norbold

He was indeed a cooper.

According to Tom Morgan's 1949 Who's Who, Jack Unstead was born in 1926, but, as I have found in the past, the birth dates he gives are not always reliable. So I'd say he was 36 give or take a couple of years when he died.

Newcastle racked up five scores of over 70 in 1982, the best being 74-22 over Oxford. The highest score in 1982 was Crayford's 76-20 win over Milton Keynes . Newcastle didn't manage any 70 point scores in 1983. The best that year was again by Crayford who beat Stoke 73-23. Exeter matched the 76-20 scoreline in 1989 with a win over Arena Essex. Bristol beat Glasgow White City by a maximum 70-14 in 1949 under the 14 heat format.

Yes, all of those rode there as well as Tommy Price and George Wilks. Wally Green was a track raker there as a young boy. Actually, I made a mistake about them being in the 1938 Sunday Amateur Dirt Track league as they closed down in 1937. I was confusing Barnet with Smallford.

Barnet was another track that sort of promoted itself from grasstrack to speedway. This also ran in the late 1930s. At first it was pure grasstrack, then the organisers put down some cinders just at the corners to make broadsiding easier, then the grass just wore away round the track and was not replaced, so it was a real dirt track with cinders corners. They were reckoned as a real speedway track by 1938 and even enetered the doomed 1938 Sunday Amateur Dirt Track League.

Yes, it happened during a National League match with Southampton. Unstead was partnering Colin Gooddy and was up against Bjorn Knutson and Pater Vandenberg. Jack missed the gate and went for the inside line; as he did so he clipped Vandenberg's rear wheel, lost control and crashed in to a lamp standard. He died instantly from a ruptured aorta. A very sad day.

Homes of British Speedway is a book.

Very interesting, Paul. I used to live near Abridge and I can't imagine there being a speedway there, except, as you say, maybe a grass track. Have you got the exact date of the meeting? I'll see what I can find out, unless someone already knows....

This one's better because it doesn't have the errant apostrophe.

I miss Wimbledon, Hackney and Harringay.

Graham Miles the tallest rider in speedway? Why have you never mentioned that before, BOBBATH?

Graham Warren could have won many world finals. He shot in to prominence in 1949 and by 1950 was ranked no. 1 in the world by the authoratative Stenner's Annual. It was thought he would prove to be one of the greatest riders of all time with many World Championships ahead of him. Unfortunately his injury put paid to that and although he was still a good rider, he never regained the "greatness" that he had in 1950.

He is currently a member of the WSRA and lives in Taunton.

I do think that Sverre could have gone further, although already reaching no. 2 in the world is not bad!!! Another who had already reached no. 3 but whose career was badly affected by injury was/is Chris Louis.

I know who he is. The usual packet full of fivers stuffed behind the hot water pipes in Victoria Station will ensure my continued silence, Parsloes...

I think you are right.

Yes, I agree in general with what you say, although Southern Rovers were an official team who competed in the 1956 Southern Area League.

And what about those riders who rode for non-league teams like Rye House in the 60s, Birmingham in the early 60s, New Cross in 1959, etc. etc.? They were all contracted to other teams but turned out on an occasional (or even regular) basis for these teams.... Hmmm...talking of which, what about Stan Stevens? He rode for Rye House, Rayleigh, Cradley, New Cross, Southampton, West Ham, Oxford, King's Lynn, Wembley, Exeter, Romford, Barrow, Chesterton and Mildenhall at least - making 14 in all.

If it's any comfort, Brian, Garry Middleton's entry in Wikipedia comes under the "Living Persons" category.

Have you seen CHK's site: Here?

Thanks, Arnie. That's great. I've just found the relevant Speedway Star. Ron Johnson beat Phil Bishop 2-1!

The money for building and setting up the Museum was a gift. The Museum is independent in the sense it sets its own policy for acquisition, disposal, display, sales, etc. etc. and is run by independent Trustees and a working committee. The land has been given on a 20 or 25 year lease - I can't quite remember which off hand. It has to have this (and also independence of action) to be able to qualify for accreditation as a Government recognised museum. Peter and Wild Life Park are fully behind seeking accreditation. The Memorial Garden is part of the Wildlife Park and not part of the Museum and always has been - it was there years before the Museum was even thought of.

Talking of Johnno's "comeback" in 1963, there is a statement in the 7 May 1963 programme to the effect that Johnno would be riding in the second half of next week's meeting. Does anyone know if he did or does anyone have a copy of the programme for the following week, 14 May, Southern League match against Rayleigh, as, sadly, I don't?

That's difficult to say, because Paradise Wildlife Park have been maintaining the Museum at their expense anyway. There were a lot of problems originally over sorting out the accounts - mainly due to everyone's local bank taking almost a year to actually set up the account! Now that has at last been sorted out, there will be proper accounting and cross-charging. I'll probably be able to answer your question better in a month or so.

The money collected went towards part of the building costs and the fitting out and formed the original budget for the running costs - insurance, purchase of books, promotional material, some objects, etc., but, on its own, would not have been enough to provide the museum we have. £70,000 was raised from donations; the building costs exceeded £120,000. The land was given free of charge.