Parsloes 1928 nearly 495 Posted January 15, 2007 I have a programme for an unusual event held at London’s White City on 24 May 1955. It featured Athletics (nothing unusual about that, for White City was the nation’s home of track & field then..), greyhound racing (ditto for that, of course); plus an early example of Rugby Union Sevens; Polo; Show Jumping; a five-a-side football match between Arsenal & Celtic; and – wait for it..!! – a Speedway competition featuring Aub Lawson vs. Barry Briggs and then Ronnie Moore vs. Cyril Roger. The two winners of these ‘match races’ meeting in a final two man race.. Of course, there was no Speedway track at White City at the time (and wasn’t to be again ‘til ’76) so among the questions this event throws up is: What track/surface did they race on..: the greyhound track or the athletics circuit..?? Also, if any one knows, what bikes were used; and what were the race outcomes and meeting result..?? Did, for example, the Speedway press report on this at the time..?? I'm guessing not as the meeting(s) are so shrouded in mystery..!! (PS if anyone also knows the result of the Arsenal vs. Celtic match I’d be grateful!! ). This was, as I say, in ’55; and according to the prog. notes wasn’t the first Cavalcade meeting. But was it the first involving Speedway and did Speedway feature again (as ‘Homes’ says..) in the ’56, ’57 & ’61 events..?? Any details of those meetings would too be very welcome Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TwoMinuteWarning 69 Posted January 15, 2007 Parsloes, can't find any results in either Speedway Star or Speedway News. Ronnie Moore mentioned in his column that he was going to ride at the meeting, and in the Star of June 4 1955 Briggo reported: "We rode on what is actually a running track, bit narrow for racing but made a sight easier by the fact that it was rolled smooth and hard." He said it was a charity night for St John Ambulance, and several Dons fans were there. You may have more luck searching the Evening News or a local newspaper. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MAN ON THE TERRACE 37 Posted January 15, 2007 I have a programme for an unusual event held at London’s White City on 24 May 1955. It featured Athletics (nothing unusual about that, for White City was the nation’s home of track & field then..), greyhound racing (ditto for that, of course); plus an early example of Rugby Union Sevens; Polo; Show Jumping; a five-a-side football match between Arsenal & Celtic; and – wait for it..!! – a Speedway competition featuring Aub Lawson vs. Barry Briggs and then Ronnie Moore vs. Cyril Roger. The two winners of these ‘match races’ meeting in a final two man race.. Of course, there was no Speedway track at White City at the time (and wasn’t to be again ‘til ’76) so among the questions this event throws up is: What track/surface did they race on..: the greyhound track or the athletics circuit..?? Also, if any one knows, what bikes were used; and what were the race outcomes and meeting result..?? Did, for example, the Speedway press report on this at the time..?? I'm guessing not as the meeting(s) are so shrouded in mystery..!! (PS if anyone also knows the result of the Arsenal vs. Celtic match I’d be grateful!! ). This was, as I say, in ’55; and according to the prog. notes wasn’t the first Cavalcade meeting. But was it the first involving Speedway and did Speedway feature again (as ‘Homes’ says..) in the ’56, ’57 & ’61 events..?? Any details of those meetings would too be very welcome <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Parsloes, I hve just had a dig through ebay again and if you enter the following item numbers in you will find details of what sports took part and the meeting dates for White City,London - Daily Mirror Cavalcade of Sport in 1958,1957,1956 - 200041204068, 200041204091, 200041204122. Thats a start anyway Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Parsloes 1928 nearly 495 Posted January 15, 2007 Parsloes, I hve just had a dig through ebay again and if you enter the following item numbers in you will find details of what sports took part and the meeting dates for White City,London - Daily Mirror Cavalcade of Sport in 1958,1957,1956 - 200041204068, 200041204091, 200041204122. Thats a start anyway <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Thanks for this. Don't know if it's just me being dumb or probs with my account(?!), but as all these items had closed to bidding I couldn't get the details of them up.. Did it mention Speedway at these three other events..?? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norbold 7,117 Posted January 15, 2007 There were also Cavalcade of Speed meetings at Harringay in 1958 and 1959 which included speedway, stock cars, midget cars, greyhounds and trotting...as well as the Dagenham Girl Pipers. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
star ghost 7 Posted January 15, 2007 The Dagenham Girl Pipers appeared at the firs one night and it poured with rain. The main event was the Harlem Globetrotters on a European Tour including Meadowlark Lemon and the "All Star Dream Team". The D G P had to do an interval display on a big plastic sheet and they spent some time sliding about on the deck. At the end of the night Billy Bales, Harry Edwards, Ove Fundin and Aub Lawson put on a demo race. The local U S A F personnel were hanging on the fence with eyes dragging on the shale, they said "Man, them guys must be crazy" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MAN ON THE TERRACE 37 Posted January 15, 2007 Thanks for this. Don't know if it's just me being dumb or probs with my account(?!), but as all these items had closed to bidding I couldn't get the details of them up.. Did it mention Speedway at these three other events..?? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Yes speedway took place at all 3 meetings - I've copied below the main info from the ebay adverts - On offer is a programme for the Daily Mirror Cavalcade of Speed held at White City Stadium on 30th May 1956. The programme measures about 5.5 inches by 8 inches and contains 32 printed pages of adverts and info on the nights events which included The Royal Artillery Band, 7 a side Rugby (Harlequins v Cliff Morgans team), Athletics, Polo, Showjumping, 6 a side Football (Manchester City v London All stars), Speedway Racing, Greyhound Racing and a fireworks display by Brocks Fireworks. The centre of the programme has a timetable of events with spaces for the winners to be written in and this has been done neatly in ink pen. There is a page long article on each sport. The adverts range from Babycham to Lucozade and many more. A nice piece of nostalgia for the collector. On offer is a programme for the Daily Mirror Cavalcade of Speed held at White City Stadium on 24th May 1955. The programme measures about 5.5 inches by 8 inches and contains 32 printed pages of adverts and info on the nights events which included The Royal Artillery Band, 7 a side Rugby (Harlequins v London Scottish), Athletics, Cricket (Essex v The Commonwealth), Polo, The Old Berkely Hunt, 5 a side Football (Southern all stars v Northern all stars), Speedway Racing and Greyhound Racing. The centre of the programme has a timetable of events with spaces for the winners to be written in and this has been done neatly in ink pen. There is a page long article on each sport. The adverts range from Bovril, to Cadburys Chocolate and many more including a great cartoon advertising the Daily Mirror itself!.. A nice piece of nostalgia for the collector. On offer is a programme for the Daily Mirror Cavalcade of Speed held at White City Stadium on 14th May 1958. The programme measures about 5.5 inches by 8 inches and contains 32 printed pages of adverts and info on the nights events which included The Royal Artillery Band, 7 a side Rugby (Richmond v London Scottish), Athletics, Polo, Trotting, 6 a side Football (Ilford v Jimmie Logies Team), Speedway Racing and Greyhound Racing. The centre of the programme has a timetable of events with spaces for the winners to be written in and this has been done in ink pen. There is a page long article on each sport. The adverts range from Smiths Crisps to Nescafe and many more. A nice piece of nostalgia for the collector. Hope that helps Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sotonian 610 Posted January 15, 2007 There was a Cavalcade of Sport at White City on 20th May 1953 that featured 3 heats of speedway. The format was 2 heats and a final. Ht1 Aub Lawson, Bill Kitchen, Split Waterman Ht2 Jack Young, Fred Williams, Jeff Lloyd Fnl Young, Lawson, Kitchen Interestingly, the programme states that speedway bikes "would cut up the running track which will be needed this coming saturday". As a result, the riders raced on, wait for it, Vespas. It goes on to say "I don't think that you will be disappointed with their little bit of fun". Speak for yourself - I would have been! But it does raise the question of was this really speedway at all? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MAN ON THE TERRACE 37 Posted January 15, 2007 There were also Cavalcade of Speed meetings at Harringay in 1958 and 1959 which included speedway, stock cars, midget cars, greyhounds and trotting...as well as the Dagenham Girl Pipers. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Here's the details for anyone interested The first one on 29/10/58 featured 2 Heats and a Final Ht1 Split Waterman v Alf Hagon - Winner Split Waterman Ht2 Danny Dunton v Ron How - Winner Ron How Final Split Waterman v Ron How - Winner Split Waterman The second one was on 28/10/59 & was a 9 heat challenge match Harringay v New Cross Teams listed in programme Harringay Ron How Jim tebby Jack Biggs Dannu Dunton Alf Hagon Ian Williams Dan Stevens New Cross Barry briggs Ronnie Genz Jack Unstead Reg trott George White Colin Goody Bill Wainwright I do not have the results for this match Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
speedyguy 20 Posted January 15, 2007 Here's the details for anyone interested The first one on 29/10/58 featured 2 Heats and a Final Ht1 Split Waterman v Alf Hagon - Winner Split Waterman Ht2 Danny Dunton v Ron How - Winner Ron How Final Split Waterman v Ron How - Winner Split Waterman The second one was on 28/10/59 & was a 9 heat challenge match Harringay v New Cross Teams listed in programme Harringay Ron How Jim tebby Jack Biggs Dannu Dunton Alf Hagon Ian Williams Dan Stevens New Cross Barry briggs Ronnie Genz Jack Unstead Reg trott George White Colin Goody Bill Wainwright I do not have the results for this match <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Are you the 'Man On The Terrace' who for so many years wrote stock car articles in "Short Circuit', 'Stocks and Rods', the Spedeworth programmes and various other stock car publications? If so, just to say how much I used to enjoy those writings over so many years. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Parsloes 1928 nearly 495 Posted January 16, 2007 Yes speedway took place at all 3 meetings - I've copied below the main info from the ebay adverts - On offer is a programme for the Daily Mirror Cavalcade of Speed held at White City Stadium on 24th May 1955. The programme measures about 5.5 inches by 8 inches and contains 32 printed pages of adverts and info on the nights events which included The Royal Artillery Band, 7 a side Rugby (Harlequins v London Scottish), Athletics, Cricket (Essex v The Commonwealth), Polo, The Old Berkely Hunt, 5 a side Football (Southern all stars v Northern all stars), Speedway Racing and Greyhound Racing. The centre of the programme has a timetable of events with spaces for the winners to be written in and this has been done neatly in ink pen. There is a page long article on each sport. The adverts range from Bovril, to Cadburys Chocolate and many more including a great cartoon advertising the Daily Mirror itself!.. A nice piece of nostalgia for the collector. Hope that helps <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Many, many thanks, MOTT..: brilliant..!! However, our friend on ebay has certainly got this wrong in listing what he says was the 24 May 1955 Cavalcade prog. I've got this prog. in my mitts right now and the 5-a-side match was most certainly listed as Arsenal vs. Celtic..!!! And there was no Cricket match on this occasion - instead there was Show Jumping.. The seller has clearly confused this prog. description with another of these Daily Mirror organised events supporting St. John Ambulance: maybe the 1953 event..??? I had heard that Vespas were used too. Certainly a weird concept...!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2ndBender 28 Posted January 16, 2007 Cavalcade of Sport events were held at quite a few tracks up until the mid sixties. I can remember them at Wolves, Cradley, Newport (on, I think, a Bank Holiday Monday), and one at Middlesbrough, which I don't think included Speedway. They usually did though, together with Athletics, Soccer and all manner of other sports. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Parsloes 1928 nearly 495 Posted January 16, 2007 Cavalcade of Sport events were held at quite a few tracks up until the mid sixties. I can remember them at Wolves, Cradley, Newport (on, I think, a Bank Holiday Monday), and one at Middlesbrough, which I don't think included Speedway. They usually did though, together with Athletics, Soccer and all manner of other sports. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> What makes the London White City ones so unusual (unique..??), though, is that at the time there was no Speedway track there for 'Speedway' events to take place on.. Manchester White City & Harringay (I'm think I'm right that Harringay Speedway had closed at the time related above...??) also weren't staging Speedway but did have (shale..??) Stock Car tracks so they could presumabley manage to stage more or less standard Speedway races, but on the Greyhound track at Wood Lane seems Vespas were used and heaven knows what kind of racing that resulted in..?? Did anyone out there actually see it, I wonder..???!!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sotonian 610 Posted January 16, 2007 Manchester White City & Harringay (I'm think I'm right that Harringay Speedway had closed at the time related above...??) also weren't staging Speedway but did have (shale..??) Stock Car tracks so they could presumabley manage to stage more or less standard Speedway races, but on the Greyhound track at Wood Lane seems Vespas were used and heaven knows what kind of racing that resulted in..?? Did anyone out there actually see it, I wonder..???!!!!! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> The Vespas were ridden on the *athletics* track. See my earlier post. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norbold 7,117 Posted January 16, 2007 What makes the London White City ones so unusual (unique..??), though, is that at the time there was no Speedway track there for 'Speedway' events to take place on.. Manchester White City & Harringay (I'm think I'm right that Harringay Speedway had closed at the time related above...??) also weren't staging Speedway but did have (shale..??) Stock Car tracks so they could presumabley manage to stage more or less standard Speedway races, but on the Greyhound track at Wood Lane seems Vespas were used and heaven knows what kind of racing that resulted in..?? Did anyone out there actually see it, I wonder..???!!!!! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Yes, Harringay closed at the end of the 1954 season. They also staged the 1961 Internationale and the 1961 Provincial League Riders' Championship at Harringay. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
