norbold

Yes, very sorry to hear that. I met him once in a pub near Hackney speedway after a meeting. He seemed a nice bloke. Although Terry Ripo might not agree as I believe he once kicked in the door to the announcer's box at Mildenhall after a disagreement with the referee!!!

Who was I training to teach would be more appropriate! I was training to teach junior school children 7-11.

Of course, with us cockneys, what tends to happen is that the 'h' word drops the h and begins with n instead, as in a notel or a nistorian.....

Yes, I think 847084 has explained the position re-an/a before h correctly. It used to be the case that a word beginning with h was always preceeded by an, but this has now fallen out of favour and it is generally the case that an would only be used where the h is silent.

What do you mean? First of all I went to New Cross Then I tried to go to Norwich Then I went to West Ham Then I went to Hackney..... Hmmm...you could have something...

I saw them until I went off to college in early September. I then saw them again beating Cradley Heath at Dudley Wood in the match that won them the British League. So, at least I was there for that! Incidentally, the reason I chose Keswick Hall was so I could go and see Norwich. Just after I applied and was accepted, Norwich announced their closure.

6th February

Yes, it was a teacher training college. Keswick Hall, Norwich. But I didn't like teaching so I never actually took it up, preferring the academic atmosphere of The British Museum instead! Good news about the book. See you at High Beech?

Be fair, moxey did add the 1947 statistics...

1948 - Exeter 43 matches 287 points 6.67 average 1949 - Exeter 47 matches 301 points 6.40 average 1950 - Exeter 34 matches 226 points 6.64 average 1951 - Cardiff 36 matches 189 points 5.25 average 1952 - Ipswich 17 matches 44 points 2.5 average

The 1949 Who's Who says: PILGRIM, ARTHUR. Born Colchester 1920. Owned a baby motor-cycle at the age of nine and first became interested in speedway when watching his brother Jack ride at West ham. Arthur began his racing career on the grass track and in 1938 had trials at Dagenham and Hall Green. He afterwards had one or two races at Norwich but settled down to it seriously after the war when he joined the Rye House training school where he was spotted by Frank Buckland the then Exeter manager. Arthur first rode for Exeter in August 1947 as reserve, and the following season was a regular member of the team scoring 55.2% of his possible points."

The review in Halliwell's Film guide says: "A fairground wall of death rider turns to crime. Glum quickie which was oddly popular." Rating: No stars.

Tom Farndon? Where's my nearest school?

Like iris, I can't recall how many specific examples, but I remember seeing home and away Hackney/West Ham Bank Holiday clashes back in the 60s.

So there I was minding my own business listening to BBC Essex this morning when they played "Chewy Chewy" and the memories came flooding back. Do you remember, CHK? Buddha Records, Kasenetz Katz and those unforgettable records such as Chewy Chewy, Goody Goody Gumdrops, Kasenetz Katz Singing Orchestral Circus, Yummy Yummy Yummy, Quick Joey Small, Simon Says....Those were the days. Having said all that, I hope you do remember, CHK, otherwise I'll look a right idiot!

Mind you, I believe he also looked a proper nana in his great big hob nail boots.

I don't know about the Chsiwick Nomads. The Southern Rovers, as the name suggests, roved around. They didn't have a home track, though they were given a base at Rayleigh in 1956. I think you are thinking of John Hart, who rode for Birmingham in the 70s. Phil "Tiger" Hart was Eastbourne's captain in the 1938 Sunday Dirt Track League.

Yes, Birmingham 1960 were like New Cross 1959 - even to the extent of having Peter Craven in their teams! On further investigation I have discovered that they actually raced at Alexander Sports Stadium, Perry Barr not at Perry Barr Greyhound Stadium. They had run League speedway from 1946 - 1957 then closed but returned for that one-off season in 1960. Speedway did not return to that stadium. Perry Barr re-opened in 1971 (having run a couple of pre-war seasons). I don't think there were many other tracks that ran team meetings at the senior level if any. Of course the likes of Rye House and Eastbourne ran those sort of meetings at a junior level for many seasons.

Birmingham ran a series of open meetings and challenge matches in 1960 at Perry Barr with a "made-up" team consisting of Arne Pander, Nigel Boocock, Graham Warren, Ron Johnston, Derek Timms, Eric Eadon, Peter Kelly and Peter Craven. I guess that's where the photo is from, Jim. The promoter was Phil "Tiger" Hart.

They don't write songs like those any more, do they Bryn?

Yes, Nobby's daughter told me that too. But didn't John Chaplin interview him for the VSM a year or so back?

Sorry, and Terry Ripo?

Jack Tidbury is definitely still alive. I spoke to Nobby Stock's daughter this morning. She keeps in regular contact with him and spoke to him last week. He is 89 and still quite active apparently but she didn't think he would want to go to a Hackney reunion as he never goes to the VSRA dinner. However he would be worth asking. She thought the best thing would be if Archie asked him. She agreed there are only three pre-War Hackney riders still alive, Archie, Jack and Vic Duggan. By the way has Tony Hurren been invited?

I think cyclone may be referring to Alan Mogridge in 1986. Mogridge had signed for Canterbury at the beginning of 1986 but had asked for a transfer to Rye House. As a result of this Canterbury were given dispensation to use rider replacement. When Canterbury raced against Rye House, Mogridge was riding for Rye House while Canterbury were using r/r for him, so effectively he was riding for both teams. Not quite the question you asked, but an interesting anomaly all the same.

They were brothers I think. It might be Ken I'm thinking of as the one still alive - unless they both are.