TwoMinuteWarning 69 Posted June 19, 2008 It has been posted on another speedway group (by Colin Barber) that Bert Edwards died on the 13th June at the age of 91. He rode for Walthamstow, Aldershot, Cardiff, and Ipswich during the late 1940's and 50's. R.I.P Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BOBBATH 467 Posted June 19, 2008 What a shame, I think he was Harry Edwards brother(younger??)-he used to be featured in the Speedway Star a lot , seemed to be a happy go lucky person.Anyone have any other memories to add. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
speedyguy 20 Posted June 20, 2008 What a shame, I think he was Harry Edwards brother(younger??)-he used to be featured in the Speedway Star a lot , seemed to be a happy go lucky person.Anyone have any other memories to add. Yes, he was Harry Edwards brother and had a particularly distinguished spell with Ipswich in the 1950s. I used to co-operate with him on his regular articles in the Speedway Star. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BOBBATH 467 Posted June 20, 2008 Speedyguy. what was your take on Bert both as a personality(Tough guy/nice guy etc??)-his persona in the Speedway Star was a jolly sort of person. and as a rider(e.g. do you think he fulfilled his potential /good second string etc) also was he Harry's younger or older brother-I guess Bert would have been well in his thirties when you knew him but kept riding at a high level.Where did he live in later life and what did he do after riding-anybody know.RIP Bert. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
speedyguy 20 Posted June 20, 2008 Speedyguy. what was your take on Bert both as a personality(Tough guy/nice guy etc??)-his persona in the Speedway Star was a jolly sort of person. and as a rider(e.g. do you think he fulfilled his potential /good second string etc) also was he Harry's younger or older brother-I guess Bert would have been well in his thirties when you knew him but kept riding at a high level.Where did he live in later life and what did he do after riding-anybody know.RIP Bert. Gosh! You are asking me to cast my mind back a long way - at least 52 years (when I was a young man! ). Give me a day or so and I'll try to recall my dealings with Bert which, I can assure everyone, were amicable. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BOBBATH 467 Posted June 20, 2008 I'm relying on you here speedyguy!! I recall Harry more than Bert but am very interested in him nonetheless! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
boston five 16 Posted June 20, 2008 i seem to remember harry riding at exeter /poole early 60s was it for cradley heath i seem to think he was a pig farmer at the time Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
25yearfan 476 Posted June 20, 2008 Bert was a great rider in the 50's in the early days of Ipswich speedway! Amazing that he became a top rider after only starting up the sport when in his early 30's! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
speedyguy 20 Posted June 20, 2008 Bert was a great rider in the 50's in the early days of Ipswich speedway! Amazing that he became a top rider after only starting up the sport when in his early 30's! Bert Edwards was in the mould of other late starters of that era - including Harold McNaughton at 37 and Tom Oakley at 38. How would they be viewed for the CL if they started speedway careers at that age these days I wonder? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BOBBATH 467 Posted June 20, 2008 I recall Harry Edwards riding for Wolves at the end of his career in 64,think he rode for Norwich also-right starghost?? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TwoMinuteWarning 69 Posted June 21, 2008 According to my sources, Bert was born Feb 8, 1920 but Harry was allegedly older (Aug 30, 1918). However, I have also seen Harry described as the "younger" brother with a birthdate of 1922. Both were born in Liverpool, both grass-track riders who were "discovered" by Walthamstow in 1949. Bert went on to Aldershot 52, Cardiff 53, Ipswich 54 onwards, and did so well that he rode in all 3 Tests for England against Australasia in 1956. But he suffered a shoulder injury in the final Test at Poole which caused him problems in the following years. Harry suffered badly during the war, being a Japanese prisoner of war for 3 years. Had his own cabin cruiser in the 50's, and missed a speedway meeting for Norwich in 1957 when his boat was marooned on a mud bank for 18 hours - beat that for an excuse! (There was also another "Bert Edwards", a Belle Vue novice 1958 who also rode in France.) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
star ghost 7 Posted June 21, 2008 (edited) That sums it up two minute warning. I will add that Harry also rode for Belle Vue between Walthamstow and Norwich. When he left the Firs he went on to ride for Leicester, Rayleigh & Wolverhampton. I was told he drowned at sea in a fishing boat disaster but have been unable to find details of this event. I think Bert was the eldest, but Harry was in the Walthamstow team before I heard of Bert riding Edited June 21, 2008 by star ghost Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yesterdaysman 9 Posted June 21, 2008 I remember meeting Bert in '56 or 7 and that meeting and what he said made a great impression on me which I remember as if it were yesterday. As a teenager I went into the pits at Oxford after a meeting with Ipswich, I think, and Bert was there about to load some bikes onto a trailer. I offered to give him a hand, as I was keen to be involved with anything Speedway. He thanked me for my help and I told him I was contemplating starting riding. He encouraged me to have a go saying it could be very rewarding, but also warned me of the downside. His words were "It's not all beer and skittles" then spent the next twenty minutes or so giving me much valued advice, while all the other riders were long gone to the showers. I regard that meeting as a benchmark in my life and something I have recalled countless times. I believe Bert lived in Middlesex for some time but last year I saw a Bert Edwards listed as living in Watlington Oxon. I had thought of trying to get in touch, to complete the circle so to speak, but like so many things at our time of life, delayed too long. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BOBBATH 467 Posted June 22, 2008 I am very interested in this thread-riders like the Edwards brothers should not be forgotten-as you say yesterdaysman we should never leave things too late. Getting to Harry-I recall a picture of the Wolverhampton Prov. Lge. team on the back of a Speedway Star in 1964(recall the old black and white Stars)[Just a digression here-the fact it was black and white added to the thrill of seeing new teams at your track , because altho' you knew the team colours from reading about them you didn't really know what they looked like till you actually saw them-no colour TV or Speedway mags etc-anyone recall that ??]. Anyway in this picture-Harry -with his white hair and lined face looked about 70-when he was only in his early 40's-the effect of his POW experience I am sure(Howdy Byford as many of you know suffered the same way and serialised his memories-perhaps ghost written-in the Star). Its amazing that despite his terrible experiences he became a well known rider. Getting back to Bert -I assume Harry and Bert rode against each other many times.Would be interested if forumland folks ,from a historical point of view, felt which was the better rider of the two-recognising the achievements of both. Was interested also in the comment that Harry may have died at sea-anyone got anything to add to that??Anyway I am glad this thread was started and that their names have been brought to the forum. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
