Tyburn Gallows - 60 Years on!

[norbold]

Today is the 60^th anniversary of the most insane conversation I have ever had with a speedway rider!

I was at the Rye House Select v. Poole match (22 August 1965) and spent some time in the pits talking to the one-and-only Tyburn Gallows. He was as mad as the proverbial box of frogs. I just wish I had written down the conversation at the time as I can’t remember the detail now, only that it was the most insane conversation ever!

This, of course fitted in with Tyburn’s known personality. His real name was Raymond Humphries. He was said to have been an assistant hangman. At least he said he was!

In his early riding days he wore a CND body colour. The Control Board banned him from using the name Tyburn Gallows and from wearing the CND emblem. For a while he used the name Tyburn Humphreys and then changed his name by deed-poll to Tyburn Gallows so the Control Board couldn't stop him using it.

His death fitted in with his life as it occurred on the day of his mother’s funeral. He came home, sat in a chair and then just died for no discernible reason.

Incidentally, in the match itself, he scored a paid reserves’ maximum, 5+1.

Just wondering if anyone else ever spoke to him and what the conversation was like.

[False dawn]

3 hours ago, norbold said:

Today is the 60^th anniversary of the most insane conversation I have ever had with a speedway rider!

I was at the Rye House Select v. Poole match (22 August 1965) and spent some time in the pits talking to the one-and-only Tyburn Gallows. He was as mad as the proverbial box of frogs. I just wish I had written down the conversation at the time as I can’t remember the detail now, only that it was the most insane conversation ever!

This, of course fitted in with Tyburn’s known personality. His real name was Raymond Humphries. He was said to have been an assistant hangman. At least he said he was!

In his early riding days he wore a CND body colour. The Control Board banned him from using the name Tyburn Gallows and from wearing the CND emblem. For a while he used the name Tyburn Humphreys and then changed his name by deed-poll to Tyburn Gallows so the Control Board couldn't stop him using it.

His death fitted in with his life as it occurred on the day of his mother’s funeral. He came home, sat in a chair and then just died for no discernible reason.

Incidentally, in the match itself, he scored a paid reserves’ maximum, 5+1.

Just wondering if anyone else ever spoke to him and what the conversation was like.

60th anniversary? You don't look old enough Norbold 🤣 But it's fair to say we don't have characters like that in the sport anymore.
Interestingly, the BSPL do list him under G for Gallows in their "ultimate rider index"...

Tyburn GALLOWS (Real name: Raymond Sidney Humphrey)
Born: 7 September 1934, Willesden, London, England.
Died: 1994.
Career record: (1965) Oxford; (1967) West Ham; (1968) West Ham, Canterbury; (1970) King's Lynn II.

[norbold]

4 hours ago, False dawn said:

60th anniversary? You don't look old enough Norbold 🤣 But it's fair to say we don't have characters like that in the sport anymore.
Interestingly, the BSPL do list him under G for Gallows in their "ultimate rider index"...

Tyburn GALLOWS (Real name: Raymond Sidney Humphrey)
Born: 7 September 1934, Willesden, London, England.
Died: 1994.
Career record: (1965) Oxford; (1967) West Ham; (1968) West Ham, Canterbury; (1970) King's Lynn II.

Perhaps they've done that because that was his name! What's wrong is them saying Real Name: Raymond Sidney Humphrey. It should say, Birth Name: Raymond Sidney Humphrey.

Edited 2 hours ago by norbold