Edna Andrews

Edna Andrews

Local racing driver Edna Andrews competed in rallies across the UK and Ireland during the mid-20th century. In 1952, she won the Ladies Trophy in the Circuit of Ireland race with her sister Iris in their Singer Roadster car. While official records note Iris as the driver and Edna as navigator, on such gruelling races, Iris and Edna often took turns in each role.

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In 1956, Edna met her husband-to-be, Will Wilson, at the Circuit of Ireland rally. He was competing as a driver in an MG TC and offered to clean her windscreen as an excuse to strike up a conversation. Edna and Will kept in touch, and were married in 1961.

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A collection of material relating to Edna’s racing career was donated to the Museum in 2024, some of which is now on display in the Driven exhibition, including her racing helmet and her 1st place trophy from the 1952 Circuit of Ireland. 

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Andrews Motorcycles

Edna’s family owned the Andrews Motorcycles shop on Gresham Street, Belfast. Originally selling bicycles, the shop began selling motorcycles in the 1920s. Edna’s father Jimmy (James) was very active in local motorcycle road racing, competing alongside other members of the family and friends. Some of the material donated to the Museum reflects these early days of motorcycle road racing in Ulster, including one dramatic image of David Andrews taking a corner at speed in the NW 200.

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The shop became a popular gathering place for motorcycle lovers on Saturday afternoons in the 1960s and the Andrews were well thought of locally. Customers recall fond memories of the large oil burning stove in the service area that was used to heat the entire building using the waste oil from the motorcycles. According to some, the roar was so loud, it would have almost deafened customers!

We are fortunate that Edna’s daughter, Janette, has provided us with some stories of the family motorcycle shop which you can read below.

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After James passed away, Edna became more involved in the running of the business, alongside her mother. Edna’s mother continued to work in the motorcycle shop and was responsible for starting the clothing department, located on the first floor of the building initially before moving to North Street.

The family continued to run the business themselves until Maurice Russell was brought in to help manage the workshop. Edna’s mother retired to Newcastle and Edna was able to focus on spending more time with her young family.

Life during the conflict

Andrews Motorcycles continued to operate during the civil and political conflict commonly referred to as the Troubles. Janette recalls that, on a fairly regular basis, they would be watching television at home in Newcastle when a Public Service Announcement would interrupt the programme, telling key holders of business premises on Gresham Street to return to their properties to search for incendiary devices. Edna and her husband Will would have had to travel up to Belfast to make sure the building was secure.

The shop was never directly targeted but it was impacted by bomb damage to the adjoining buildings, including Cecil Ceighton’s pet shop next door and Peter's Bar across the road. Janette recalls her parents telling her of a time when they had been present shortly after a bomb had exploded at Peters Bar. 

“They were standing on a huge pile of rubble on the street with the army, police and fire service and someone discovered a bottle of something, and they all had a drink!”

One of the employees, Trevor Steele, was sponsored by Andrews from 1976 until 1979 and competed at the Isle of Man TT in 1977 and 1979, emphasising the continued involvement of the family in motorcycle road racing.

In the late 1980s, the shop was sold to Charles Hurst and relocated to Boucher Road.