chunky

Immigration has happened for years. Britain - and the US - have been built by immigrants. The East End hasn't been "British" for over a century. It seems that white immigrants are accepted, but not others. I am not in a position to complain about immigrants, knowing that I am one myself. Things change. Places change. People change. That's life...

Hit the nail on the head, there...

I'm glad you said something...

You mean it's an ailment confined to Poland???

Exactly the way I feel. You don't go from that good to that bad that quickly - and that consistently.

Yeah, there were many more tracks with a home advantage then because there was a much bigger variety of shapes, sizes, and surfaces. Look at how we have lost all the big tracks - Hyde Rd, the Shay, Earle St, Custom House, Hampden Park etc... We have also lost a number of smaller tighter ones like Wimbledon and Crayford. The surfaces aren't so varied either now because the machinery basically dictates what we can and can't use. We used to have fine sand-like tracks and heavy cinder tracks, and the bikes - and riders - could handle everything.

I think the real wild card here is Dudek - depending on which one shows up. He could be pushing for a medal or propping up the rest of the field...

Hmmmm... I can tell you that in the US there are MANY foreign town names there are here, particularly German ones. There were so many German settlers here that whole areas were taken over. Just west of St. Louis, there is a sizeable area along the Missouri river with a number of German-named towns and villages. Looks like I'll have to look into the California debate a little more.

But ALL speedway back then was far better than the modern crap. Even gustix said that four men going around in circles was boring - although I don't know if that applies to the old days?

Or it could be that your dad was trying to protect others from you!!!

That happens - it always has - but this seems a little over the top! I can see it with a real household name, but not with a speedway rider...

So sorry... Must have missed that!

So, be careful what you say here. We have connections...

Now, that is interesting - particularly the 1761 info. It appears on maps, but in what form? Of course, that means it predates the US state... Things likes this genuinely intrigue me.

Really? I had no idea! I do apologize most sincerely...

That is not my responsibility, and if we can't get Split Waterman's passing on there, what makes you think we could get anything else changed? Have you ever considered that YOU may be wrong, and that this particular entry in Wikipedia may be inaccurate? I don't just assume that everything I read is correct (particularly if there is a question about it), so I will conduct my own research. I have always been under the impression that California (or California-in-England was not an actual place name, more a term applied to a certain area. I didn't actually know the history of the place until now, and so far, what I have found seems to agree with what The Doctor has said. The ONLY reference to California as a village is that single entry on wikipedia, which was submitted by an individual claiming supposed knowledge of the subject. We all know that due to the origins of the information on there, it is not 100% accurate. Steering away from wikipedia, a couple of the main resources I checked were detailed (and, it would seem, pretty accurate) gazetteer of towns and villages in Berkshire, and one of towns and parishes in Berkshire. There is no reference to it as a village, hamlet, parish, or any other locale with the actual name of California. All reference to "California: or "California-in-England" concerns the park. More to the point, if California WAS a true village or hamlet, then I am pretty sure it would appear on a map of the area. I have yet to find a map on which it is shown, other than in reference to the park.

This doesn't make any sense whatsoever. Wikipedia is designed for people to add their own entries and to add their own updates. Obviously, they do have to watch for questionable content, but this straightforward factual information. Again, many of us have updated the site on a number of occasions with no problems whatsoever, but this seems totally ridiculous.

Most of them were before your time, but they were ALL very famous. Desmond Dekker you should know, and you will have heard his biggest hit, "Israelites". Been to Abney Park (creepiest place I've ever been), and Golder's Green (and Golder's Green Jewish Cemetery opposite). One of my favourite hobbies is visiting famous graves.

Wilfrid Brambell is only one of many famous entertainers in Streatham Park. His ashes were scattered, but some of the others in there (and yes, I've been there several times) are comic actor Will Hay, music hall stars Gus Elen and Lupino Lane, comedian Ben Warriss, singer Dorothy Squires, American Pianist Charlie Kunz (who was the highest-paid pianist in the world - and is buried next to Lupino Lane), and reggae star Desmond Dekker. I haven't been there since Dekker was buried.

Oh yeah, Bentley was a local. You know that cemetery at the Croydon end of the Common; that's where he is buried. I've been to his grave... I'm not aware of the Phillips HQ, but they had a big factory in Hackbridge called "Mullard of Mitcham". My mum worked there. "The Fish" was regarded as one of the best dart pubs - with some of the best players - in the whole of Surrey, and I did play for them for a while. It was one of the last pubs I played in where they still used an old elm dartboard for league, rather than the standard bristle ones. I always look on Google street view at the old areas, and I've seen that "shisha lounge"; at least it's still the old building.

If you find the Kingsmead Car Park opposite Sainsbury's, and look across to the other side of the river, there is a curved housing terrace on Westwood Drive. That would have been on the centre green. The treeline on the south side of the park area opposite was where the stand and starting gate was.

Last time I looked, I think The Eagle was a community centre. You familiar with the story of Derek Bentley, who was executed for the murder of a cop in the early 50's? He didn't do it, and he was actually under arrest at the time! They made a film about it, called "Let Him Have It". That took place on the roof of the warehouse at Barlow and Parker, opposite The Eagle on Tamworth Lane. Coming across Mitcham Common, you turn left on Sumner Rd before you get to Reeves Corner, then onto Windmill Rd. It's more up towards Thornton Heath, near the Mayday Hospital. Yeah, that is by Lonesome Primary School. Not a great area!

Yeah, there were so many areas like that. Beddington Corner, Benhilton, Summerstown, and a bunch of others.

Yeah, I used to pass Mill Lane on my way to school, and played darts at The Sun on the corner of Mill Lane and North St. Tom was my barber for most of my life! Even after I emigrated, I would go to Tom's on my visits back! He finally retired in the early 2000's. The best story was about the other barber in Tom's, a guy called Gary (really nice guy, actually). He did a few years inside for helping to cut up the body of a murder victim at the Arms!

Okay. I played in a lot of pubs in the whole area, and actually played for The Eagle (Reeves Corner) and The Fisherman's Arms (Windmill Rd). Of course, both are gone now... I went to school in Wallington (Croydon Rd).