norbold Posted March 31, 2007 Report Share Posted March 31, 2007 In the Archie Windmill thread, Knowle said: "He [Archie Windmill] was also one of the rapidly disappearing band of survivors who raced before the war." It would be interesting to know how many there are and who. I can think of Jack Ormston (winner of the first London Riders' Championship back in 1930 - 77 years ago!), Gordon Byers and Vic Duggan. Any more? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Posted March 31, 2007 Report Share Posted March 31, 2007 Riskit Riley was still alive last year. He rode in the late 20s, so he must be one of the oldest living riders, if not the oldest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted March 31, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2007 You could well be right there, Peter. That's certainly a name from the past all right. Jack Ormston is 97 I think and Gordon Byers 96. Vic Duggan is 91. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedyguy Posted April 1, 2007 Report Share Posted April 1, 2007 You could well be right there, Peter. That's certainly a name from the past all right. Jack Ormston is 97 I think and Gordon Byers 96. Vic Duggan is 91. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> As I suggested elsewhere (!), I am certain Jimmy Squibb was a novice at Southampton in 1939. Isn't he still alive? unsure: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBBATH Posted April 1, 2007 Report Share Posted April 1, 2007 I hate to say it but I think that old pirate Jim Squibb passed away-I think he lived in Spain his last few years. Can anyone confirm?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
south coast robin Posted April 2, 2007 Report Share Posted April 2, 2007 As I suggested elsewhere (!), I am certain Jimmy Squibb was a novice at Southampton in 1939. Isn't he still alive? unsure: <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Squibbo alas is no longer with us . Remember him as the top New Cross rider when they closed in '63 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBBATH Posted April 2, 2007 Report Share Posted April 2, 2007 I remember JIm as one of the great riders of the Prov League for Exeter-also as the leader of the sit down strike at the 1963 PLRC -anybody else remember that-and the grand finale-a race between the top 4 riders to determine the overall champion.Ivan Mauger won it and I think the other three riders were George Hunter, Wayne Briggs and Jack Kitchen. Does that sound right to the others in Speedway Forumland?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted April 3, 2007 Report Share Posted April 3, 2007 I remember JIm as one of the great riders of the Prov League for Exeter-also as the leader of the sit down strike at the 1963 PLRC -anybody else remember that-and the grand finale-a race between the top 4 riders to determine the overall champion.Ivan Mauger won it and I think the other three riders were George Hunter, Wayne Briggs and Jack Kitchen. Does that sound right to the others in Speedway Forumland?? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> That all sounds fairly right to me, except that I remember Jimmy riding for Plymouth rather than Exeter. Oh yes - the famous "sit-down strike"! This was over a new heat formula which had been devised by none other than Speedway Star's Eric Linden. I think that Mauger won the run-off after George Hunter's bike packed up while leading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dantodan Posted April 3, 2007 Report Share Posted April 3, 2007 (edited) You could well be right there, Peter. That's certainly a name from the past all right. Jack Ormston is 97 I think and Gordon Byers 96. Vic Duggan is 91. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I agree with you Norbold. "Our" rider Gordon Byers is second to Jack Ormston. Gordon won the first ever race at Brough Park way back on 17th May 2009 Edited April 3, 2007 by dantodan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
star ghost Posted April 3, 2007 Report Share Posted April 3, 2007 I thought it was 1929????????????????/ Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted April 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2007 Pre-War Hackney rider, Jack Tidbury, is still going strong... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedyguy Posted April 3, 2007 Report Share Posted April 3, 2007 (edited) Pre-War Hackney rider, Jack Tidbury, is still going strong... <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I remember Jack and his brother Ken. In the early post-war years Ken rode for West Ham, Birmingham, Eastbourne and Hastings, and also for England in two test series in South Africa in late 1940s and early 1950s. I don't - but could be wrong - remember Jack riding post-war. He may have been briefly also at Birmingham, possibly Middlesbrough. Not sure. I remember his name came up quite frequently though in 1946 and 1947. Edited April 3, 2007 by speedyguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dantodan Posted April 4, 2007 Report Share Posted April 4, 2007 I thought it was 1929????????????????/ Cheers <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Yes slipped up there! Gordon will be 98 in 2009 so I dont think he will be winning any races in 2009. He did win the very first race at Brough Park in a time of around 97 seconds. Not many tracks who operated pre war, can say they have the guy who won their first ever races still around Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TigerTom Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 Yes slipped up there! Gordon will be 98 in 2009 so I dont think he will be winning any races in 2009. He did win the very first race at Brough Park in a time of around 97 seconds. Not many tracks who operated pre war, can say they have the guy who won their first ever races still around <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Methinks some one over in Britain should be going to see these lads with a tape recorder and getting their life sories down. I am trying to get ingfo on old Canadian riders. Sadly all are gone and info is scarce. Tiger Tom.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted April 18, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 (edited) I did conduct a long distance interview over the phone with Gordon Byers which was published in VSM, Spring 2006. Vic Duggan was interviewed by John Chaplin and a more in depth article was published in VSM, Winter 2001. I don't think Jack Ormston is well enough to give interviews. But you're right - in depth interviews with tape recorder in hand are what are needed. Edited April 18, 2007 by norbold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dantodan Posted April 18, 2007 Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 Methinks some one over in Britain should be going to see these lads with a tape recorder and getting their life sories down. I am trying to get ingfo on old Canadian riders. Sadly all are gone and info is scarce. Tiger Tom.... <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hi Tom, I have a couple of photos of Canadian pre war rider George Pepper on my website. He rode for Newcastle 1938 and 39 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedyguy Posted April 21, 2007 Report Share Posted April 21, 2007 Hi Tom, I have a couple of photos of Canadian pre war rider George Pepper on my website. He rode for Newcastle 1938 and 39 <{POST_SNAPBACK}> And also in war-time (1940) at Glasgow. Possibly, I've not checked, at Belle Vue? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dantodan Posted April 21, 2007 Report Share Posted April 21, 2007 And also in war-time (1940) at Glasgow. Possibly, I've not checked, at Belle Vue? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> has anyone got any pictures of George Pepper?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Donsking Posted April 21, 2007 Report Share Posted April 21, 2007 Methinks some one over in Britain should be going to see these lads with a tape recorder and getting their life sories down. I am trying to get ingfo on old Canadian riders. Sadly all are gone and info is scarce. Tiger Tom.... <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Actually, this is a very good point; for some time now, I've been working on producing a TV project about a London landmark that is about to disappear, in which a family member was to be a major contributor because he was heavily involved in the running of the place. I got so caught up in the vagiaries of trying to get a telly programme to air, I let the groundwork slip, and now he's got cancer of the larynx and can't talk to me. I've spent a large part of my life in broadcasting, with a list of people I'd like to interview; every year, that list gets shorter and all those memories and anecdotes are lost forever. To all the people with better contacts and better questions than me, grab the opportunity now and save the early history of our sport as told by the horse's mouth; it could be gone tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimhenry Posted May 6, 2007 Report Share Posted May 6, 2007 1963 PLRC Final was contested by Ivan Mauger, Jack Kitchen, Ross Gilbertson and George Hunter. 2 Scots, a Kiwi and an Englishman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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