Who was the first woman to compete in the Isle of Man TT?

Beryl Swain was the first woman to compete in a solo-motorcycle race on the Isle of Man TT course. She entered the 1962 TT on a 50cc Itom and finished 22nd after completing two laps of the Mountain Course.

Swain was born Beryl Tolman in 1936 and came from Walthamstow in north-east London. She worked as a secretary before marrying Edwin Swain, who owned a motorcycle shop. Her entry was remarkable because the TT was overwhelmingly male and considered one of the most demanding road races in the world.

Her result also led to a major setback for women competitors. Motorcycle racing authorities revoked her international licence after introducing a minimum weight requirement that she could not meet. The resulting exclusion of female entrants lasted until Hilary Musson competed in 1978. Swain’s achievement is sometimes confused with later milestones, such as the first woman to return after the ban, but Swain remains the first woman to race a solo motorcycle in the TT.