iris123

Quite interesting that as i said on anther thread 'Lammy' was in the US known as 'The Frenchman' or 'Flying Frenchman' etc But looking at the internet his family were Americans going back a number of generations. Even Josiah's father doesn't particularly sound French.....Joshua !! Found further back to the French ancestor Andre Lamoreaux 3rd November 1663 in Cozes, Saintonge, France. Andre was a Hugenot André Lamoureaux was a shipmaster and pilot of the small port of Méché (now Meschers-sur-Gironde) in the province of Saintonge (now Charente-Maritime) France, near the mouth of Gironde river and between La Rochelle and Bordeaux. Accompanied by his wife Suzanne LaTour and two children, Elizabeth and Jacques, he made his way to the port of Bristol, England where the sturdy shipmasters of the western coast of France had established a thriving trade. Bristol, England The records of the little French church which the fugitives promptly organized in Bristol show that the colony maintained itself there for many years. Unlike the larger and better known colony in London, it did not attract to itself the refugees of gentle birth and position, but rather those whose commercial and seafaring occupations had made them acquainted with this part of England. Among these it is permissible to presume that André Lamoureaux was a man of exceptional strength of character and influence. The fact that he was a pilot on the dangerous coast of western France is evidence of the first and the frequent appearance of his name in the records of other members of the colony warrants the second conclusion. The last record of André Lamoureaux in the French church of Bristol was dated March 25, 1695, when he signed as a witness to the marriage of two friends, Gedoq-Roy. Naturalization Application and Emigration Apparently in anticipation of his emigration to America, André Lamoureaux took out denization, or naturalization, papers 22 June 1694, for himself, wife, and two children, Elizabeth and Judith. This was by a special act of Parliament, no general act then being in force. From this it will be seen that André arrived in New York early in the year 1700, or in the preceding year. Jan 7, 1694, christened a son Daniel, born Dec 24, 1693, and who appears to have died soon after. Dec 1, 1695, they christened son Daniel, born Nov 29, 1695, who is the ancestor of the many hundred of the name now scattered over the United States and Canada. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Lamoreaux-49 Well worth a look. Particularly at The Pirate Letter'.. Daniel Lamoreaux snr was born 29th November 1695 in Bristol, Somerset, England!!! Jean Lamoreaux born on 31 December 1723 in New York City Thomas Lamoreaux was born on 1746 in New Cornwall, Orange County, NY ( Thomas served in the Revolutionary War. He was a Revolutionary soldier, and who during part of the war was a prisoner on one of the Long Island prison ships. He was a Revolutionary War Ensign, serving under Captain Francis Smith and Colonel Woodhull in New York. He also signed articles of Association in Orange County, New York (patriotic service). On 07/30/2018, the National Daughters of the American Revolution placed a marker to honor Thomas Lamoreaux (Lamoreaux) on Tilling Point Farm, Jackson Township, PA. Luzerne County. The marker reads: Revolutionary war soldier & patriot Thomas Lamoreux (Lamoreaux) Ensign, Orange County Militia, NY. Signed Articles of Association. Born Circa 1745 - Died 5 October 1829. Marker Placed by Wyoming Chapter, NSDAR 2017.) Joshua Lamoreaux was born on August 30th 1793 in Chase, Luzerne, Pennsylvania When Josiah Cease Lamoreaux was born on 29 March 1818, in Lehman Township, Luzerne, Pennsylvania, United States, his father, Joshua B. Lamoreaux, was 24 and his mother, Martha Ives, was 20. He married Ellen Major about 1838. They were the parents of at least 7 sons and 2 daughters. He lived in Lehman, Lehman Township, Luzerne, Pennsylvania, United States in 1860. He died on 17 May 1896, in Clinton, Illinois, United States, at the age of 78, and was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery, Clinton, DeWitt, Illinois, United States. When Thomas Jefferson Lamoreaux was born on 15 February 1858, in Lehman Township, Luzerne, Pennsylvania, United States, his father, Josiah Cease Lamoreaux, was 39 and his mother, Ellen Major, was 41. He married Anna Bell Horton on 10 February 1892, in Knox, Illinois, United States. They were the parents of at least 3 sons. He lived in Lehman, Lehman Township, Luzerne, Pennsylvania, United States in 1860. He died on 18 April 1918, in Ellison Township, Warren, Illinois, United States, at the age of 60. And on 21st May 1937 Lammy was riding for Wimbledon in Bristol. So completing the circle back to his ancestor of over 200 years before. I wonder if he knew ?

Remember my grandad talking about Lammy getting fenced by a couple of West Ham riders. And from memory it was Wilkinson and Atkinson

And that brings us back to a number of threads about 'First ever race'

Yes, but they were always heading for trouble if a London club entered. Which Hackney eventually did, and they still kept the name, which made it even stranger.

Nothing really, but i was just wondering if there was an explanation as to why they named the league Provincial ? Having no affinity to the league, it just strikes me as a very strange name to give it

Surely all Formula 1 drivers are the best Formula 1 drivers in the world, as they are the only Formula 1 drivers there are

Moore Park at least is still operating https://mooreparkspeedway.co.nz/news.php Oreti Park and Rosebank also https://www.sporty.co.nz/speedwaynz/COMPETITORS-1/CHAMPIONSHIPS/CHAMPIONSHIPS-1

Have we had this before on here ? I can't remember. And maybe it ties in with the above post about Keith McKay ?

Plenty more on this thread

My memory is a bit different crowd-wise. I thought there was a noticeable drop in the crowd from 1973-77. 73-74 were amazing crowds. The cars parked down to the gates of the cemetery, and the queue outside the stadium.... I didn't go to the last couple, but i guess it dropped even further ? Or why did they stop running the meeting ? 1973 also witnessed two other bumper nights in my memory. The Spring Classic and for me , even better at least a more vocal colourful crowd was the BLRC 2 meeting. I am not sure that was ever topped for the various fan groups with their flags etc

Roskilde Road Greyhound and Dirt Track. In order to present the sport best possible, a selection of mainly British riders from the Manchester White City track were contracted from the opening day until the end of 1928. They were Dick Hayman, Ted Egerton, Mark Sheldon, Clem Beckett, Arthur Greenwood, Ernie Greenall and John Crump (all England), together with Keith McKay (Australia) and Stewie St. George (New Zealand) and others. At the end of the seas in December Dick Hayman had won 20 raced, thereof 6 in a row. Stewie St. George’s track record was 1,44 minute for 4 laps. Clem Beckett and Dick Hayman stayed i Copenhagen through the winter and returned to England at the end of June 1929. Season opening March 22nd 1929. Among the first foreigners to come were Ernie Greenall, Ted Cowley and T. D. Ainthorpe. Greenall won every time he rode, which caused Count Raben to cable to England and ask for a rider “capable of beating Grenall”. Then the Irishman “Ginger” Lees got dispatched to Copenhagen, where he immediately lowered the track record to 1,39 minute. Dirt track goes air borne. (Sure i have seen a photo of some riders, including Clem standing by one of these planes to take them between Copenhagen and Hamburg)The Dirt track Company’s first Air express took off from Kastrup airport at 10 o’clock this morning heading for Hamburg, with Air Cpt. Harald Hansen at the controls and with 8 passengers and 3 speedway bikes onboard.The bikes were securely fixed in the luggage compartment early this morning. It had been necessary to remove a wheel from each of them. http://speedwaylife.com/danish-tracks/roskildevej-dirt-track/ Also to tie in with this, Beckett's appearance in Hamburg. Maybe it was just the one, or maybe he appeared in subsequent meetings, but wasn't mentioned in the press A minor sensation happened in the B class for german riders,as after a number of meetings where he so often fell off,Bill Kellner finally won a final!!!A taste of things to come........In the A class for foreign riders a newcomer from England made a sensational start.Clem Beckett won his heat in great style earning loud applause from the crowd.Unfortuntaely for him and the fans,he was carrying an injury that made it difficult for him to compete further.Ned Kelly won a hard fought heat just finishing ahead of Thorkild Claussen Johannes Wunders new technique did bring him the win in the main handicap final ahead of the Dane Rasmussen and Herbert Drews This time the Friday meeting with its new event could go ahead and seemed to have done what was hoped and attracted a record crowd(for a Friday)with around 18,000 turning up to see the race for the new Douglas bike.The meeting started with a match race challenge between Ned Kelly and Thorkild Claussen ,the first heat of which was described as the best so far this season.Both very evenly matched racing hard against each other.Claussen won 2-0,the second heat far easier than the first.Stewie St.George won the final for foreign riders ahead of English riders Arnold Moore and Jack Wood.And for the second meeting in a row,Bill Kellner won the B class final.He showed his improvement by also qualifying along with Herbert Drews for the handicap final,but it was the Berliner Heck who beat Claussen to the chequered flag followed by Drews and kellner In the big final Johannes Wunder kept up his good form,taking revenge on Fritz Niss,who beat him in the quali.Wunder was ut in front from the start and no matter what Niss tried he couldn't get to him.Arnold Stölting was third ahead of Otto Heinrichs The sunday meeting featured a match race challenge between Franz Heck and Arnold Moore Watched by 10,000+ the Berliner won the first heat in a great time,just outside the national record with 76.2.The second was far closer with Moore leading all the way in a tough race until Heck made a pass on the last bend to take the match 2-0 just 0.1 second ahead of Moore!! Kellner couldn't manage 3 on the trot in the B class as ever improving Herbert Drews beat him into 2nd place.Wunder again managed a good win in the handicap final,although he had a bit of luck that Walter Hulls bike played up whilst leading and Heck also had bike trouble,so onl Arnold Moore could give Johannes a scare in finishing second. A couple of days later it was announced that for the next meeting the best dirt track rider in the world was coming to Hamburg.Sprouts Elder!!!Not only that,but track favourite Ginger Lees was making his return from Denmark, having re-taken the track record in Copenhagen.Joining him would be another favourite in Niels Sorensen!!!!

https://museumcrush.org/clem-beckett-the-daredevil-speedway-star-who-died-in-spain/

Davies Park, Brisbane, November 1928 Max Grosskreutz, possibly one of the most under-rated of the pre-war stars was yet to reach the top, but was on his way. Often stated by Australian historians that he started out at Townsville, but I have my doubts. We will get to that later, but the scene is set in Brisbane as some of the top riders have recently returned from their venture to the UK to start the sport in Europe.The Golden Helmet was one of the main trophies at the track and the holder received a wage for the period they held it. This is how one newspaper reported the meeting Max Grosskreutz has long been a favourite with the speedway crowd, but his dashing victory in the Golden Helmet last made him more of a 'hero' than ever. He beat Taylor and Hastings pointless, and covered the 4 laps in a faster time than has ever previously been recorded, 76s The Northern boy rode a beautiful race, and it is doubtful whether even Frank Arthur would have beaten him. Unfortunately Arthur's back tyre came off in the second lap, and deprived him of any chance. Grosskreutz won by virtue of his ability to ride the white line. On the turns he was rarely more than two feet out. The only fly in the ointment of Grosskreutz's win was the fact that he did not actually finish in the semi-final, and it is questionable if he had the right to start in the final. After his engine failed in the semi final, he pushed it around on the inside of the track, and did not actually cross the finishing line. Pearce apparently won the right to start in the final, but he sportingly handed it to Grsskreutz, according to the announcer. But Pearce himself also finished on a 'busted' engine on the inside of the track. So where are we? Grosskreutz rode a wonderful race in the final, in record time, and it is a pity he should win in such circumstances Results ht 1, M.Grosskreutz, Harry Mangham, Ben Unwin, Len Percival ht 2, F.Pearce, Jock Binney, Cyril Anderson, Bruce Richmond ht 3, F.Arthur, Harold Hastings, Arthur Yenson, Bert Jones ht 4, A.Taylor, D.Case, Les Lawrence, Bruce McCallum semi 1, H.Hastings, M.Grosskreutz, F.Pearce, D.Case Grosskreutz took the lead until 3rd lap when his engine failed.Pearce fell on 2nd lap, but remounted, but also had problems. semi 2, F.Arthur, A.Taylor, J.Binney, H.Managham It was then suggested Grosskreutz and Pearce have a run off to decide who goes into the final, but as Pearce's bike was knackered, Pearce gave a walk over to Max In the final, Taylor was on the inside with Max next to him and Hastings on the outside. Taylor went into the lead with Grosskreutz following close behind. On the 2nd lap, Arthurs back tyre came off and he was out. Then Groskreutz passed Taylor on the inside and they had a great battle for the last lap, but Max won by 4 lengths 'amid a roar of cheering. It was the most popular win ever seen on the track' Then the fun and games began Two days later the ACU ruled Grosskreutz was not eligible to compete in the final on 3 grounds Firstly he had not finished,plus he was not the fastest second place(it having been stipulated in the programme that only the two semi final winners,plus the fastest second would start in the final) and lastly, he had pushed his motor from a greater distance than the red post. The Clerk of the Course , it was claimed then decided that he could start in the final, and the stewards agreed under protest. On Monday the union officials informed the speedway management that the pay for the prize should go to Alby Taylor, who was therefore the winner of the Golden Helmet and second place was awarded to Harold Hastings The came the problem with the qualification to the final. Apparently recent Golden Helmet meetings had been run with 3 heats with the winners and the fastest second going through. But due to 3 top riders returning from the UK it had been decided to run 4 heats and then two semi finals, so the first and second in each s/f should go through. The information in the programme had been misleading Then a statement came from Alby Taylor saying he 'is not satisfied to retain his trophy for the usual period of 4 weeks, because of the controversy raging around the decision, and the fact Grosskreutz rode so remarkably well'. In deference to Taylors request the speedway management announced the Golden Helmet would be at stake at the next meeting, with the same riders in the same line up A record crowd turned up and perhaps the best nights racing seen on a Brisbane speedway was witnessed In the end Harold Hasting ran out the winner with Max in second place.....Taylor didn't get past the semi final

Great stuff. Lucky i didn't post, as i was going to say, seeing as there wouldn't be any greyhound stadiums in China, where would it have been held ? And there were !!! I tried to find out where it might have been held, but could only find an Athletic stadium that was built in 1934. So too late Thanks

Interesting mention of speedway in Shanghai, China there

I do seem to recall a period, i think from 1934-36 when he was certainly one of the best in the world. He certainly went well in what were some of the major meetings of the season. The England v Australia test series. Taking a guess that he was injured in one, and then missed the next couple. One being his home track of Belle Vue in 1936. I also seem to recall he had some good races for the UK Golden Helmet one of those seasons Plus ,and of course it was the year of the first proper World Championship, he did win the major-ish Aussie series in 1936. And i am wondering if the injury (guess) in the Test match also kept him out of the world championship qualis that season. Which would have been his best chance most probably. Looking on Speedway Researcher he was looking pretty formidable, almost unbeatable at Hyde Road, and then missed over a month i think.......Unfortunately the Golden Helmet history was on the Speedway History site, which seems to have disappeared...... 1936 1.V.Huxley,N.Key, S.Langton 2. B.Wilkinson,C.Parkinson.S.Perkins 3.J.Milne, McLachlan, A.Atkinson 4.W.Phillips, D.Haigh, B.Lamont 5. T.Stevenson, F.Pearce 6.M.Grosskreutz, C.Mitchell, R.Stobart Semi finals 1. V.Huxley, B.Wilkinson, C.Mitchell 2.W.Phillips,J.Milne, N.Key 3. M.Grosskreutz, T.Stevenson, C.Parkinson Final M.Grosskreutz, V.Huxley, W.Phillips Although i'd sort of say the 'legend' title is more regional (Brisbane) than international

Max Grosskreutz (1906 – 1994) - A Legend in the History of the Speedway Machine From a very early age, Maximillian (Max) Grosskreutz had a yearning to become a speedway rider. Max was born at Foxdale in 1906, the youngest of eleven children of William Grosskreutz, a German who had emigrated to Australia as a child in 1873 and eventually purchased a sugar cane farm in Proserpine in 1897. When not helping in the cane fields, Max would be off riding his motor cycle, much to the annoyance of the neighbours. But that did not faze him. Nor did a serious accident when he rode into a barbed wire fence. He began his motor-cycle career on a makeshift grass track at the showgrounds in Bowen, riding his Indian Scout road bike to win his first race with the prize money of £10. In 1928, Max moved to Brisbane where, as a 22 year old, he won the Australian Title at Davies Park (becoming the first official Australian Champion). Thus began a meteoric rise to fame and he became the greatest idol the Brisbane speedway-going public had ever had, known to fans as “The Northern Flash”. In 1929, he was signed up to ride in England. For ten years, Max raced for several British clubs regularly returning for the Australian season. In 1930, Max rode in the first official Test against England and then made forty-one consecutive appearances against England, over seven years. In 1935, he finished third in the Star Riders’ Championship – the forerunner to the Speedway World Championship. In 1936, he won both NSW and Australian Championships. When war broke out in 1939, Max and his family secured a passage on the last ship to leave England, settling in Sydney. But once hostilities ceased, Max returned to racing on Friday nights at the Sydney Sports Ground. In 1946, he was again NSW Champion. This success persuaded him to return to the UK for the 1947 season, again proving a great drawcard. In 1948, he broke three track records in a week, however after a serious crash on August 2, at the age of 42, he decided to call it a day. The “pudding basin” helmets, heavy black belted armour and bulky cumbersome machines made the speedway circuit no place for the faint-hearted. But Max was not of the faint-hearted – he rode with an injured neck, jaw, cracked ribs and even a chipped skull. Twice he was reported dead! Max once said, “You haven’t got to be mad to be a speedway rider, but it helps.” Max Grosskreutz was not just a successful speedway rider; he was also a pioneer in the sport. In 1934, when he inspired an Australian Test victory over England, Max had ridden a machine of his own design built from pieces discarded by fellow riders - the prototype of the now famous Grosskreutz frames. Max was offered substantial amounts of money for his secret. In an interview in 1992, he recalled – “It was easy because the bike was much lighter. My engine was put back in the centre. They were all forward, that was their problem. They didn’t wake up for a long time. They started to catch up when I sold my bike to Bluey Wilkinson.” In 1936, when Wilkinson won all of the world final races mounted on one of Max’s frames, orders poured in and so it was that the Grosskreutz frame generated the standard design of frames to follow. Proserpine salutes your memory, Max Grosskreutz, a world-beating sporting hero from our small town. Story courtesy of Proserpine Historical Museum and photos from “Speedway Past Australia” https://www.mackayandwhitsundaylife.com/article/from-the-bush-to-the-big-time

Just seen the crash !!! Hope both riders recover quickly

Mine was the 1975 final. In fact only went to two. 75 and 85

Tbh and maybe i missed it, but Wimbledon's end of season, usually the Laurels was pretty tame apart fom the meeting-wise. It was mainly just the meeting and then fireworks from memory. Hackey and Len Silver on the other hand was a 'good show' and well worth crossing the river for. Len was a real promoter and sadly Maido wasn't

Just jumped to the conclusion that when they announced these new sprints, they would of course be something different. I never in my life thought it was just the same old 4 laps under a new name. I was thinking more of the one lap dash/flying lap that they used to have as a filler. Although quite by coincdence i think the only few i saw were at Stralsund and a certain Mr Morris was the fastest Ivan Mauger breaking the 1km flying lap https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=734870230870249

Good points Risk losing a top rider for the sake of a gimick and a couple of points And i much prefer your idea of giving a few riders the chance to qualify for the wildcard. Give the event and the fans something, rather than risk losing something

I didn't realise this until you posted, but even worse than i thought. Nothing revolutionary, as they try to state. 4 riders on track at the same time doing a sprint over 4 laps. Which if i am correct, and my memory not failing me, as it has been a few years since i attended a meeting now, is what used to be called in the old days a heat. The fastest rider wins, just like in the old heats..... Trying to make a silk purse out of a pigs ear here