Charles Archibald Cecil "Archie" Birkin (30 March 1905 – 7 June 1927) was a British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 motorcycle

Motorcycle

A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...

 racer, brother of Tim Birkin, one of the "Bentley Boys

Bentley Boys

The Bentley Boys were a group of wealthy British motorists who drove Bentley sports cars to victory in the 1920s and kept the marque's reputation for high performance alive...

" of the 1920s.

Background and family

He was born into a wealthy Nottingham

Nottingham

Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...

 family in 1905. He was the son of Sir Thomas Stanley Birkin, 2nd Bt. and Hon. Margaret Diana Hopetoun Chetwynd.

Racing career

During an early morning practice session for the 1927 Isle of Man TT

1927 Isle of Man TT

The 1927 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy saw more changes occur with a fatal accident during practice to Archie Birkin, a brother to Tim Birkin of the Bentley Boys fame. The corner in Kirk Michael where the accident occurred was renamed Birkins Bend and from 1928 practice sessions were held on...

, Archie Birkin swerved to avoid a fish-van travelling to Peel and collided with a wall at Rhencullen

Rhencullen

Rhencullen including Birkin's Bend is situated between the 15th Milestone and 16th Milestone road-side markers on the Snaefell Mountain Course between Kirk Michael Village and Bishopscourt on the primary A3 Castletown to Ramsey Road and the road junction with the tertiary C19 Orrisdale Loop Road...

 and was killed instantly. The corner in Kirk Michael on the A3 primary road where the accident occurred was renamed 'Birkin's Bend

Birkin's Bend

Birkin's Bend is situated between the 15th Milestone and 16th Milestone road-side markers on the Snaefell Mountain Course between Kirk Michael Village and Bishopscourt on the primary A3 Castletown to Ramsey Road and the road junction with the tertiary C19 Orrisdale Road in the parish of Michael in...

.' From 1928

1928 Isle of Man TT

In the 1928 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy the newly developed 'positive-stop' foot gear-change by Velocette gave Alec Bennett his fifth TT Race win in the 1928 Junior, in the time of 3 hours, 50 minutes and 52 seconds, at an average speed of , and setting a lap record at an average speed of...

practice sessions for the Isle of Man TT Races and Manx Grand Prix were held on closed-roads.