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Post by Administrator on Jul 16, 2009 9:43:52 GMT
In the 1980s, supporter Bob Buckingham, along with former rider George Craig, set up a fund to provide a memorial stone for former Australia, Crystal Palace and New Cross rider Ron Johnson, who died in tragic circumstances in West Australia during the early 1980s. Is more known in regard to the background in establishing the fund etc
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Post by tungate on Jul 17, 2009 9:54:20 GMT
I think the fund was set-up through the Speedway Star by Mr Buckingham. I did not know George was involved with it though
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Post by Administrator on Jul 17, 2009 13:47:21 GMT
The local newspaper, the 'South London Mercury' (which has several local titles) was also involved. George Craig is interviewed on the subject, as is Bob Buckingham. The story must be in the newspaper files at Colindale.
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Post by Administrator on Jul 17, 2009 14:03:30 GMT
This is part of an article I wrote about Ron Johnson some years ago:
Johnson’s life ended tragically. In 1968, he was involved in a road accident near Perth, Western Australia, and ended his days in a wheelchair, and died on February 4, 1983, aged 75 years.
Even then there was more tragedy. Johnson had been dead for five days before a neighbour found him. Johnson was buried in an unmarked grave. It needed a fund, established by Londoner Bob Buckingham in 1992, to raise £1,000 for a headstone to honour a great rider who should be remembered as such rather than the struggling no-hoper of his last racing years.
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Post by mrsgustix on Jul 22, 2009 10:46:00 GMT
The reporter at the Mercury who publicised the Ron Johnson Fund for bob Buckingham was Tom Gard.
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