iris123 20,936 Posted January 2, 2020 Also note that Frank Pearce was born in London Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 20,936 Posted January 16, 2020 On 1/1/2020 at 9:46 AM, norbold said: Good question, Bavarian. Lionel Wills, a Cambridge undergraduate and keen motorcyclist, visited Australia in 1926 and witnessed speedway first hand at the Sydney Royal track. He was so enthused by what he saw that he asked Johnnie Hoskins, the promoter at Sydney Royal, if he could have a go himself. After his first outing he wrote home to the motor cycle press in this country describing his own experiences and recounting the hair-raising exploits of the likes of Charlie Datson, Paddy Dean, ‘Cyclone’ Billy Lamont and the American, Sprouts Elder, urging motor cycling clubs to take up the sport. What is not clear however is whether Wills took part in the programmed meeting or whether he just had a practice. Either way though, it seems likely he was the first domiciled Briton to ride speedway. Edit: Just found the article I was looking for. This is the part where Lionel Wills recounts his encounter with speedway racing. Not found anything on this, but have found a report from Claremont,WA from August 1927 during practice sessions before the opening meeting of the new season 'Lionel Wills, the English rider who is here on a short business trip and who intends to stay over the opening meeting, also makes the cinders fly' also 'Ron Johnson shows a good deal of improvement' 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted January 16, 2020 (edited) On 1/1/2020 at 8:46 AM, norbold said: Good question, Bavarian. Lionel Wills, a Cambridge undergraduate and keen motorcyclist, visited Australia in 1926 and witnessed speedway first hand at the Sydney Royal track. He was so enthused by what he saw that he asked Johnnie Hoskins, the promoter at Sydney Royal, if he could have a go himself. After his first outing he wrote home to the motor cycle press in this country describing his own experiences and recounting the hair-raising exploits of the likes of Charlie Datson, Paddy Dean, ‘Cyclone’ Billy Lamont and the American, Sprouts Elder, urging motor cycling clubs to take up the sport. What is not clear however is whether Wills took part in the programmed meeting or whether he just had a practice. Either way though, it seems likely he was the first domiciled Briton to ride speedway. Edit: Just found the article I was looking for. This is the part where Lionel Wills recounts his encounter with speedway racing. More on Lionel Wills: Speedway Museum Online: http://www.speedwaymuseumonline.co.uk/lionelwills.html Edited January 16, 2020 by Guest Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 20,936 Posted January 17, 2020 Thinking about it, maybe it wasn’t a coincidence Wills turned up in Western Australia, as I think by then Hoskins was also there. So maybe renewing acquaintances? And might explain why he was given as ‘the English rider’ instead of ‘an English rider’ if Hoskins had given the info to the press 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norbold 7,101 Posted January 17, 2020 17 minutes ago, iris123 said: Thinking about it, maybe it wasn’t a coincidence Wills turned up in Western Australia, as I think by then Hoskins was also there. So maybe renewing acquaintances? And might explain why he was given as ‘the English rider’ instead of ‘an English rider’ if Hoskins had given the info to the press Yes, sounds right to me. Anyway, I think we can say that Lionel Wills was the first domiciled Brit to ride proper speedway as we know it. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 20,936 Posted January 23, 2020 Anyone have any info on Grace Boyle, who supposedly came from London and toured Australia with Putt Mossman and his troupe including her brother(one source say's husband) Jim Boyle ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 20,936 Posted February 15, 2020 Also see a report that Eva Asquith rode in NZ in the winter of 1929/30 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 20,936 Posted February 16, 2020 Found a rather strange and in this day, worrying report that apparently Asquith competed in motorcycle Bullfighing in Madrid, 1932. Apparently her pillion passenger killed several bulls Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bavarian 765 Posted February 23, 2020 Found this on YouTube: a couple of female speedway riders, 50 years after Fay Taylour, these two rode in an indoor speedway match race series at the Wembley Arena (ca.1980). Miss Bobbi Hunter (USA) vs Miss Madeleine Fundín (Sweden) 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
