norbold 7,116 Posted June 4, 2004 Can anyone help identify the latest photograph I have uploaded to http://community.webshots.com/scripts/edit...bumID=128567284 It was sent to me by Australian speedway historian, Ross Garrigan. He says he was told that it is a photograph taken in Australia in 1926, but he thinks it more likely to be in Britain in 1932. He thinks it is Plymouth. Can anyone confirm or not? Also can anyone identify the riders. Ross thinks the rider on the far left is Paddy Dean and third from the left is Bert Spencer. Help anyone? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Team Man 32 Posted June 4, 2004 I get an "error" also Norman. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norbold 7,116 Posted June 4, 2004 (edited) It works for me ok. Try this instead http://community.webshots.com/user/norbold and go to various tracks and then the last photograph entitled 'Plymouth?' Edited June 4, 2004 by norbold Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Team Man 32 Posted June 5, 2004 Norman, just had another look at your pics from the VSRA dinner....the person between Ronnie Moore and Ivan Mauger is I think Alan Clark. You may know that already by now of course. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norbold 7,116 Posted June 5, 2004 Thanks Team Man. I hadn't worked it out, but now you mention it I think you are right. Thank you. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aireyatowlerton 0 Posted June 6, 2004 I am 90% certain that the rider second from the right is Frank Varey, while the one second from the left looks rather like Dick Case. Also, third from the right has for some reason the look of Lionel Van Praag about him, but this is more an impression rather than any certainty of identification. If any or all of these are correct then I think the location must be Australia rather than the UK, but well after 1926. I know that Frank Varey toured Australia in 1934/35, so it could be around that date. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norbold 7,116 Posted June 7, 2004 Thanks for that. Yes, second from the right certainly looks like Frank Varey. Not sure about the other two though... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norbold 7,116 Posted June 10, 2004 (edited) Just had the following e-mail from Ross: Hello Norman, I've had some success with the photo. It was taken at Plymouth Speedway. Paddy Dean is definitely the rider on the far left.I would say the year was 1931 which was (to the best of my knowledge) the only year other than 1928 that Dean raced in Britain. The photo in question turns out to have come from Paddy Dean's collection. I today saw another from Paddy's collection which shows the riders without their helmets on. Now comes the task of identifying the rest of them. Ross Edited June 10, 2004 by norbold Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norbold 7,116 Posted June 11, 2004 More news from Ross: "I have very limited knowledge of Plymouth Speedway. If the photo was taken in 1931, the club wasn't in the League that year to the best of my recollection and had just opened during the season. The copy of the photo I saw yesterday looked like a promotional exercise as it had a banner above the photo, "Plymouth Speedway" (rainbow-shaped), in large letters. If Plymouth wasn't in the League, the photo would probably have been taken at an open meeting. Also, if my memory is correct, both Paddy Dean and Frank Varey were on Belle Vue's books at the time. I saw a second photograph yesterday of a group of riders wearing the same design of race jackets (vertical halves, some with the light half on the right and some with it on the left) which looks as if it was taken at the same time as the photo on the track. In this photo the riders ( 7 in this instance) aren't wearing helmets. Paddy Dean is obvious and as for the one I think is Bert Spencer, the distinctive features (particularly the ears) seem to back my judgement." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Sir Lunchalot Posted June 11, 2004 Norbold, having met Ross in person (at last years Oz champs on the Gold Coast) I can verify he sure does love his speedway history. Come to think of it, what are you doing next New Years Day ? The Oz title round is on the Gold Coast on Jan 1 2005 and you can meet Ross for yourself (along with a few other esteemed and erstwhile gents who sit up the back row of the stand). We could even have a "nice little drink" to celebrate the New Year the night before if you were that way inclined Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norbold 7,116 Posted June 11, 2004 Very tempting Sir Lunchy, but I don't think I'll be out in Australia at the New Year....still, you never know..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norbold 7,116 Posted June 14, 2004 (edited) We're getting there...More news from Ross: "Bert Spencer was the Plymouth captain in 1931. Paddy Dean also rode for the club. Quite a number of other riders rode for Plymouth that season including :- Bert Jones, Maurie Bradshaw , Noel Johnson (all Australians), Spencer Stratton & Charlie Blacklock (Kiwis), George Preston, Peter Slade, Fred Hawken, Bill White and Bill Clibbett. There is no mention of Frank Varey appearing at the track that season, either with a visiting team or for second half racing. Quite a few First Division clubs did race at Plymouth that year including West Ham. Billy Lamont rode in a second half. Tom Farndon was brilliant at his appearance. As I don't have photos of most of the riders whom I mentioned appeared for Plymouth, the task of naming all those in the photo is almost impossible unless I turn up team photos. At least I now know where and when the photo was taken." NB to all doubters...Note the comment about Tom Farndon! Edited June 14, 2004 by norbold Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aireyatowlerton 0 Posted June 14, 2004 Could there ever be any doubt about Tom Farndon? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
