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Post by kiwikid34 on Aug 4, 2011 20:06:08 GMT 1
Does any member know if Victor Gillow and Jean Reville were the prime mover for the midget car races that backed speedway bike racing at Catford greyhound stadium in 1934 and 1935. Perhaps Derek Bridgett came across this data when he was researching for his excellent book.
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derek
Junior Member
Posts: 82
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Post by derek on Aug 8, 2011 9:42:08 GMT 1
I am sorry but I'm afraid I don't have any info on Catford.
Most of my research is centered around Stoke, Coventry and Belle Vue.
I'm hoping that the guys who live in the South can sort out the London tracks!
Sorry if any of you folks out there have been receiving "funny" emails from me
the problem is that my email contact address's has been "hacked" into
Derek Bridgett
Newcastle-under-Lyme
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Post by haflinger121 on Aug 8, 2011 18:58:24 GMT 1
Yes Derek, it would be nice to "sort out" the various tracks and promoters with regard to Catford - one day, perhaps. Still getting the odd "funny" e-mail purporting to be from you, but of course, I know better. As we discussed at Hednesford, I have to say their Viagra looked pretty cheap though! And you never know, it probably won't be long before I need the hair treatment either...
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Post by kiwikid34 on Aug 9, 2011 15:50:48 GMT 1
Yes Derek, it would be nice to "sort out" the various tracks and promoters with regard to Catford - one day, perhaps. Still getting the odd "funny" e-mail purporting to be from you, but of course, I know better. As we discussed at Hednesford, I have to say their Viagra looked pretty cheap though! And you never know, it probably won't be long before I need the hair treatment either... The evidence is that Catford greyhound stadium operated for speedway in 1934 and 1935, and most likely ran midgets as a support class to the bikes. There were two other Catford tracks - one briefly for bikes at Catford CC in Penerley Road around 1930. The other in 1936 was promoted by a guy named Kaye Don, who was a Brooklands race car driver. His track was on some parkland known as the 'Dog Field' and was in the Perry Hill (not Como!) and Catford Hill area. |
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Post by haflinger121 on Aug 9, 2011 16:08:11 GMT 1
Unfortunately Kiwikid, what you have said (all of which I believe to be accurate) is about the sum total of what I personally know about Catford. I'd like, for instance, to pin-point precisely where the Dog Field was, and what might occupy the site today. Also, as discussed elsewhere on this forum, I'd be very interested to know how and (particularly) why Kaye Don got involved in oval racing to begin with. I also wouldn't mind a programme from any of these events. Maybe one day, eh?
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Post by administrator on Aug 16, 2011 9:05:01 GMT 1
Unfortunately Kiwikid, what you have said (all of which I believe to be accurate) is about the sum total of what I personally know about Catford. I'd like, for instance, to pin-point precisely where the Dog Field was, and what might occupy the site today. Also, as discussed elsewhere on this forum, I'd be very interested to know how and (particularly) why Kaye Don got involved in oval racing to begin with. I also wouldn't mind a programme from any of these events. Maybe one day, eh? On 15 Aug 2011, at 15:24, Steve Grindlay wrote: Hi John I've never herd of any space called "Dog Field" in Sydenham or the surrounding area. There was a greyhound racing track at Catford and motor racing at Crystal Palace but neither of those has been referred to Dog Field. I wonder if you could give me a little more information? For example, what was the source of the information that meetings were held in Sydenham; what sort of meetings were they; what sort of track would they have needed. I'm afraid I don't even know what "midget car racing" is. I do know that by 1936, because he was blamed for an accident during the Manx TT, Kaye Don's career was virtually at an end. Steve |
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Post by haflinger121 on Aug 16, 2011 23:05:31 GMT 1
Nice one John, you've already done more than I have about finding The Dog Field then! I can't remember exactly where now, but somewhere on this site, we've already had some discussion about the Catford tracks and Kaye Don, in which I speculated that maybe it was the IOM crash (and his subsequent imprisonment) that may have led to Kaye looking for something to be involved in (i.e. promoting/organising) that was slower and safer. Much depends on when exactly the Dog Field events were held and, even then, the above is just a guess on my part. I seem to recall that the Catford events roughly coincided with his retirement from road racing and were either just before the fatal crash or just after he came out of prison.
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Post by administrator on Aug 17, 2011 14:39:43 GMT 1
Nice one John, you've already done more than I have about finding The Dog Field then! I can't remember exactly where now, but somewhere on this site, we've already had some discussion about the Catford tracks and Kaye Don, in which I speculated that maybe it was the IOM crash (and his subsequent imprisonment) that may have led to Kaye looking for something to be involved in (i.e. promoting/organising) that was slower and safer. Much depends on when exactly the Dog Field events were held and, even then, the above is just a guess on my part. I seem to recall that the Catford events roughly coincided with his retirement from road racing and were either just before the fatal crash or just after he came out of prison. There's a reference in the Jean Reville section in the comment items. More on Jean Reville - just another reference to the 'Dog Field' but nothing really substantial. |
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Post by ovaltrack on Aug 24, 2011 14:17:55 GMT 1
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derek
Junior Member
Posts: 82
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Post by derek on Aug 26, 2011 11:14:02 GMT 1
I found this article in Light Car 7/6/35. I'm afraid thats the only referance I have about Catford. Derek Bridgett Newcastle-under-Lyme Attachments:
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Post by administrator on Aug 26, 2011 17:51:53 GMT 1
The previous item from Derek looks as though Perry Hill Stadium (perhaps a grandiose name?) could indeed be the 'Dog Field".
I was actually in the Perry Hill area yesterday (Thursday) and asked a man if he knew where the the 'Dog Field' was. He told me it was off Rutland Walk which is in the same area as Rubens Road.
They both lead down to some playing fields and my memory was jerked by the fact "I've been here before!". And now I remember, about 10 years ago I went to this same location when I was briefly researching the 'Dog Field" which I am certain I also mentioned in a 'Short Circuit' article at the time along with a couple of photos. Probably around 1997?
The names of the drivers in Derek's item also coincide with the reference by kiwikid about the 'Dog Field' in 1936. But as Jean Reville is named it almost certainly would have been staging meetings in 1935 - after his 1935-36 visit to Australia, Reville stayed 'down under' and could not have raced at the'Dog Field' in 1936.
My opinion is that Kay Donne only staged handful of meetings on the 'Dog Field' aka Perry Hill Stadium. Now the search must be to get some results from these meetings - if we are positive 1935 was the venue's only period of operation?
What, though, strikes me as odd is that the 'Dog Field' venture ever started if there was also action (as has been confirmed) in 1935 at Catford greyhound stadium which was little more than a mile away.
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Post by haflinger121 on Aug 27, 2011 12:06:37 GMT 1
Derek and John - excellent work and news from you both! Derek, that clipping with an actual address pinpoints almost exactly where this elusive 'Dog Field' was, while John's site visit (which I knew was always going to be necessary by somebody to see what is really there 'on the ground') has also allowed him to speak to somebody local who knew what the local name is or was for those playing fields.
I've looked in both my ancient and modern A-Z's and the area is clear to see when you know where to look although, oddly, the index in the ancient edition doesn't list Rubens Road, even though it is shown on the map. Other researchers may need to be aware of this in case it is an on-going mistake in other editions, or perhaps Rubens Road was un-adopted or something at the time. Rutland Walk is indexed however and, as John said, it is immediately adjacent to both Rubens Rd and the cricket ground-cum-playing fields.
John, if you could be a little more precise about the date of the Short Circuit article, I might be able to find that in the archive - we have every single edition of SC here.
We also have the programmes from both the Whit Monday (June 10th in 1935) Crystal Palace and Lea Bridge meetings but naturally not the Catford event of the 8th. I have a feeling those might be rather rare....
As for the proximity of the venues John, well, these things do happen. In later years Norton Canes and Hednesford were both operating at the same time while even more recently, look at the placement of Lochgelly and Cowdenbeath! As with both those examples, politics may have played a part. Perhaps Kaye Don wanted to be involved at Catford Stadium but the promoter there didn't want to work with 'a jail bird'? Who knows.
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Post by ovaltrack on Aug 30, 2011 16:06:28 GMT 1
Hear hear. Fascinating reading. Derek and John - excellent work and news from you both! |
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Post by administrator on Sept 4, 2011 21:38:46 GMT 1
Any ideas why the site is called the 'Dog Field'?
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Post by haflinger121 on Sept 5, 2011 13:09:27 GMT 1
Not yet! Actually (as a Sarf Londoner) I was hoping you might be able to tell us that...
By the way, do you recall when that Short Circuit article was that you wrote?
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