TwoMinuteWarning Posted March 13, 2005 Report Share Posted March 13, 2005 A newspaper clipping here about Wal I notice it dosen't include his birth date - any ideas anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Man Posted March 13, 2005 Report Share Posted March 13, 2005 Year 1910, I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted March 13, 2005 Report Share Posted March 13, 2005 The 1949 Who's Who gives it as 1911. I've e-mailed Mike Kemp to ask if he knows the exact date! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwoMinuteWarning Posted March 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2005 The 1949 Who's Who gives it as 1911. I've e-mailed Mike Kemp to ask if he knows the exact date! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Thanks, but I think it would be on the headstone if he knew? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted March 13, 2005 Report Share Posted March 13, 2005 You're right TMW, he doesn't know! Oh well, a trip to the Family Records Centre in Islington should sort it out... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwoMinuteWarning Posted March 14, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2005 I think Wal was born in Birmingham? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted March 14, 2005 Report Share Posted March 14, 2005 Yes he was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aireyatowlerton Posted March 27, 2005 Report Share Posted March 27, 2005 I have done a check on 1837online.com and found the following: Walter N Morton, birth registered Jan-Feb-March quarter 1911, registration district King's Norton, Volume 6c Page 361. I checked all Walter Mortons whose births were registered between Jan-Feb-March quarter 1909 and Oct-Nov-Dec quarter 1911 and the above is the only one in the Birmingham area. Hope that this is of some help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted March 28, 2005 Report Share Posted March 28, 2005 Thanks aao. Some good detective work there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwoMinuteWarning Posted March 28, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2005 Yes indeed! Interesting web site, that. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aireyatowlerton Posted April 2, 2005 Report Share Posted April 2, 2005 Further information on Wal. Late in the day (put it down to a senior moment - that's my excuse!) it occurred to me to check the entries for 1984 onwards on 1837on line, using Wal's date of death 21/04/1995. This provided the following details: Morton, Walter Neville; DoB: 17/01/1911; Reg Dist: Ipswich; Year; 1995; Month: April. This ties in with the birth entry for Walter N Morton at King's Norton, so I think that we have the answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwoMinuteWarning Posted April 2, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2005 Brilliant! Many thanks for all your efforts, much appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moxey63 Posted April 16, 2005 Report Share Posted April 16, 2005 A spirited type of rider, Morton was once an amateur middleweight boxing champion of the Midlands. Born in Birmingham in 1911, Wally was a mechanic at the Austin Motor Works and rode as a novice at Coventry in 1933, joining West Ham in 1934 and, in 1935, Wimbledon where he was a regular partner to Vic Huxley. In 1936 until the war, he was with Norwich. In 1946, he returned to Norwich while Bert Spencer was posted to Glasgow, Spencer stating that he didn’t want to go to Scotland so Morton took his place. In 1947, Morton was transferred to Harringay for £250, plus Bat Byrnes and Norman Lindsay. However, his chances at Harringay were almost non-existent and at the end of 1948, he returned to Norwich. He left Harringay to join Wimbledon in a reported £250 move in 1949. A broken arm suffered in South Africa during the previous winter kept him out of the opening chunk of the 1951 campaign. By September 1956, the now 45 year old was a second half rider only at Norwich. However, he found form and made a place in Ipswich's Southern League side of 1959. He enjoyed middle-order scoring at Liverpool, Middlesbrough, and Bradford in separate seasons of the early-60s, his last league ride coming with Hackney in 1964, aged 53! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwoMinuteWarning Posted April 17, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2005 That's excellent! Thanks Moxey63, much appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moxey63 Posted April 17, 2005 Report Share Posted April 17, 2005 MORTON, Wal League Record (post war) 1946-14m-131pts-Northern League, Glasgow (White City) 1947-13m- 57pts-Div 1, Harringay 1948- 4m- 12pts-Div 1, Harringay 1948- ?m- 12pts-Div 2, Norwich 1949- 2m- 0-Div 1, Harringay 1949- 8m- 11pts-Div 1, Wimbledon 1951- 1m- 0pts-Div 1, Wimbledon 1951-16m- 84pts-Div 2, Newcastle 1952-28m- 47pts-Div 1, West Ham 1953- 6m- 13pts-Div 1, Bradford (Odsal) 1954- 5m- 6pts-Div 1, Bradford (Odsal) 1957- 6m- 15pts-Div 1, Ipswich 1957-10m- 17pts-Div 1, Norwich 1959- 3m- 20pts-Southern Area League, Ipswich 1960-12m- 96pts-Div 2, Liverpool 1961- 9m- 41pts-Div 2, Middlesbrough 1962-22m-131pts-Div 2, Bradford (Greenfields) 1963-12m- 30pts-Div 2, Hackney 1964- 1m- 0pts-Div 2, Hackney Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwoMinuteWarning Posted August 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2007 I notice that on Wal's headstone it says "Wandering Wal of the Raceways. Speedway Rider 1933-64" I have just found reference (in Auto May 15, 1931), to Wal Morton winning a Junior Qualifying Race on 8 May 1931 at Hall Green, Birmingham. Thus his career is extended to an amazing 34 years! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedyguy Posted August 23, 2007 Report Share Posted August 23, 2007 MORTON, Wal League Record (post war) 1946-14m-131pts-Northern League, Glasgow (White City) 1947-13m- 57pts-Div 1, Harringay 1948- 4m- 12pts-Div 1, Harringay 1948- ?m- 12pts-Div 2, Norwich 1949- 2m- 0-Div 1, Harringay 1949- 8m- 11pts-Div 1, Wimbledon 1951- 1m- 0pts-Div 1, Wimbledon 1951-16m- 84pts-Div 2, Newcastle 1952-28m- 47pts-Div 1, West Ham 1953- 6m- 13pts-Div 1, Bradford (Odsal) 1954- 5m- 6pts-Div 1, Bradford (Odsal) 1957- 6m- 15pts-Div 1, Ipswich 1957-10m- 17pts-Div 1, Norwich 1959- 3m- 20pts-Southern Area League, Ipswich 1960-12m- 96pts-Div 2, Liverpool 1961- 9m- 41pts-Div 2, Middlesbrough 1962-22m-131pts-Div 2, Bradford (Greenfields) 1963-12m- 30pts-Div 2, Hackney 1964- 1m- 0pts-Div 2, Hackney <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I think Wal Morton's last meeting was midway through 1964, after he left Hackney. I am fairly certain that he rode for Ipswich at Rayleigh in a Metropolitan League match. His daughter was at one time a member of Sadlers Wells ballet. About 1957. http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/oldtimespeedway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwoMinuteWarning Posted August 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2007 Well, he scored 5+2 in 4 rides for Ipswich at HOME to Rayleigh on July 21, 1964 And then 3+1 from 4 for Weymouth at Rayleigh on Aug 1, 1964 He dosen't seem to have ridden after that, unless it was a second half. Mind you, he would have been 53 by then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedyguy Posted August 23, 2007 Report Share Posted August 23, 2007 (edited) Well, he scored 5+2 in 4 rides for Ipswich at HOME to Rayleigh on July 21, 1964 And then 3+1 from 4 for Weymouth at Rayleigh on Aug 1, 1964 He dosen't seem to have ridden after that, unless it was a second half. Mind you, he would have been 53 by then! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Thanks for the info. I knew one of his last matches involved Ipswich and Rayleigh in some way, and that probably the last time he rode was at Rayleigh. This clarifies the situation. http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/oldtimespeedway Edited August 23, 2007 by speedyguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
star ghost Posted August 23, 2007 Report Share Posted August 23, 2007 (edited) Just a short note about Wal In 1948 he rode 1 League Match for Norwich scoring 12 Re Moxey63 posting ................... In 1936 Norwich didn't exist as a Speedway Team. As far as I know Wal was with Wimbledon then. In fact he didn't join Norwich until the latter part of Max Grosskreutz's first year at Norwich in 1937. He and Bert Spencer were gained to strenghten the Stars, Bert on loan and Wal on a full transfer Edited August 23, 2007 by star ghost Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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