Obituary: Jackie McCredie, former motorcycle racer, 102

Jackie McCredie, one of the best-known competitors of the world-famous Isle of Man TT motorbike races has died at the age of 102.

Mr McCredie was born on 17 March, 1908 in Bo'ness, the son of a railway worker.

He spent his early years living in Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, because of his father's work, but after his mother died at the age of just 32, Mr McCredie and his sister Nancy moved back to Bo'ness, where they were raised by their grandparents.

Mr McCredie's great love throughout his life was motorbikes and he started riding in 1929.

He entered his first TT ten years later, finishing 13th out of 26 riders.

He competed on his Excelsior motorcycle – the only bike he would ever take to the TT – and it is now kept in a museum, alongside two of his TT trophies.

However, that first race proved to be his last for almost a decade following the outbreak of the Second World War, when the TT was suspended and Mr McCredie was employed as a mechanic fixing army vehicles.

That job took him from his home town of Bo'ness to work out of a garage on Semple Street, and he lived in the Capital from then on.

He then ran a garage at Jock's Lodge for 32 years until he retired in 1986.

Mr McCredie married the love of his life, childhood sweetheart Marian, in 1956.

The couple lived for more than 40 years together in their Portobello home.

Marian passed away in 1995 and Mr McCredie spent his last years in Braeside House care home in Liberton, where he passed away peacefully on Tuesday night.

His nephew Allan McCredie described him as a "lovely man".

He said: "He was a true gentleman.

"He was also very modest and would never broadcast what he actually achieved.

"He will be sadly missed by all his family and friends."

Amongst Mr McCredie's achievements were his successes within TT racing.

In 1948, he finished sixth in the TT48 Lightweight competition – his highest ranking – and went on to compete in a further four TTs before retiring from racing in 1953.

He was invited to be an honorary member of the TT Riders Association when the event celebrated its 100th anniversary.

One of the other big achievements of his life was starting the Hill Climb at Bo'ness for motorcycles in 1932.

Mr McCredie's funeral was due to take place today at Warriston.