once to fit the components, and then again to paint the parts in accordance to the customer’s preference. Every bike was also test ridden to ensure the highest level of performance. Brough Superiors continue to fetch high prices at auction today.
Of George’s legacy, Terry Hobden, of the Brough Superior Motorcycle Club, told BBC News Nottingham: “George was an engineer, a showman, and an entrepreneur. He set out to make something significantly different.”
