Reg Fearman..part eight
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Reg Fearman..part eight |
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WSRA lunch at Bulphan Essex
Billy Sanders' equipment
Stoke's 80th Birthday
Eileen and I were invited to attend on April 11,
2009 the Chesterton Stadium (Stoke) to celebrate the 80th anniversary
of the first speedway meeting in the Potteries that took place at Hanley
Stadium, Sun Street in April 1929.
It was a very pleasant evening - with Rye House
as the visitors - we were made most welcome by promoter Dave Tattum and
Howard Jones.
Of course a lot of races have taken place in
those 80 years and a lot of men have worn the famous "Potters" emblem of the
Five stars representing the Five Towns that make up Stoke on Trent.
The "Potteries" is actually made up of Six Towns. It was in 1910
that Stoke on Trent was born with the federation of the six towns namely :-
Hanley, Burslem, Longton, Stoke, Tunstall and Fenton. It was the"
Potteries" own most famous novelist and playwright Arnold Bennett, 1867 -
1931, who wrote about the Five Towns and thereafter it has been accepted as
such - but not in truth.
Speedway racing was a rather hit and miss affair
at Sun Street with the sport being tried several times between 1929 and 1939.
Two of those early day speedway riders became friends of mine in later years.
Len Blunt who went on to own butchers shops in the "Potteries" and "Chun"
Walter Moore. Both were local lads at the time. "Chun"
went on to race at Belle Vue and you will find him on some of the "Aces" team
photos. When he retired from racing he went into the Fireplace Surround
manufacturing business in the "Potteries" . The most continuous run at Sun
Street was from 1947 to 1953. It was in October 1963 that Sun Street
staged their last meeting after four succesful seasons under my promotion.
The Stadium was sold - like so many others - for building development
It was most pleasant to meet up with two members
of my old team of 48 years ago - Colin Pratt and Eric Hockaday - and meet with
some of the boys who raced at Loomer Road. Tom Owen, Eric Monaghan, Paul
Thorpe and Nigel Crabtree. We were introduced to the crowd during the
interval and received a very warm reception. We all had plenty to
talk over in between the races. The evening went just too quickly and
suddenly it was time to say goodbye until next time.
All ex Stoke riders. Eric Hockaday, Colin Pratt from Stoke Sun Street days, Tom Owen, Eric Monaghan, Paul Thorpe and Nigel Crabtree from Chesterton Loomer Road.
Reg Fearman, Eric Hockaday ,Colin Pratt - all raced at Stoke Speedway Sun Street The Speedway Farm Western Australia
The Swedish Team at Speedway Farm West Australia. Is that Olle Nygren with the rifle?
The first bend of the car race track. The speedway track as we know it is on the inside.
Claremont Speedway in Perth West Australia
was speedway's longest running venue. The doors opened for speedway in 1927
and closed in April 2000 - 73 continuous years. Their pledge - " Our
mission is to provide high quality and good value entertainment, recreation
and service to Western Australia motorsport, the general public and business
communities ". - Eventually the lease expired at the Agriculture Showground
and was not renewed. A new site was found some miles south of the city and
after protracted negotiations with the usual authorities permission was
granted to build a new purpose built stadium at Kwinana. The driving
force behind this operation was Con Migro and it is he who the people have to
thank for his sterling efforts to save speedway in the area.
Colin and
Trish McKee and Eileen Fearman watching the first bend at Kwinana
Aub Lawson was Con's mentor and it was he who
took Con on full time at the Claremont Speedway office in 1973. It was a
labour of love that Con carried out for 27 years. You will find no one
in the whole wide world more enthusiastic about all forms of speedway racing
than Con Migro.
Aub Lawson started his speedway career in Sydney
in the late 1930s and raced for Middlesbrough and Wembley prior to the
outbreak of war. In 1947 he joined West Ham and after a short spell
transferred to Norwich.
 Aub
had always been interested in farming and it was while with Norwich that he
gained much farming experience from Jack Norton who had a very large farm in
Norfolk. Jack was also a keen speedway supporter.
Aub put his newly gained knowledge into a farm at
Quirindi in New South Wales which he purchased in the mid 1950s. This did not
work out too well for him or his family and eventually the farm was sold.
During this time, Aub continued to race in England. Each year he had racing
commitments at Claremont and had a very good relationship with the directors
Mick Tilby and George Milne who also owned the Brisbane Hotel in a Perth
suburb. It was in 1960 that Aub was asked to "come on board" with the
promotion at Claremont and it was he who developed both Claremont Speedway and
the Speedway Farm in W.A. The profits from the speedway operation were
ploughed into the farm which proved a great success. Many speedway
riders from around the world who were racing at Claremont or passing through
were entertained at the Speedway Farm which, like most farms in Australia,
covered many square miles.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kemp Aub With Mrs Jack Thompson at Norwich Speedway Aub, having made such a success of the Speedway Farm, decided to buy a farm for himself at Northam, some 50 miles from Perth. It was there that he died in January 1977 from a heart attack. He had previously strained and damaged his heart through lifting a sheep during sheep shearing. He was just 63 years of age.
Aub Lawson on the tractor with his farming mentor Jack Norton
The Swedish Team Prior To Going Hunting Speedway Farm W.A..Can you name them John
A picture from Perth South Australia, taken during a Swedish tour of Oz. That's Olle Nygren in the red jacket and a hungry looking dog in black n white! Who is the other guy and what year was it? A special bonus point for anyone recognising the barbecue meal being prepared, Kangaroo or sheep? John
Speedway Farm W.A. So It Was A Kangaroo Being Skinned. Soren Sjosten With The Spoils. Go on Soren pick on someone your own size! Swedes in the sun (ouch)
A picture from Perth South Australia, taken
during a Swedish tour of Oz. Swedes in the sun! Spot the Bernt Persson! I can
make out Olle Nygren 2nd from left and possibly Bernt Persson sitting on bike.
What? I don't know why he didn't use sun tan lotion! The lady is Aub
Lawson's second wife Roma Can you name these riders
John
The Swedish Team Pre Practice Claremont Perth W.A.
The Swedish Team at Claremont Perth West
Australia. Can you name them
John
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