West Ham

Custom House Stadium, Prince Regents Lane, London Racing took place between 1928 - 1972

Dear John, a query, as a West Ham supporter in late 40s and early 50 I can recall? Eric Chitty singing on the mike during interval? Would this be correct or could it be some one else or a figment of my imagination. As I was only about 6 or 7 did I make it up. Also I have a West Ham badge. white city, which you would be most welcome to have. You've probably got those anyway regards Mike O Brien

Hi Mike, You will be correct in thinking Canadian Eric Chitty could be heard singing as well as riding at West Ham. Eric did make a number of 78rpm records. I know that Reg Fearman has at least two of Eric's discs. As a rock n roll fan I doubt Eric's records would interest me but for people of the earlier era maybe Mr Chitty the vocalist, was cool!
Send me a scan of your badge and I will display it down the right hand side black border of this page. John

Eric Chitty did make at least one record singing "When I grow too old to dream". He was also in the Wembley song that the fans used to sing - "Eric Chitty may be fine but give me Kitchen every the time." Great web site JOHN , keep it going. Regards George Wallett team manager Birmingham 1986.
Hi George, thanks for adding to Eric Chitty singing sensation section. You must be well proud of Birmingham's 2010 campaign. The Brummies and my Newcastle have been great this year. Speedway needs characters like Eric. I wish I had seen him race John

A great action shot. This is Jack Bishop in 1928 powersliding his Harley Peashooter

The Stratford Express on Saturday the 4^th May 1929, carried a report on the Speedway Meeting at Custom House Stadium on Thursday 2^nd May 1929.

West Ham’s team certainly justified their selections when they beat Coventry City 31 points to 11 in their inter-track race on Thursday night. Each of the six heats was keenly contested. The Coventry team rode very consistently but their efforts however were unavailing against the Superior riding and Track craft of the home team”.

The match race between the fastest rider from each team was won by Jack Adams against his opponent Wilmot Evens, and in both heats he led from the start.
The item then goes on to talk about the second half events.

What it does not note was the fact that this match was second only to the first meeting at High Beech in February 1928 as being the most important match in the History of Speedway (Dirt track) in London.

The meeting which was described, as an `Inter-track event` was in fact the first ever league match between to teams in London. In 1929 it had been decided to introduce team racing and to create a league system.

The Northern clubs raced in the Northern league, whilst 12 teams from the South, which included the Midlands, took part in the Southern league, which was sponsored by the News of the World Newspaper.

West Ham was one of six London team to take part. The others were Stamford Bridge, who won the league and rode at what is now Chelsea football clubs ground which was described as one of the tightest tracks in Speedway, Crystal Palace, Wembley, White City, Harringay, Lea Bridge and Wimbledon, who came 11^th and last as Hall Green (Birmingham) withdraw from the league half way through the season. West Ham ended up sixth in the league.

John `Taffy` Williams led the team on that night. The rest of the team were Roger May, Jack Adams, Les Maguire (Australia), Godfrey `Buzz` Hibbard (Australia, some history books name him as the captain on the night) and Harold `Tiger` Stevenson (see Photo, again some history books name him as the captain on that night).

Other members of the West Ham team that season were, Reg Bounds, Maurice Bradshaw, Frank Duckett, Don Durant, Bruce McCullum, Col Stewert, Don Taylor, Wally Trumble, Bluey Wilkinson and Ivor Creek, the first man to win a speedway race at West Ham.

The famous Red and Blue with White crossed Hammers race jacket had yet to develop, and West Ham rode that night with a plain white jacket to identify the home team riders, whilst Coventry wore Red and Green. This white jacket soon changed to Red and Blue half’s as team racing become to catch on in the Hearts of Dirt Track Fans.

What was also not noted in the match report was a certain young Australian rider who rode in a couple of the second half events; his name was Arthur George Wilkinson. He was better known as `Bluey`, and become West Ham Speedway’s first Superstar and the 1938 World Speedway Champion. Again some history books disagree he rode that night, claiming he was still in Australia up to June 1929.

One final thing, there never was a Coventry `City` Speedway team, the Coventry team rode at Brandon, and continue to today, another connection with the area is their manager is Colin Pratt, who was the skipper of the Hackney team in the 1960`s, and was a member of the party of riders on the ill fated tour of Holland that ended up with the Lokeren disaster in 1970.

There was a small training track in the grounds of the stadium, it was very small track, so that the riders could train using a smaller close track, as apposed from West Ham vast open spaces, and hopefully the last photo shows, with Hammers Junior and Canterbury Crusader, Barry Crowson.

Terry Stone says: This is Team Canada, Eric Chitty is pictured with his little girl. Can anyone say the year and name the other riders. I guess it's a test of your memory of Canadian riders names:

I only recognise Eric Chitty and Rol Stobbart. Help please in naming this West Ham team and the year. John
Terry Stone says West Ham 1936: Tommy Croombs, Eric Chitty, Broncho Dixon, Charlie Spinks, Tiger Stevenson, Johnnie Hoskins, Ken Brett, Bluey Wilkinson and Rol Stobart. Front: Arthur Atkinson, George Saunders, A young Ian Hoskins and Mick Murphy

Courtesy John Hunter via Dave Rowland
Bluey Wilkinson, Photo by The Newcastle Evening Chronicle

West Ham Vs New Cross (On the outside is Ron Johnson, Aub Lawson and Tommy Coombs at the back on the white line)

1949 Team
Update: Phil Masters says: Stan Greatraux (Promoter), Wally Green, Malcolm Craven, Howdy Byford,
Eric Chitty, Trevor Davies, Cliff Watson, Kid Curtis, George Wilks, Frank Bettis, Reg Fearman. On bike is Aub Lawson

West Ham 1950, can you name the team John
Update: Terry Stone says: West Ham 1950, Reg Fearman, Aub Lawson, Wally Green, Howdy Byford, Kid Curis,
? Atkinson Lloyd Goffe
Update: Reg Fearman says: It is Arthur Atkinson and Trevor Davies next to Lloyd Goffe with Eric Chitty on the machine.

Canadian Eric Chitty 1940's/50's can you be more precise about the year? John The footrest has a stay attached to it which was to save the footrest catching on the safety fence.

Another excellent shot of Aub Lawson, this time leading Vic Duggan and England's Jack Parker

Update Bryan Tungate says: I knew I had seen that photo of Malcolm Craven somewhere before. I have just been looking through Stenners 1947 and found inside the back page (page 128) an advert for Ovaltine which uses that photo with the words "I'm a great believer in Ovaltine" says Malcolm Craven, West Ham speedway star. I would guess from the Stenners date of 1947 the photo was took in 1946. I couldn't say if MC actually drunk the stuff or not but he goes on to say - "it ensures sound sleep". This is one of the things my dad used to say so Malcolm must have been right I suppose. My dad always said he was right as well anyhow.

The helmet looks like it has seen better days. In modern days a new helmet is required if the old one has been dropped on the ground

Courtesy of Robert Rogers
Gary Hay who sadly was paralysed following a crash in Australia

If anyone has a photograph of Malcolm Carmichael, I would like a copy to include here with the rest

Courtesy of Robert.Rogers
Eric Chitty and Reg Fearman coming out of the pits gate

The Old Pits Area (If you compare it with the old picture, the pits is face on, this view is side on, but if you marry them up using the lamp Column and the pit light column you are more our less dead on), now a part of a housing estate, called Hoskins Close, named after the man him self John S Hoskins.

The old main gate area, now called Young Road, named after our Australian World Champion, Jack Young.

I recognise: Terry Stone, George Barclay, Dingle Brown, Wally Green and Reg Fearman. If you can name them all send me an email
Update: Phil Masters has been in touch, he says: The riders are left to right, back row : Ted Ede,
Terry Stone, George Barclay, Dingle Brown, Stan Stevens. Front row: ? Jack Geran, Reg Fearman, ? ?
Can anyone add any names? John
Update: Terry Stone says in the front row are: Mike Wood, Wally Green, Reg Fearman, Alf Hagon and John Guilfoyle.

West Ham Reunion Black Lion Plaistow West Ham.

West Ham Reunion
Reg Fearman and the Hammers.

If you have any photographs, programmes or badges and can scan them I would like to hear from you John