brian
New Member
Posts: 2
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Post by brian on Feb 23, 2012 9:57:28 GMT
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Post by crossedhammers on Feb 23, 2012 11:49:29 GMT
Steve Langton was an Australian who rode for Lea Bridge and Walthamstow in the early 1930s.
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Post by thebaldeagle1932 on Feb 23, 2012 23:17:45 GMT
Steve Langton was a close friend of Phil 'Tiger' Hart. Both started riding at Toowoomba, Queensland, about 1926 and came to England in 1928. Langton broke a leg while riding for Walthamstow in 1934.
Langton was an Australian but Hart actually came from Balham in London and emigrated to Australia about 1926. Both also served for a short time in the Australian army before starting on speedway.
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Post by oldskidkid on Feb 25, 2012 23:51:30 GMT
Most of Steve Langton's career was outside London, at Birmingham, Tamworth and Southampton. He was still riding in Australia around 1954 where one of his opponents was his nephew Bonnie Langton.
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Post by Administrator on Feb 27, 2012 16:58:15 GMT
LANGTON, Joseph Steven (Steve) Born: September 3, 1909, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia. Died: 1989. Steve rode for a succession of clubs in the pre-war era, failing to settle at any one track after coming to England in 1930. He had started his career two years earlier at Brisbane and spent the vast majority of the 1930s riding in the U.K., surviving a serious crash at Hackney in 1937 to continue his career. After serving with the Australian Army in the Solomon Islands, Steve returned to England in 1947 and was appointed captain of Third Division Tamworth where he headed a team containing a heavy Australian influence, using his experience to become one of the leading riders in the league. As Steve approached 40 and the new post-war talent of the Third Division began to emerge, his scoring inevitably dipped but he remained an influential figure in the Staffordshire side for three seasons. He ended his British career with a season in Division Two with Southampton in 1950, a full 20 years since he had first ridden for the club, and posted a solid average of almost six and a half points per match. Although Steve’s international career was unremarkable in that he failed to score from two appearances for Australia, it is worth mentioning that the two outings came 16 years apart – making his debut in 1936 and his second and final appearance in 1952. By MATT JACKSON. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: This information also appears on: The ultimate speedway reference library. THE COMPLETE A TO Z OF POST-WAR BRITISH LEAGUE RIDERS Compiled by Matthew Jackson and Hugh Vass. Photos from the John Somerville Collection. Part 1 - The 1940s. Every rider who made his post-war debut in the 40s. Part 2 - The 1950s. Every rider who made his league debut between 1950-59. Rider biogs, pictures and full season-by-season career stats for you to view on computer. £9.99 each CD (post-free). From: V M Jackson, 11 Crescent Road, Sheffield, S7 1HJ. Cheque payable to V M Jackson. More details at www.speedwayatoz.co.uk::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: |
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Post by Administrator on Feb 28, 2012 7:49:05 GMT
Posted on oldtimespeedway February 28 2012 by Tony Webb:
--- In oldtimespeedway@yahoogroups.com, "WebbT" <binbooks@...> wrote:
I do not have a date of death for steve langton,it would have been around 1975, re the recet photo, I can provide some details I supplied to the family a few years ago.The photo posted is not a striking resemblance.
Steve Langton Speedway Pioneer and Gold prospector
Steve Langton. One of the pioneer Australians had a long racing career from 1928 –1953. Born in Gowrie mining camp between Oakey and Toowoomba Queensland 3-9-1909. H
is father was named as Joseph Steven, miner, and his mother Nellie Gertrude nee Mason. Steve first rode at Toowoomba Showground 1928/29 where he met up with Tiger Hart. He went to UK 1930 with Tiger and raced at Portsmouth. Joined Lea Bridge and Southampton in 1931.The following year he moved to Clapton .
Returned to Australia with the Johnnie Hoskins Australian team 1932/33 Rode in first test [unofficial] in Perth 10/12/1932. 1 point and 7th test at the Sydney Showground 11/3/1933 scoring 4 points. Returned to Brisbane for remainder of the 1933 season. Steve was reported as importing a Scott Squirrel speedway machine to Queensland in 1931
Returned to England 1934 after missing 1933 season and joined Lea Bridge again, they were taken over by Walthamstow mid season where he remained until the end the season Returned to Australia for the 1936/7 season and rode in one test match in Sydney 12/12/1936 but failed to score. Joined Birmingham in 1937 and 1938 seasons.
Enlisted in 2/4 Australian Armed Regiment as number NX422650 in NSW on August 12 1941, rose to rank of Warrant Officer class 2 and was discharged on December 21 1945.
Returned to England in 1947 and joined Tamworth Hounds where his old mate Tiger Hart was the team manager, he stayed with the Hounds for 3 seasons. Steve's last club was Southampton Saints in 1950. Rode a total of 11 seasons total in England, the best year was 1949 .
He had ridden in Brisbane for the 1948/49 season winning the Vic Huxley points score. Selected for Australian team in Brisbane on 2/2 1952 at the age of 43 he was one of the oldest riders in an International match.
Sold his bike to Keith Blicharski of Toowoomba and retired in 1953. Raced for 9 British clubs in a 23 year career.
Gold prospecting was his hobby it was said he always carried a gold nugget which he considered to be an insurance against hard times. The Langton/ McCafferty family ran a bus service from Toowooomba to Gympie, on his retirement from racing Steve set up a service station which was a logical location for the buses. at Woombye off the Bruce Highway north of Brisbane.
His cousin George Stephen langton [b.22/10/1910] ran a mechanical workshop nearby. Steve prospected and around the Gympie area often going bush for long periods. He always bought his supplies at the same local store. Steve moved to Victoria after his first wife Constance passed away. Steve died at Gaffneys Creek Ballarat Victoria.
Another story was that Constance always carried a port which contained all the programs and press cuttings of Steve's speedway events.
Steve had a nephew, Bonnie, son of cousin George, who rode at the Exhibition grounds 1950-1956.
Legend has that Steve's ancestor Stephen Langton was a signatory to the Magna Charter in 1215. As will be noted the Christian name Stephen was carried by the male line to the present day. A nightmare for researchers, however Steve's nephew Bonnie chose to ride under his name of Bonnie therefore breaking a tradition.
1930 Portsmouth Open meets
1931 Lea Bridge
1931 Southamptn 10-24-2.4 Southern L.
1932 Clapton 13-28-2.3 NL
1934-35 Wal/Lea B. 12-3 NL
1937 Nottingham 5-14- 2.80
1937 Birmingham 11-80-7.27
1938 Birmingham 13-102- 7.8
1947 Tamworth 209
1948 Tamworth 45-277-6-15
1949 Tamworth 22-227-5.95
1950 Southamptn 28-162-5.78
1932/33 Australia England 2-5 PER. SYD
1936/37 Australia England 1-0 SYD
1951/52 Australia England 1-0 BNE
1937 Australia England 1-6 Birmingham
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Post by Administrator on Feb 28, 2012 17:39:26 GMT
![]() Steve Langton, left, in Tamworth race jacket, with fellow Australian rider 'Bluey' Thorpe, in 1948. Photo sent by Tony Webb. Attachments:
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Post by crossedhammers on Aug 17, 2012 13:09:36 GMT
![]() Steve Langton..r retirement [/img] Steve Langton, circa 1970s, after his retirement in Australia.[/quote] I had the above message in my personal file which I have not visited for months but thought the comment needed to be piublicised. I don't think it's the speedway rider Steve Langton either. Fully agree with the send of the message to me. |
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Post by oldskidkid on Oct 12, 2012 9:12:52 GMT
![]() Steve Langton, left, in Tamworth race jacket, with fellow Australian rider 'Bluey' Thorpe, in 1948. Photo sent by Tony Webb. Wasn't Bluey Thorpe briefly linked to Wembley in 1946? |
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brian
New Member
Posts: 2
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Post by brian on Oct 12, 2012 19:13:49 GMT
For the record, can we say that the photo with reply #4 may not be Steve Langton but the fellow on the left in the photo with reply #8 is Steve talking to "Bluey Thorpe "?
Brian
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Post by Administrator on Oct 12, 2012 20:48:20 GMT
For the record, can we say that the photo with reply #4 may not be Steve Langton but the fellow on the left in the photo with reply #8 is Steve talking to "Bluey Thorpe "? Brian That has been confirmed. It's Steve Langton with Bluey Thorpe. |
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Post by baldeagle on Mar 12, 2013 22:39:01 GMT
Did Steve Langton ever ride for West Ham in the early 1930s?
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Post by Administrator on Nov 18, 2013 20:20:02 GMT
Did Steve Langton ever ride for West Ham in the early 1930s? Steve Langton never rode for West Ham at any stage of his UK speedway career. |
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Post by Administrator on Nov 18, 2013 20:21:10 GMT
For the record, can we say that the photo with reply #4 may not be Steve Langton but the fellow on the left in the photo with reply #8 is Steve talking to "Bluey Thorpe "? Brian The "wrong photo" of Steve Langton has been deleted. |
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