Ivan Kessell

(19.03.1916 - 26.05.1986)

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Ivan Kessell was born at Indian Queens, Cornwall where he attended the local CP school. In his teens he worked for Hawkeys Garage in Newquay, the wolfram mine at Castle-an-Dinas and the Delabole slate quarry.

He developed a love of motorcycles, and helped by his Uncle Tommy , he started riding local grass track races starting around 1933. During the second world war he was in the Home Guard and was an agricultural mechanic. After the war he was signed by Plymouth Devils speedway team as a professional speedway rider. At that time he was Cornwall's most successful and well-known speedway star. His best season was probably 1948. Speedway was a major sport just after the war, with Pennycross stadium in Plymouth regularly attracting crowds of 10,000 or more.

By 1950 he had retired from speedway and started repairing and selling cars from a small village called Ruthers (or Ruthvoes). In 1959 he moved to Summercourt after buying Counds old cycle shop and bandroom.  He built a small showroom and in 1964 took on the Volvo franchise, at that time, a little-known Swedish car. From modest beginnings this turned into a very successful family business with branches at Penryn and St Erth, representing five franchises.

Ivan attended a Billy Graham crusade in 1952 and later became a Methodist lay preacher. He had a love of music and founded two local male voice choirs, St Columba and St Newlyna.

In his later years he spent a lot of his time restoring old motorcycles and riding them on charity runs. He twice did Lands End to John 0'Groats on vintage bikes to raise money for his favourite charities.

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Ivan Kessell in 1982 pictured outside his Volvo Garage at Summercourt