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Post by Administrator on Sept 16, 2011 14:43:12 GMT
In regard to the caricature captions - it is more than possible the data given under some riders may need amending and/or updating. They were given by me "off the top of my head" without any check to this site's rider database. Naturally, correct details are essential on a history forum, so where you spot an error, please respond. Enjoy the drawings - and thanks to moderator Ian Presslie for his help in providing them for the site. speedstox12, admin, London Speedways.
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Post by crossedhammers on Sept 16, 2011 15:34:09 GMT
Regarding Gil Craven listed as West Ham for 1939, I think he actually rode for Dagenham and Crystal Palace that year. After the war he was with Cradley Heath for some years and was a very reliable points scorer for them. There was another brother Reg who died after he crashed when riding for Yarmouth at the first meeting at Poole speedway in 1948. He was the oldest of the Craven brothers and was a product of the 'Speedway World' training school run by Jimmy Edwards (not the comedian!).
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Post by youtubefiend on Sept 16, 2011 20:44:25 GMT
What a great look back these sketches of riders of the 1940s is. We don't see anything like it around these days but then speedway as we who remember these guys know speedway no is a much different sport and sadly not for the better. My favourite on there is Cliff Watson, the New Zealander who did so much good work for both West Ham and Harringay. But I guess if you mentioned his name to a present day fan at best all you'd get would be a blank look. Sad but so true. Somehow I always link Cliff with Aub Lawson that wonderful Aussie who was such a wonderful servant to both West Ham and Norwich and again is probably a name virtually unknown to speedway fans these days but then they were my heroes of 64 years ago and I was very young and impressionable in those days. Again, great drawings and I promise to visit more regularly in future. And vote in polls when they appear here.
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Post by mrsgustix on Sept 16, 2011 20:51:42 GMT
I see Eddie Lack is listed as a West Ham rider but he was of course better known for when he rode for several tracks in Scotland, I am certain he was at Edinburgh with Jack Young and Clem Mitchell and I also seem to recall that Eddie's older brother Tom had a couple of seasons north of the border?
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Post by mrsgustix on Sept 16, 2011 20:56:22 GMT
Regarding Gil Craven listed as West Ham for 1939, I think he actually rode for Dagenham and Crystal Palace that year. After the war he was with Cradley Heath for some years and was a very reliable points scorer for them. There was another brother Reg who died after he crashed when riding for Yarmouth at the first meeting at Poole speedway in 1948. He was the oldest of the Craven brothers and was a product of the 'Speedway World' training school run by Jimmy Edwards (not the comedian!). I've just looked at the rider database on here and Gil Craven is listed for both West Ham and Dagenham (open licence in 1939) but nothing for him under that short lived Crystal Palace team from what I can make out.
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