Historic New Zealand racing photos

I have just received through the post

a very dilapidated photo album from

the 1930's.

I had to swap some pretty nice pieces

from my collection to secure this rather

  sad looking collection of photos.

And I have to be honest, when I first opened

the package they came in, my first thought was,

damn! what have I just done.

I did know that this photo of NZ racing legend

Harry Watson was in the album, 

so that was a good start...

...then I found this one, which under the magnifying glass

proved to be the Clarkes Cycles truck, you know

the Auckland based Clark Cycles who made 

the famous NZ race bikes

Leader Superbe -Leader Special etc,
a very nice bit of NZ cycle racing history,
I was starting to feel a bit better. 

The next find was this great shot of a couple of

woman riders. I have a couple of boxes of vintage 

cycling photos, this is the first I have seen of woman

racers (in New Zealand).

I am pretty sure this photo is from Australia...

...also from Australia
  is this series of photos from the 1938 
Empire Games, held that year in Sydney. This great shot
of the start of the road race, shows the English 
rider on the left, using a Sturmey Archer racing hub
fitted to his machine.
Surely this would have had to be one of the last
times a Sturmey Archer was used at this level
of International road racing?
Although you never know with the Poms, that's why
we love them so much!  

Two of the English riders, both look to be using
Super Champion derailleurs (or Cyclo Ace).

One of my favorites, I assume this is John Brown
who won the Silver medal in the same race.