Motorcyclist Triss Shar

rched on his Douglas speedway bike at the old Crystal Palace Stadium, teenage racer Triss Sharp cuddles an unlikely companion: a lion cub. Speedway was booming in Britain during the inter-war years, and promoters were always on the lookout for crowd-pulling gimmicks. Exotic mascots – from lion cubs to monkeys – added a dash of spectacle to the deafening roar of 500 cc engines sliding round the cinder track.

The photo captures the carefree, thrill-seeking spirit of 1930, when Londoners flocked to Crystal Palace for everything from motorcycle racing to open-air concerts. Britain was entering the Great Depression, yet leisure industries offered welcome escapism. Sharply dressed riders, art-deco grandstands and roaring bikes created a heady mix of glamour and danger – amplified here by the presence of a wild animal in a rider’s arms.

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