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Post by Administrator on Jul 7, 2009 9:09:53 GMT
London clubs in Sunday Amateur Dirt Track League:
DAGENHAM: Frank Hodgson,
ROMFORD:
RYE HOUSE: Les Trim, xxx d'Allessandro, xxx Dellow, xxx Morris, Jock Hamilton, xxx Ken John, Johnny Myson, Jim Milross, Vic Weir, Rxx Hall, Andy Menzies (Australia).
Eastbourne won the championship winning 10 of their 12 matches. Romford raced their matches at Dagenham. The league was completed with Smallford as members.
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Post by Administrator on Jul 10, 2009 15:18:48 GMT
With regard to Dagenham in 1938. Is it possible that Alvin Rhiando (better known for midget car and car racing generally) was also a member of that team? In midget car programmes there are often mentions that he would miss a meeting because he was riding on speedway at Dagenham?
Rhiando was a regular speedway rider in East Anglia in the early 1930s and there is speculation he was also the American rider AJ Franchetti who was with Southern League side Stamford Bridge in 1932.
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Post by Administrator on Jul 10, 2009 15:59:40 GMT
High Beech were invited to take part but changed their minds about competing just before the 1938 season opened.
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Post by tungate on Jul 10, 2009 19:38:03 GMT
Was d'allesandro the same person as Spike Rhiando?
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Post by Administrator on Jul 10, 2009 20:32:47 GMT
Will we ever know the answer Brian! Alvin 'Spike' Rhiando was a 'man of mystery'. What names did he use in East Anglia in the early 1930s - and was he AJ Franchetti at Stamford Bridge in 1932 (as seems likely)? He could well have been the rider you name as d'Allessandro at Rye House in 1938- Rhiando liked Italian-sounding names.
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Post by tungate on Jul 10, 2009 22:15:40 GMT
I have heard d'allesandro & Rhiandro used as being the same bloke in the past so it may be possible. As you say "will we ever know"?
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Post by Administrator on Jul 11, 2009 13:44:32 GMT
A reply made via the BSF:::
norbold Today, 10:03 AM Saturday July 11 2009:::
The full results of the league (after extensive research at the Newspaper Library, Colindale) are as follows:
Dagenham 39 Eastbourne 44 Dagenham 39 Easbourne 43 Dagenham 44 Romford 39 Dagenham 56 Romford 26 Dagenham 26 Rye House 56 Dagenham 49 Smallford 33 Eastbourne 57 Dagenham 27 Eastbourne 44 Dagenham 39 Eastbourne 53 Romford 23 Eastbourne 56 Rye House 27 Eastbourne 46 Rye House 34 Eastbourne 55 Smallford 28 Eastbourne 51 Smallford 32 Romford 40 Dagenham 43 Romford 46 Eastbourne 33 Romford 26 Rye House 56 Romford 40 Smallford 42 Rye House 29 Eastbourne 52 Rye House 44 Smallford 39 Smallford 55 Eastbourne 27 Smallford 51 Rye House 33
The rest of the matches were not run and the league was never completed.
Dagenham's leading riders in the league were Frank Hodgson (captain), Jim Baylais, Crusty Pye and Nobby Stock. Jack Tidbury was Romford' star rider. The Smallford team was Doug Wells (captain), Archie Windmill, Ken Tidbury, Percy Brine, Dickyy Geary, Charlie Appleby, Steve Bullivant, Harry Bower, Bob Wells and Cyril Brine.
Rye House entered the league late in the season and Dagenham/Romford withdrew when Dagenham shut down for a while towards the end of the season. Dagenham's closure was the main reason the league was never completed.
In 1939, the Speedway News published a list of riders who had been "discovered" at Dagenham: Frank Hodgson, Doug Wells, Jim Baylais, Nobby Stock, Malcolm Craven, Alan Smith, Eric French, Dicky Harris, Crusty Pye, Dicky Geary, Aussie Powell, Ernie Pawson, Fred Tuck, Jim Boyd, Alf Kaines, Benny King, Alex Gray and George Craig.
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Post by tungate on Jul 11, 2009 21:40:03 GMT
Mention of Ken John as a member of Rye House here reminds me of the time I attended a Cyril Crane application for a new Norwich track at Broadland Council Offices. A person by the name of Ken John was also there and showed me a pay sheet from pre-war speedway when he rode for a Wembley team against Nottingham. From what I can remember he was living in the Cromer/Sheringham area at the time but I cannot trace him at present but this will be a project to try in the near future
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Post by crossedhammers on Jul 30, 2009 20:50:43 GMT
Mention of Ken John as a member of Rye House here reminds me of the time I attended a Cyril Crane application for a new Norwich track at Broadland Council Offices. A person by the name of Ken John was also there and showed me a pay sheet from pre-war speedway when he rode for a Wembley team against Nottingham. From what I can remember he was living in the Cromer/Sheringham area at the time but I cannot trace him at present but this will be a project to try in the near future Any further news on former Wembley and Rye House rider Ken John? Looks an interesting contact to find more about the 1938 League.
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Post by tungate on Jul 30, 2009 21:16:03 GMT
I have not been able to trace him but do not know if he is the same bloke either
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Post by Johnnie Spey on Oct 4, 2009 19:52:12 GMT
A reply made via the BSF::: In 1939, the Speedway News published a list of riders who had been "discovered" at Dagenham: Frank Hodgson, Doug Wells, Jim Baylais, Nobby Stock, Malcolm Craven, Alan Smith, Eric French, Dicky Harris, Crusty Pye, Dicky Geary, Aussie Powell, Ernie Pawson, Fred Tuck, Jim Boyd, Alf Kaines, Benny King, Alex Gray and George Craig. Interesting to see reference to Jim Boyd. I remember seeing him in the Belle Vue team in 1946, or thereabouts, when I first saw speedway as a young kid of 14 summers [as opposed to a old kid of 76!] Jim was struggling a bit then - probably due to tempus fugit. One think you could be sure of though was that he fought for his every point and never gave up until his rear wheel had crossed the line.
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Post by tungate on Oct 6, 2009 18:00:30 GMT
Iim was a leg trailer and also rode for Walthamstow Wolves in the 1940s Second Division when they opened for postwar speedway' His team mates then included Georgie Newton, Wilf Jay and Dick Shepherd. Dick Geary & Benny King were there as well. Most riders had to fight for the points in them days. There wasnt much easy cash around unless you were a top-notch Division Two bloke or established in a Division One teamplace
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