Bill Snelling lost a long battle with illness last weekend, a day or so after his 78th birthday.

Born and raised in Canterbury, he had a long association with the island, beginning as a 13-year-old when he visited the TT with his father on a Vincent motorcycle. By chance, they stayed in a chalet belonging to and next to the family home of Charlie Murray in Santon.

The Murrays ran a motorcycle museum and cafe from their premises.

Visits to the TT became an annual event and when he came over for the 1975 edition he ended up staying for the next 18 months, getting a job in the Lucas depot at E. B. Christian’s on North Quay.

After a year back in the south of England, the lure of the Isle of Man became too much. Shortly after returning he raced the 1978 Newcomers Manx Grand Prix on a Seymour Velocette Metisse, finishing 12th out of 20 in poor conditions on the mountain.

He was 53rd in the Senior proper on the same bike and 45th in his only other appearance in 1980 on a Ducati. He was immensely proud of his finishers’ medals.

Bill wrote, co-wrote and published many books on motorbikes including the History of the Manx Grand Prix (1923-1998); Isle of Man TT: The Photographic History; and Aurora to Ariel on the life of Manx pioneer J. Graham Oates.

His last book in 2020 was a colourful autobiography.

Bill was custodian of approximately a quarter of a million images of the TT, Manx Grand Prix, Southern 100 and other races under the title FoTTofinders Bikesport Photo Archives, many of which have graced pages of this newspaper and magazine titles word wide.

Also a keen rifle shooter, his knowledge of motorcycle sport in general was second to none. He is a sad loss to everyone who knew him, and sympathy is extended to his wife and partner of 30 years Pat.