Steve Lancefield was born on London in November 1903. He began riding motorcycles  in the '20s on a borrowed Triumph and then competing at Brooklands towards the end of the decade. He realized that he had a talent for tuning engines and went to work for Harold Daniell at his motorcycle business in Forest Hill, subsequently marrying Harold's sister Clare. During the war, Steve worked for Rolls Royce and the Bristol Aircraft Co, returning to work with Daniell until 1949 when he was asked to join the Norton works team. As a result he became an expert on Manx Norton units. Steve and Francis Beart quickly became the men to know if you wanted a hot engine. One who showed sufficient talent, was Jim Russell (right). In the 60s, as 500cc car racing declined, he retuned to bike racing. Steve Lancefield died in January 1990.