Freddie Williams

During the Second World War Freddie was an apprentice in the Naval Dockyard in Portsmouth and became a Home Guard despatch rider. When peace returned he started racing grass-track and by 1947 he had signed for Wembley and rode exclusively for the Lions until 1956. He won the World Championship in 1950, finished runner-up in 1952, then took the world crown again in 1953. He married a British figure-skating champion, Pat Devries, the same year.

Freddie had a motorcycle business and later ran a car sales concern near his Berkshire home. At Cardiff in 2012 Freddie presented the trophy he last held 60 years previously to current champion Chris Holder. He leaves his wife and three children.

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