[1][2][3][4] The trophy was donated by Arthur Binns Crookall, a former Mayor of the Borough of Douglas and Member of the House of Keys, and was first presented at the inaugural running of the races in 1923.

[1][2] Arthur Crookall was a strong supporter of the establishment of a supplementary race meeting on the Isle of Man to be held for amateur competitors, to be run over the existing Snaefell Mountain Course and to serve as a backup in the case of the Auto-Cycle Union making a decision to transfer the TT Races.

[1][2] A successful businessman, Crookall decided to donate the trophy as first prize in what was initially called the Manx Amateur Road Races, and which continued as such until 1930 when it was renamed the Manx Grand Prix.

Crookall Trophy is presented to the winner of the Senior Manx Grand Prix, the premier race of the meeting and which is run as the finale of the racing programme.

[1][2][3][4] Convention states that the trophy can only be won once, as the winner of the Senior Manx Grand Prix is then obliged to enter the TT Races.