Bernard Laurence Hieatt

Bernard Laurence Hieatt (1909 – 3 May 1930) was an English air pilot who became famous for his exploits in motorcycle racing, where he achieved several world records in the sport.

[2] He was part of the British Motor Cycle team, touring Europe and Egypt and in 1929 won the ‘Sir Charles Wakefield Cup' at Brooklands.

Hieatt was thrown 10 feet (3.0 m) into the air and hit a concrete post, breaking his leg, shattering his skull and lacerating his brain; he died instantly.

Death by misadventure was the verdict of the inquest, while an official described Bernard as, "one of the finest riders on the track and in every respect an all round man".

[5] On the memorial it reads, To the proud and beautiful memory of Air Pilot Bernard Laurence, the beloved eldest son of B. L. & L. Hieatt, who was suddenly called away in his hour of victory on May 3rd 1930, after creating two world records in the two hundred miles motor cycle and sidecar race at Brooklands, aged 21 yearsA development of flats on Silver Street, Reading has also been named Hieatt Close in his honour.