28/05/2025
Something a little different today.
I was recently approached by the editor of a club magazine who asked if I could do anything with an image he wanted to feature in an upcoming article. The photo in question is quite a well-known one, but unfortunately, he couldn’t find a high-quality version suitable for print. A pristine original print had sold some years ago for nearly £500, but nothing of that quality was readily available.
Fortunately for the author, I had worked on this image some years ago. While the version I had wasn’t perfect, it was slightly better than what he had. To make it a bit more interesting, I quickly added some colour to enhance its visual appeal. It was a fast job, but good enough for use on the magazine cover.
Now, to the subject of the photo. The bike is a Brough Superior SS100, and the man astride it is Airman Shaw. In a previous life, he had been Colonel Thomas Edward Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia. Lawrence famously fought alongside Arab guerrilla forces during the First World War, playing a pivotal role in the Middle Eastern theatre of the conflict.
After the war, rather than pursue the political career many expected of him, Lawrence chose to reject fame and live a more private life. Using his influence, the former colonel and national hero managed to enlist in the Royal Air Force under the assumed name T.E. Shaw, with the humble rank of airman.
Lawrence had a lifelong passion for speed—particularly motorcycles. He was especially fond of the machines built by Brough, a Nottingham-based manufacturer whose bikes were considered the “Rolls-Royce of Motorcycles.” Often custom-built to a buyer’s specifications, they were beautifully engineered and incredibly fast.
If you’ve ever seen the opening scenes of Lawrence of Arabia, you’ll know how this story ends. T.E. Lawrence tragically died in 1935, riding a very similar Brough Superior.
