Stuart Slack (25 January 1935 – 5 December 1998) was a racing cyclist from the Isle of Man. He was part of the first ever Manx team to participate in the British Empire and Commonwealth Games.The Manchester Guardian page 6 Monday 28 July 1958
Slack participated in the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, taking part in the road cycling event. He finished third in the event, arriving in a five-man group nearly three minutes behind the race winner, Ray BootyThe Daily Express page 8 Monday 28 July 1958 winning a Bronze Medal after a photo-finish.Isle of Man Times page 7 THIS PICTURE MADE GAMES HISTORY Friday 1 August 1958 “Stuart Slack Wins a Bronze in Photo-Finish.” In 2011, this result was described as being "against all expectations" and was credited with increasing the popularity of cycling in the Isle of Man.
Later in his life, Slack published two books about the island. He was also a noted Manx musician and Isle of Man folk songwriter. This includes the popular folk song ‘The Laxey Wheel’ (1957).Isle of Man Weekly Times page 4 12 August 1984 ".....Stuart also wrote the music and words of that well known song the Laxey Wheel." A number of different recordings of Stuart Slack's folk songs were banned by the local commercial radio station Manx Radio for being too "risqué."Manx Independent page 53 STUART SLACK – THE CYCLIST Friday 11 December 1998 Isle of Man Newspapers Ltd (1998) Johnson Press Publishing
Since his death in 1998 there is an annual cycle event in his memory.
In 2002, the Isle of Man Post Office issued a set of postage stamps for the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester including a 22 pence stamp depicting the photo-finish of Stuart Slack's third-place finish in the Men's Cycling Road race at the 1958 Empire Games.Stanley Gibbons: Collect Channel Islands and Island of Man Stamps 2016 page 212 Stanley Gibbons Limited; 30th edition (2016) " 17th Commonwealth Games, Manchester Photographic Montages 2002 (11 Mar.) 976 937 22p. multicoloured."
Published works Slack, Stuart (2003). Manx Milestones. The Manx Experience. . Slack, Stuart (1996). Streets of Douglas – Old and New. The Manx Experience. .
Discography Wreck of the Herring Fleet The Laxey Wheel Bulgham Bombshell The Foxdale Miner Laxey Girls are the Boys Ride the Rails Give Me the Bus Fare to Laxey Illiam Done Ballamodha Dragoons Effort My Little Home at Port-e-Chee The Port Erin Breakwater Disaster
45 rpm single Isle of Man TT Hall of Fame (David Collister) / The Laxey Wheel Song (Stuart Slack) David Collister/Athol Moore Manx Radio Recordings (c.1972) Hillary Productions Mannin Folk – Mannin Folk Sing / Track 1. The Laxey Wheel Song (Stuart Slack) Kelly Recordings (1976) Give Me The Bus Fare to Laxey (Stuart Slack) / Smugglers Lullaby (Traditional) Mike Williams/Laury Kermode – Kelly Recordings
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