Derek W Minter

1932 - 2015  (82 years)

• Name	Derek W Minter
  Birth	27 Apr 1932	Ickham, Kent   [1]
  Gender	Male
  _UID	557527D80798474F9EF016CB30C2F3EA3C7F
  Death	2 Jan 2015	Kent   [2]
  Burial	30 Jan 2015	Barham Crematorium, Barham, Kent
  Notes	In the 1950s and 60s Derek was a very well-known racing motorcyclist, known as 'The King of Brands'. He raced in the Isle of Man TT several times, coming first in 1962 in the Lightweight (250) event on a Honda and was a multiple British Champion in the early 1960s. Derek has his own Wikipedia entry. Derek and Jennifer appear in the 2004 Electoral Register. Derek died on 2 January 2015. The following appeared on the bikesportnews website on 5 January: One of Britain's greatest short circuit racers, Derek Minter, died on Friday, January 2. He was 82 and had been in ill-health for some time. Best known for his prowess on British tracks and known as the original "King of Brands" he was a multiple champion, mostly on Manx Nortons tuned either by Ray Petty or Steve Lancefield. This was in the late fifties and sixties when he was competing against the likes of Mike Hailwood, Bob McIntyre, John Hartle and John Cooper. But he was also a regular and successful competitor in world championship events in Europe and in the Isle of Man when the TT was a championship event. In 1960 Minter was the first rider to lap the thirty seven and three quarter mile course at over 100mph on a single cylinder machine in a race won by Surtees with Hailwood third. In 1962, he won the Lightweight 250cc TT on a privately entered Honda beating the works machines. A year later (1963) he was chosen, together with John Hartle, to join a Gilera bid led by Geoff Duke to wrest the world 500cc championship from the MV factory and Hailwood. But an early season crash at Brands Hatch, which also resulted in the death of Dave Downer, ruled him out and his place was taken by Phil Read. He returned to finish third in the Ulster GP and second in the East German GP. He retired in 1967 to run his haulage business from his home in Kent. Another, more personal, memory appeared on the bikesportnews website on 10 January 2015. It mentioned that Derek's wife Jenny died a few months previously and that he is survived by daughters Leanne and Michelle.
  Person ID	I83	Ickham, Kent
  Last Modified	19 Oct 2020

  
  

  Father	William George Minter,   b. 19 Dec 1900, Ash, Kent d. 15 Jan 1988, Canterbury, Kent (Age 87 years)
  Mother	Rhoda Clara CURD,   b. 31 Mar 1905, Bridge RD d. Dec 1980, Canterbury RD (Age 75 years)
  Marriage	Sep 1927	Bridge RD   [3]
  Family ID	F73	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 1	Marion LONDON
  Family ID	F74	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	8 Sep 2009

  
  

  Family 2	Jennifer Ann ALDRICH,   b. 21 Jul 1943, Hendon RD d. 7 Aug 2014, Kent (Age 71 years)
  Marriage	Mar 1968	Bridge RD   [4]
  Children	1. Leanne Minter   2. Michelle Minter
  Family ID	F611	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	8 Sep 2009

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 27 Apr 1932 - Ickham, Kent  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Photos		Derek Minter born 1932 "The King of Brands"
  		Derek Minter 1932 - 2015 King of Brands Day - programme from 30 May 1982

  
  

• Sources

  [S3] BMD index, Q2 1932 Bridge 2a/1721. (Reliability: 3). [S3] BMD index, Jan 2015 Kent 5641Y/511362588. (Reliability: 3). [S3] BMD index (Reliability: 3). Q3 1927 Bridge 2a/2657. [S3] BMD index (Reliability: 3). Q1 1968 Bridge 5f/212.