Post by administrator on Mar 27, 2009 22:25:32 GMT 1
THE high hopes for an expanded National League never materialised. Lea Bridge and Coventry were again entered, and Belle Vue finally got approval. But other newcomers Southampton, Leicester and Wembley had mixed starts to the season.
The league decided that Belle Vue should take Southampton's place, although their side were mainly committed to driving Eltos while the other teams favoured Skirrows.
Leicester who had planned to build their team round Cyril ‘Squib’ Burton and Gene Cfrowley failed to open. Southampton signed five riders as a basic team - Les White, Skid Martin, Basil de Mattos, Jimmy Raynhes and DJ Fowdrey. This was a disappointment for Coventry, who were keen to capitalise on possible local derby matches.
In April optimism was high, but as with so many things the best laid plans sometimes go astray. Southampton staged one meeting, a best pairs on Good Friday, April 15, which was won by Walter Mackereth and George Turvey. Wembley delayed their opening until July 16, claiming that the football Cup Finals and other events had prior bookings at the stadium. They staged just one meeting, when Spike Rhiando won the Gold Cup.
But Wembley stayed as league members, and raced only their away matches.
Then came another blow affecting Lea Bridge who, after 1937, were seen as part of the back-bone of National League racing. Towards the end of the 1937 season, there were indications that Wednesday night meetings were not attracting good crowds and this was blamed on the fact the race night clashed with that of New Cross. But with speedway running throughout the week at Wimbledon, West Ham, Harringay and Hackney on the other nights of this week, Lea Bridge had major problems.
For 1938, they optimistically switched from Wednesday to Monday - a move that hastened their eventual closure. When Mondays proved a failure in regard to crowd drawing, there was a hasty switch back to Wednesdays, but the fans stayed away,
Lea Bridge’s last meeting was on July 6, against homeless Wembley in a National League match. That was the end of midget car racig at the east London track, but the team as such was saved by former speedway rider Ron Clive who took them over and reopened Crystal Palace. But only three meetings took place at the Palace, the last being a National League match on September 3 against Belle Vue.
There was, however, some consolation when Stoke, who were based at Sun Street Stadium, Hanley, opened on July 21 as National League members. They bsically used riders who had been earmarked for Leicester including Les White (who sometimes drove as Les Black), Australian Ted Poole whose racing career was quickly ended by injury, Squib Burton, Gene Crowley, Skid Martin, Joe Wildblood and Cecil Heath.
The chaotic National League started on June 12 when Coventry defeated visiting Lea Bridge 45-27. With a ‘head in the sand’ mentality, the league’s organiser refused to recognise there were problems. Until the end of the season, they poured out ‘all is well’ publicity. But this was the last attempt to get a nationwide team competition established.
Records of the National League in many cases have not been recorded, and it was only through Coventry, Lea Bridge and Stoke programmes that a flavour of what went on. These show the following results:
June 29, Lea Bridge 48 (Stan Mills 14, Frank Bullock 13, Gene Crowley 10, Spike Rhiando 9, Basil de Mattos 2) Belle Vue 23 (Charlie Pashley 8, Bruce Warburton 5, Eric Worswick 5, Jock Ferguson 3, George Goodley 2, Billy Murden 0).
July 21, Stoke 29.5 (Gene Crowley 7, Les Black 6.5, Skid Martin 5, Ted Poole 4, Squib Burton 4, Joe Wildblood 3) Lea Bridge/Crystal Palace 42.5 (Basil de Mattos 11.5, Stan Mills 11, Spike Rhiando 6, Frank Bullock 5, Jimmy Raynes 4). The half point was a dead-heat between Black and de Mattos.
August 2, Coventry 52 (Walter Mackereth 15, Johnny Young 2, Val Atkinson 9, Bill Reynolds 8, Buster Bladon 6, Frank Chiswell 2) Belle Vue 19 (Frank Marsh 11, Eric Worswick 6, Charlie Pashley 1, Bruce Warburton 1, Sid Emery 0, George Goodley 0).
September 1, Stoke 36 (Les White 10, Stan Mills 10, Skid Martin 7, Gene Crowley 5, Joe Wildblood 3, Reg Grice 1) Crystal Palace 35 (Ed Hazell 10, George Turvey 13, Spike Rhiando 6, Frank Bullock 3, Basil de Mattos 0, Jimmy Raynes 0).
September 18, Coventry 39 (Frank Chiswell 12, Walter Mackereth 9, Ron Wills 9, Johnny Young 7, Buster Bladon 2, Val Atkinson 0) Stoke 32 (Les White 11, Gene Crowley 7, Skid Martin 6, Reg Grice 5, Cecil Heath 2, Stan Mills 1).
Coventry was undoubtedly the main venue for midget car racing between 1937 and the start of World War Two in September 1939. It is from that the area that the most comprehensive recollections of the sport come.
Alan Maddison, of Biney Woods, Coventry, told the author, “The pre-war track ws D-shaped with the stands on the start/finish line. The pits were at the Coventry end of the track while the referee-steward was perched in a tower on the centre green.
“The cars were mainly Skirrows and built by Harry Skirrow, who had a hook instead of a hand on one arm. He could do more with that hook than most mechanics with hands when it came to handling spanners.”
Mr Maddison added, “The leading Coventry driver was Walter Mackereth who drove car No.31. he lived in Brandon road (now Rugby Road), opposite a chicken farm. His family fostered a young man, Johnny Young, who also drove for Coventry.”
Alan Maddision added, “Squib Burton drove for Leicester and Stoke, while the American driver Spike Rhiando used to thrill us with his big car. This hand an oil pump on the outside and he had to work it one hand during races.
“The track staff used to march out to the tune of “Bugle Rag’ and I often helped them water the track, using a pipe from the back of the track. This is where the present back straight is.”
Maddison went on, “When war started in 1939, midget car racing stopped and the track was abandoned until 1948. There was a brief bid in 1950 to revive midget car racing. Coventry speedway rider Johnnie Reason, who became a director of Coventry Football Club, also drove the cars at this time.”
JH Sparkes, of Ernsford Grange, Coventry, also remembered the 1937-39 years at Coventry. “The league was made up by teams from Coventry, Belle Vue, Stoke, Leicester and Southampton. The Coventry team was Walter Mackereth, Val Atkinson, Johnny Young and Frank Chiswell, among others. Other drivers I remember are Les and Lane White, Basil de Mattos and Squib Burton.”
He added, “Most drivers in the league used Skirrow cars, apart from Belle Vue who relied on Eltos. These had a fuel pressure pump on the dashboard and had to use this during races.”
Mr Sparkes went on, “In those days, the track was D-shaped with the pits in a spinney area, diagonally across from where the pits are now. Sometimes we had stunt entertainment events, one of these from the American motor thrill showman Putt Mossman.
“He used to appear on a Harley Davidson motorcycle which had a ladder fitted to the back of the saddle. Mossman used to climb up one side and down the other while the bike was moving.”
A further memory from Mr Sparkes was, “At one meeting, a driver came from Norway complete with a Skirrow. We never saw him race because the meeting was rained off. I hope he had meetings at other tracks to make his trip worthwhile.”
Mr R Shipley, of Stonebury Avenue, Coventry, also remembers the 1938 season. He told me, “My brother and I cycled from Leicester to Brandon for meetings. We were both Territorial Army soldiers and mobilised in August 1939. The entrance fee was sixpence (two and halfpence new money) or one shilling (five pence new money)."
He commented, “Our main interest was in Squib Burton, who also rode at one-time for the Leicester speedway team. He was about 6ft tall and wore the rather high crash helmets used in those days. He was quite a sight on a motorcycle or in a car.
“He was nick-named the ‘Flying Palony’ - a palony being what is now called a hot dog.”
NATIONAL LEAGUE TEAMS:
Belle Vue: Charlie ‘Ginger’ Pashley, Bruce Warburton, Eric Worswick, Stanley ‘Acorn’ Dobson, Frank Marsh, George Goodley, Billy Murden, Jock Ferguson.
Coventry: Walter Mackereth, Tony Hume, Johnny Young, Buster Bladon, Frank Chiswell, Val Atkinson, Ron Wills.
Crystal Palace/Lea Bridge: Spike Rhiando, George Turvey, Stan Mills, Jimmy Raynes, Basil de Mattos, Frank Bullock, Ed Hazell.
Stoke: Squib Burton, Ted Poole, Gene Crowley, Skid Martin, Joe Wildblood, Reg Grice, Stan Mills, Les White, Cecil Heath.
Wembley: Ron Wills, ‘Bronco’ Bill Reynolds, Vic Patterson, Vic Nield, Sid Plevin, Franco Cortez, Tiddler Pierson.
Points scorers: Stan Mills (Coventry, Lea Bridge/Crystal Palace) 22, Johnny Young (Coventry) 19, Gene Crowley (Stoke) 19, Skid Martin (Stoke) 18, George Turvey (Lea Bridge/Crystal Palace) 17, Les White (Stoke) 16.5, Squib Burton (Stoke) 15, Frank Chiswell (Coventry) 14, Spike Rhiando (Lea bridge/Crystal Palace) 12, Basil de Mattos (Lea Bridge/Crystal Palace) 11, Frank Marsh (Belle Vue) 11, Ed Hazell (Lea Bridge/Crystal Palace) 10, ‘Bronco’ Bill Reynolds (Coventry, Lea Bridge/Crystal Palace) 10, Val Atkinson (Coventry) 9, Ron Wills (Coventry) 9, Reg Grice (Stoke) 9, Frank Bullock (Lea Bridge/Crystal Palace) 8, Buster Bladon (Coventry) 8, Eric Worswick (Belle Vue) 6, Joe Wildblood (Stoke) 4, Cecil Heath (Stoke) 2, Jimmy Raynes (Lea Bridge/Crystal Palace) 2, Charlie ‘Ginger’ Pashley (Belle Vue) 2, Bruce Warburton (Belle Vue) 2, Syd Emery (Belle Vue) 1, George Goodley (Belle Vue) 0.
(Drivers guested for other teams; not all match scores known; incomplete table).
Classified results (not complete): Coventry 45 Lea Bridge 27; Coventry 52 Belle Vue 28; Lea Bridge 28 Coventry 44; Lea Bridge 48 Belle Vue 23; Coventry 51 Wembley 21; Coventry 44 Stoke 28; Belle Vue 34 Wembley 37; Stoke 29.5 Lea Bridge 49.5; Belle Vue 32 Stoke 40; Coventry 52 Belle Vue 17; Stoke 38 Crystal Palace 35; Coventry 35 Stoke 32.
Note: Crystal Palace replaced Lea Bridge in mid-season.
In an uncompleted league, with the actual race points for and against unverified, Coventry won eight of their nine matches, with 405 race points for, 239 against, and 16 table points.
Stoke won five of their eight matches, one draw, two defeats, 334 race points for, 234 against, 11 table points.
Crystal Palace had three wins and four defeats in seven matches, with 237 points for, 255 against, six table points.
Belle Vue won two and lost six of their eight matches. They scored 243 race points, with 325 against, for four table points.
Wembley had one win four matches, with 123 race points for, 164 against, and two table points.
The league decided that Belle Vue should take Southampton's place, although their side were mainly committed to driving Eltos while the other teams favoured Skirrows.
Leicester who had planned to build their team round Cyril ‘Squib’ Burton and Gene Cfrowley failed to open. Southampton signed five riders as a basic team - Les White, Skid Martin, Basil de Mattos, Jimmy Raynhes and DJ Fowdrey. This was a disappointment for Coventry, who were keen to capitalise on possible local derby matches.
In April optimism was high, but as with so many things the best laid plans sometimes go astray. Southampton staged one meeting, a best pairs on Good Friday, April 15, which was won by Walter Mackereth and George Turvey. Wembley delayed their opening until July 16, claiming that the football Cup Finals and other events had prior bookings at the stadium. They staged just one meeting, when Spike Rhiando won the Gold Cup.
But Wembley stayed as league members, and raced only their away matches.
Then came another blow affecting Lea Bridge who, after 1937, were seen as part of the back-bone of National League racing. Towards the end of the 1937 season, there were indications that Wednesday night meetings were not attracting good crowds and this was blamed on the fact the race night clashed with that of New Cross. But with speedway running throughout the week at Wimbledon, West Ham, Harringay and Hackney on the other nights of this week, Lea Bridge had major problems.
For 1938, they optimistically switched from Wednesday to Monday - a move that hastened their eventual closure. When Mondays proved a failure in regard to crowd drawing, there was a hasty switch back to Wednesdays, but the fans stayed away,
Lea Bridge’s last meeting was on July 6, against homeless Wembley in a National League match. That was the end of midget car racig at the east London track, but the team as such was saved by former speedway rider Ron Clive who took them over and reopened Crystal Palace. But only three meetings took place at the Palace, the last being a National League match on September 3 against Belle Vue.
There was, however, some consolation when Stoke, who were based at Sun Street Stadium, Hanley, opened on July 21 as National League members. They bsically used riders who had been earmarked for Leicester including Les White (who sometimes drove as Les Black), Australian Ted Poole whose racing career was quickly ended by injury, Squib Burton, Gene Crowley, Skid Martin, Joe Wildblood and Cecil Heath.
The chaotic National League started on June 12 when Coventry defeated visiting Lea Bridge 45-27. With a ‘head in the sand’ mentality, the league’s organiser refused to recognise there were problems. Until the end of the season, they poured out ‘all is well’ publicity. But this was the last attempt to get a nationwide team competition established.
Records of the National League in many cases have not been recorded, and it was only through Coventry, Lea Bridge and Stoke programmes that a flavour of what went on. These show the following results:
June 29, Lea Bridge 48 (Stan Mills 14, Frank Bullock 13, Gene Crowley 10, Spike Rhiando 9, Basil de Mattos 2) Belle Vue 23 (Charlie Pashley 8, Bruce Warburton 5, Eric Worswick 5, Jock Ferguson 3, George Goodley 2, Billy Murden 0).
July 21, Stoke 29.5 (Gene Crowley 7, Les Black 6.5, Skid Martin 5, Ted Poole 4, Squib Burton 4, Joe Wildblood 3) Lea Bridge/Crystal Palace 42.5 (Basil de Mattos 11.5, Stan Mills 11, Spike Rhiando 6, Frank Bullock 5, Jimmy Raynes 4). The half point was a dead-heat between Black and de Mattos.
August 2, Coventry 52 (Walter Mackereth 15, Johnny Young 2, Val Atkinson 9, Bill Reynolds 8, Buster Bladon 6, Frank Chiswell 2) Belle Vue 19 (Frank Marsh 11, Eric Worswick 6, Charlie Pashley 1, Bruce Warburton 1, Sid Emery 0, George Goodley 0).
September 1, Stoke 36 (Les White 10, Stan Mills 10, Skid Martin 7, Gene Crowley 5, Joe Wildblood 3, Reg Grice 1) Crystal Palace 35 (Ed Hazell 10, George Turvey 13, Spike Rhiando 6, Frank Bullock 3, Basil de Mattos 0, Jimmy Raynes 0).
September 18, Coventry 39 (Frank Chiswell 12, Walter Mackereth 9, Ron Wills 9, Johnny Young 7, Buster Bladon 2, Val Atkinson 0) Stoke 32 (Les White 11, Gene Crowley 7, Skid Martin 6, Reg Grice 5, Cecil Heath 2, Stan Mills 1).
Coventry was undoubtedly the main venue for midget car racing between 1937 and the start of World War Two in September 1939. It is from that the area that the most comprehensive recollections of the sport come.
Alan Maddison, of Biney Woods, Coventry, told the author, “The pre-war track ws D-shaped with the stands on the start/finish line. The pits were at the Coventry end of the track while the referee-steward was perched in a tower on the centre green.
“The cars were mainly Skirrows and built by Harry Skirrow, who had a hook instead of a hand on one arm. He could do more with that hook than most mechanics with hands when it came to handling spanners.”
Mr Maddison added, “The leading Coventry driver was Walter Mackereth who drove car No.31. he lived in Brandon road (now Rugby Road), opposite a chicken farm. His family fostered a young man, Johnny Young, who also drove for Coventry.”
Alan Maddision added, “Squib Burton drove for Leicester and Stoke, while the American driver Spike Rhiando used to thrill us with his big car. This hand an oil pump on the outside and he had to work it one hand during races.
“The track staff used to march out to the tune of “Bugle Rag’ and I often helped them water the track, using a pipe from the back of the track. This is where the present back straight is.”
Maddison went on, “When war started in 1939, midget car racing stopped and the track was abandoned until 1948. There was a brief bid in 1950 to revive midget car racing. Coventry speedway rider Johnnie Reason, who became a director of Coventry Football Club, also drove the cars at this time.”
JH Sparkes, of Ernsford Grange, Coventry, also remembered the 1937-39 years at Coventry. “The league was made up by teams from Coventry, Belle Vue, Stoke, Leicester and Southampton. The Coventry team was Walter Mackereth, Val Atkinson, Johnny Young and Frank Chiswell, among others. Other drivers I remember are Les and Lane White, Basil de Mattos and Squib Burton.”
He added, “Most drivers in the league used Skirrow cars, apart from Belle Vue who relied on Eltos. These had a fuel pressure pump on the dashboard and had to use this during races.”
Mr Sparkes went on, “In those days, the track was D-shaped with the pits in a spinney area, diagonally across from where the pits are now. Sometimes we had stunt entertainment events, one of these from the American motor thrill showman Putt Mossman.
“He used to appear on a Harley Davidson motorcycle which had a ladder fitted to the back of the saddle. Mossman used to climb up one side and down the other while the bike was moving.”
A further memory from Mr Sparkes was, “At one meeting, a driver came from Norway complete with a Skirrow. We never saw him race because the meeting was rained off. I hope he had meetings at other tracks to make his trip worthwhile.”
Mr R Shipley, of Stonebury Avenue, Coventry, also remembers the 1938 season. He told me, “My brother and I cycled from Leicester to Brandon for meetings. We were both Territorial Army soldiers and mobilised in August 1939. The entrance fee was sixpence (two and halfpence new money) or one shilling (five pence new money)."
He commented, “Our main interest was in Squib Burton, who also rode at one-time for the Leicester speedway team. He was about 6ft tall and wore the rather high crash helmets used in those days. He was quite a sight on a motorcycle or in a car.
“He was nick-named the ‘Flying Palony’ - a palony being what is now called a hot dog.”
NATIONAL LEAGUE TEAMS:
Belle Vue: Charlie ‘Ginger’ Pashley, Bruce Warburton, Eric Worswick, Stanley ‘Acorn’ Dobson, Frank Marsh, George Goodley, Billy Murden, Jock Ferguson.
Coventry: Walter Mackereth, Tony Hume, Johnny Young, Buster Bladon, Frank Chiswell, Val Atkinson, Ron Wills.
Crystal Palace/Lea Bridge: Spike Rhiando, George Turvey, Stan Mills, Jimmy Raynes, Basil de Mattos, Frank Bullock, Ed Hazell.
Stoke: Squib Burton, Ted Poole, Gene Crowley, Skid Martin, Joe Wildblood, Reg Grice, Stan Mills, Les White, Cecil Heath.
Wembley: Ron Wills, ‘Bronco’ Bill Reynolds, Vic Patterson, Vic Nield, Sid Plevin, Franco Cortez, Tiddler Pierson.
Points scorers: Stan Mills (Coventry, Lea Bridge/Crystal Palace) 22, Johnny Young (Coventry) 19, Gene Crowley (Stoke) 19, Skid Martin (Stoke) 18, George Turvey (Lea Bridge/Crystal Palace) 17, Les White (Stoke) 16.5, Squib Burton (Stoke) 15, Frank Chiswell (Coventry) 14, Spike Rhiando (Lea bridge/Crystal Palace) 12, Basil de Mattos (Lea Bridge/Crystal Palace) 11, Frank Marsh (Belle Vue) 11, Ed Hazell (Lea Bridge/Crystal Palace) 10, ‘Bronco’ Bill Reynolds (Coventry, Lea Bridge/Crystal Palace) 10, Val Atkinson (Coventry) 9, Ron Wills (Coventry) 9, Reg Grice (Stoke) 9, Frank Bullock (Lea Bridge/Crystal Palace) 8, Buster Bladon (Coventry) 8, Eric Worswick (Belle Vue) 6, Joe Wildblood (Stoke) 4, Cecil Heath (Stoke) 2, Jimmy Raynes (Lea Bridge/Crystal Palace) 2, Charlie ‘Ginger’ Pashley (Belle Vue) 2, Bruce Warburton (Belle Vue) 2, Syd Emery (Belle Vue) 1, George Goodley (Belle Vue) 0.
(Drivers guested for other teams; not all match scores known; incomplete table).
Classified results (not complete): Coventry 45 Lea Bridge 27; Coventry 52 Belle Vue 28; Lea Bridge 28 Coventry 44; Lea Bridge 48 Belle Vue 23; Coventry 51 Wembley 21; Coventry 44 Stoke 28; Belle Vue 34 Wembley 37; Stoke 29.5 Lea Bridge 49.5; Belle Vue 32 Stoke 40; Coventry 52 Belle Vue 17; Stoke 38 Crystal Palace 35; Coventry 35 Stoke 32.
Note: Crystal Palace replaced Lea Bridge in mid-season.
In an uncompleted league, with the actual race points for and against unverified, Coventry won eight of their nine matches, with 405 race points for, 239 against, and 16 table points.
Stoke won five of their eight matches, one draw, two defeats, 334 race points for, 234 against, 11 table points.
Crystal Palace had three wins and four defeats in seven matches, with 237 points for, 255 against, six table points.
Belle Vue won two and lost six of their eight matches. They scored 243 race points, with 325 against, for four table points.
Wembley had one win four matches, with 123 race points for, 164 against, and two table points.
(c) John Hyam 2009