norbold Posted December 8, 2009 Report Share Posted December 8, 2009 Ok Norbold.I always assumed they were on a mission to gain some pre-publicity with a number of contacts to get in touch with when they arrived.Or were even waiting for them when they got off the ship.So some work would have been going on while they were underway. McKay was on a mission and had contacts in Britain. All I'm saying is that he didn't arrive until 1928 so he couldn't have ridden at Stamford Bridge in 1927. The fact he met Galloway on board was a bonus and may have led to the changing of his plans, as he now had someone he could race against to demonstrate the art of speedway as understood in Australia. His contact in this country was Jimmy Baxter. So if Galloway and McKay didn't ride at Stamford Bridge in 1927.....who did? No-one did! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedyguy Posted December 8, 2009 Report Share Posted December 8, 2009 The French connection's a fascinating part of this whole thing too isn't it.. Strange that back in those incredibly early days for dirt track motorcycle racing in Europe, France seemed quite a big player yet over the intervening years has been so relatively uninvolved with the sport... At one time in the late 1920s - 1930s, there were about 12 tracks running in France. They even staged their version of the world championship in those years - the last was in 1937. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted December 9, 2009 Report Share Posted December 9, 2009 (edited) Ross Garrigan emailed me today to say, "Today I found my material on the 1928 sailing of McKay. According to what I had noted the Oronsay docked on Jan 18 at Plymouth and the following day at London. Unless the inbound shipping list notes at which port McKay disembarked, it could have been at either." Not very likely he rode at Stamford Bridge in 1927 then! Edited December 9, 2009 by norbold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedyguy Posted December 9, 2009 Report Share Posted December 9, 2009 I am certain that the French rider Fernand Meynier rode for a team in the 1929 Northern League, while Charles Bellisent had some sort of links with West Ham and/or Wimbledon that season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Garrigan Posted December 9, 2009 Report Share Posted December 9, 2009 (edited) Ross Garrigan emailed me today to say, "Today I found my material on the 1928 sailing of McKay. According to what I had noted the Oronsay docked on Jan 18 at Plymouth and the following day at London. Unless the inbound shipping list notes at which port McKay disembarked, it could have been at either." Not very likely he rode at Stamford Bridge in 1927 then! I first became suspicious of the reports that McKay was in the UK for Christmas 1927 when I did my detailed research of the racing in Sydney in late 1927. McKay featured in Sydney newspaper articles in November of that year. He was in Sydney. Edited December 9, 2009 by Ross Garrigan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedyguy Posted December 9, 2009 Report Share Posted December 9, 2009 The French connection's a fascinating part of this whole thing too isn't it.. Strange that back in those incredibly early days for dirt track motorcycle racing in Europe, France seemed quite a big player yet over the intervening years has been so relatively uninvolved with the sport... The origins of French speedway are extremely interesting but it was virtually on the way out by 1938. After the war ended, a few meetings were held at the Buffalo Stadium, Paris, in 1946 and 1947, but no major activity. In the 1950s and 1960s meetings took place on a on-eoff basis at various stadiums in Northern France. I think there is now only one speedway in France, staging an annual meeting - but there may be more meetings than that at the track? A French Championship still takes place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hullangel Posted December 9, 2009 Report Share Posted December 9, 2009 If you look in the back ground when Stan Stevens is being interviewed, you can see Dave Mills and his missus talking. I sent the link to him in Aus..........He was totally blown away, And sends his regards to everyone in England Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted December 9, 2009 Report Share Posted December 9, 2009 Ross Garrigan emailed me today to say, "Today I found my material on the 1928 sailing of McKay. According to what I had noted the Oronsay docked on Jan 18 at Plymouth and the following day at London. Unless the inbound shipping list notes at which port McKay disembarked, it could have been at either." Not very likely he rode at Stamford Bridge in 1927 then! Still a chance he might have though i guess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted December 9, 2009 Report Share Posted December 9, 2009 Still a chance he might have though i guess Keith McKay actually left the ship in London on 19th January 1928. So, iris, not only was McKay probably the first rider to be seen doing proper broadsiding in Great Britain, he must also have been the first rider to use a time machine. A notable double first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedyguy Posted December 9, 2009 Report Share Posted December 9, 2009 The French connection's a fascinating part of this whole thing too isn't it.. Strange that back in those incredibly early days for dirt track motorcycle racing in Europe, France seemed quite a big player yet over the intervening years has been so relatively uninvolved with the sport... In the late 1950-1960 French meetings, veteran Jean Landru was still competing, while another French rider active at this time was Pierre Bellisent, the son of Charles. Claude Boston was another French rider, and there was also a Spanish rider Alberto Sirvan. English riders included George Bason, Stan Tebby (Jim's dad), Pete Rogers and Bill Pittingale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted December 10, 2009 Report Share Posted December 10, 2009 Keith McKay actually left the ship in London on 19th January 1928. So, iris, not only was McKay probably the first rider to be seen doing proper broadsiding in Great Britain, he must also have been the first rider to use a time machine. A notable double first. No you have that wrong Norbold.McKay wasn't really a kosher speedway rider and according to Cyril May it was Galloway who gave the cameras the first proper broadsliding exhibition seen in GB.Ok some might discredit Mr May,but millions believe in the bible and that is based on less facts than Cyrils book and articles i guess.I mean at least he did speak to the man in question and get the tale from the horses mouth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedyguy Posted December 10, 2009 Report Share Posted December 10, 2009 The French star Charles Bellisent competed in a series of London meetings in 1928 and again in 1929. Is there any record of him riding at Stamford Bridge. His last UK outing was at Tamworth in August 1948 where he defeated the home team's captain Steve Langton (Australia) in a match race. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parsloes 1928 nearly Posted December 10, 2009 Report Share Posted December 10, 2009 The French star Charles Bellisent competed in a series of London meetings in 1928 and again in 1929. Is there any record of him riding at Stamford Bridge. His last UK outing was at Tamworth in August 1948 where he defeated the home team's captain Steve Langton (Australia) in a match race. I love the way these little snippets on French Speedway history are being drip-fed us by speedy!!! As he said before, considering the now content of this thread (full of facts I certainly didn't know!) perhaps a shame that it still labours under the less than helpful name as a thread of "Footage of West Ham"..!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted December 10, 2009 Report Share Posted December 10, 2009 (edited) The French star Charles Bellisent competed in a series of London meetings in 1928 and again in 1929. Is there any record of him riding at Stamford Bridge. His last UK outing was at Tamworth in August 1948 where he defeated the home team's captain Steve Langton (Australia) in a match race. Pretty long career at a good level.We know that the French had their own version of the World Championship,but did any of them come over and compete in our version? And i think i have rumbled you boy.All the talk about French riders and then this continous stuff about "mind the lamp post"........Jacques Tati!!!!! That scene when he is walking down the road and the kids on the other side of the street whistle just as he is approaching the lamp post.Whallop.He didn't mind it did he? Funny scene Edited December 10, 2009 by iris123 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedyguy Posted December 10, 2009 Report Share Posted December 10, 2009 I love the way these little snippets on French Speedway history are being drip-fed us by speedy!!! As he said before, considering the now content of this thread (full of facts I certainly didn't know!) perhaps a shame that it still labours under the less than helpful name as a thread of "Footage of West Ham"..!! In July 1947. promoter Victor Boston organised a series of match races between French and Italian riders at the Buffalo Stadium, Paris, as support to a visit by a British midget car team. The French riders were Fernand Meynier, Leon Boulard, Charles Bellisent and Paulo Mugnier. The Italians tracked two riders Francesco Gandi and Francois Peraldi. I do not have any race results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parsloes 1928 nearly Posted December 10, 2009 Report Share Posted December 10, 2009 In July 1947. promoter Victor Boston organised a series of match races between French and Italian riders at the Buffalo Stadium, Paris, as support to a visit by a British midget car team. The French riders were Fernand Meynier, Leon Boulard, Charles Bellisent and Paulo Mugnier. The Italians tracked two riders Francesco Gandi and Francois Peraldi. I do not have any race results. Come on, speedy...: you need to be writing a book on this subject...! If you don't hurry the good Dr. (sic) will get there before you....!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted December 11, 2009 Report Share Posted December 11, 2009 No you have that wrong Norbold.McKay wasn't really a kosher speedway rider and according to Cyril May it was Galloway who gave the cameras the first proper broadsliding exhibition seen in GB.Ok some might discredit Mr May,but millions believe in the bible and that is based on less facts than Cyrils book and articles i guess.I mean at least he did speak to the man in question and get the tale from the horses mouth You win, iris. The filming obviously took place in 1927 before Galloway and McKay's boat docked. Somehow Galloway managed to get to Stamford Bridge and then back on board the boat. Maybe he caught a plane there and back. It's nice to see you can back it all up with so much research. That's the sign of a true historian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedyguy Posted December 11, 2009 Report Share Posted December 11, 2009 (edited) Come on, speedy...: you need to be writing a book on this subject...! If you don't hurry the good Dr. (sic) will get there before you....!! FRANCE - INTERNATIONAL MATCH RACES - All at Buffalo Stadium, Paris, 1932 season:: May 20: England three wins by Jack Parker; USA one win by Ray Tauser; France 0 - starter Charles Bellisent. June 17: Germany four wins - Hans Wunder two wins, Alfred Rumwich and Herbert Drews one each; France two wins both by Charles Bellisent; no wins by Andre Bourgeois, no wins by Fernand Meynier. June 19: England five wins - Arthur Westswood two wins, Jack Parker one win, *Art Warren one win, *Frank Arthur one win; France one win by Charles Bellisent, Jean Roger no wins, Fernand Meynier no wins, Vorgnes no wins. *Warren and Arthur actually Australians. Edited December 11, 2009 by speedyguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parsloes 1928 nearly Posted December 11, 2009 Report Share Posted December 11, 2009 More 'le magique' from speedy!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted December 11, 2009 Report Share Posted December 11, 2009 FRANCE - INTERNATIONAL MATCH RACES - All at Buffalo Stadium, Paris, 1932 season:: May 20: England three wins by Jack Parker; USA one win by Ray Tauser; France 0 - starter Charles Bellisent. June 17: Germany four wins - Hans Wunder two wins, Alfred Rumwich and Herbert Drews one each; France two wins both by Charles Bellisent; no wins by Andre Bourgeois, no wins by Fernand Meynier. June 19: England five wins - Arthur Westswood two wins, Jack Parker one win, *Art Warren one win, *Frank Arthur one win; France one win by Charles Bellisent, Jean Roger no wins, Fernand Meynier no wins, Vorgnes no wins. *Warren and Arthur actually Australians. Great knowledge of French riders,but seeing as you touched on the Germans.What about the early German riders who rode in GB.Hamburg rider Alfred Rumrich we know rode for a short period for the Dons.But what about the other guys who also rode pre war.What info do we have about the activities of Arnold Stolting and Fritz Niemeck who rode mainly at High Beech in 1930.Or the more successful Gustav "Bill" Kellner who rode for Preston in 1930 and 31 at least???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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