norbold Posted November 19, 2009 Report Share Posted November 19, 2009 From this week's Speedway Star, A-Z by Brian Burford: "H - Hoskins, Johnnie The father of speedway racing...He brought speedway to Britain by staging the first meeting at the King's Oak Arena, High Beech on February 19, 1928." No, he didn't, Brian. The first meeting at King's Oak had nothing whatsoever to do with Johnnie Hoskins. When will this myth ever be put to rest?????????????????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Posted November 19, 2009 Report Share Posted November 19, 2009 OHHHHHHH no no no no no no no no no .....gawd help us.. As another grummpy old man said "I dont belieive it" How on earth can some one like Brian Burford write such utter tosh.. He needs castigating or something that sounds like it for this perpetration of history....he should know better Hoskins had nothing what so ever to do with the introduction of Speedway into England.. and I would have thought it common knowlage Hoskins had nothing to do with High Beech.. Actually Hoskins being responsable for High Beech is a new one on me !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Those responsable for bringing Speedway to England are ...... Jimmy Baxter and Australian promoter Keith Mckay et al and their company DTS ltd, plus A J Hunting et al and his company ISL.... when will the Hoskins myth die Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucifer sam Posted November 19, 2009 Report Share Posted November 19, 2009 When did Hoskins first promote in England? Around 1929 / 1930 wasn't it? Must dig out my copy of the excellent Pre-Way Years by Robert Bamford when I get home. All the best Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted November 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2009 (edited) When did Hoskins first promote in England? Around 1929 / 1930 wasn't it? Must dig out my copy of the excellent Pre-Way Years by Robert Bamford when I get home. All the best Rob The Pre-War Years is a good book, Rob, but not actually when it comes to the first meeting at High Beech as Robert also makes several mistakes! Edited November 19, 2009 by norbold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Posted November 19, 2009 Report Share Posted November 19, 2009 (edited) Dear Brian, how could Hoskins be responsable for High Beech? He was on the same boat as A J Hunting and Hunting arrived on th 19th of Feb... Hoskins in his wake ..... so how did he organise the meeting... by telegraph from onboard ship? The two Australians to ride at High Beech were Galloway and Mckay.. courtesy of Jimmy Baxter Edited November 19, 2009 by Nigel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucifer sam Posted November 19, 2009 Report Share Posted November 19, 2009 The Pre-War Years is a good book, Rob, but not actually when it comes to the first meeting at High Beech as Robert also makes several mistakes! Ok then, Norbold, I'll go and read the report of High Beech in the excellent "Speedway's Classic Meetings" (even if it does miss out Oxford v Ipswich in the KOC Final from 1985 ). I trust that one is 100% accurate. All the best Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted November 19, 2009 Report Share Posted November 19, 2009 Those responsable for bringing Speedway to England are ...... Jimmy Baxter and Australian promoter Keith Mckay et al and their company DTS ltd, plus A J Hunting et al and his company ISL.... when will the Hoskins myth die Wasn't the Crystal Palace promoter also partially responsible?Didn't he make a trip to Oz and was impressed by what he saw there speedway wise and thought it would be great in Britain.Thought he was doing Path racing at Crystal Palace pre 1928.Can't think of his name though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted November 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2009 Ok then, Norbold, I'll go and read the report of High Beech in the excellent "Speedway's Classic Meetings" (even if it does miss out Oxford v Ipswich in the KOC Final from 1985 ). I trust that one is 100% accurate. All the best Rob Absolutely 100%! Wasn't the Crystal Palace promoter also partially responsible?Didn't he make a trip to Oz and was impressed by what he saw there speedway wise and thought it would be great in Britain.Thought he was doing Path racing at Crystal Palace pre 1928.Can't think of his name though The Crystal Palace promoters were Fred Mockford and Cecil Smith, but they didn't go to Australia. I think you are thinking of Lionel Wills whose reports from Australia was one of the key factors in Jack Hill-Bailey looking to promote speedway in this country, which he did at High Beech on 19 February 1928 without any help or input from Mr Hoskins. Lionel Wills later linked up with Mockford and Smith at Crystal Palace along with Ron Johnson (one of Hoskins' boys). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted November 19, 2009 Report Share Posted November 19, 2009 Absolutely 100%! The Crystal Palace promoters were Fred Mockford and Cecil Smith, but they didn't go to Australia. I think you are thinking of Lionel Wills whose reports from Australia was one of the key factors in Jack Hill-Bailey looking to promote speedway in this country, which he did at High Beech on 19 February 1928 without any help or input from Mr Hoskins. Lionel Wills later linked up with Mockford and Smith at Crystal Palace along with Ron Johnson (one of Hoskins' boys). Yes Norbold.Lionel Wills was the man i was thinking of.........thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parsloes 1928 nearly Posted November 19, 2009 Report Share Posted November 19, 2009 And wasn't Mr. W.J. Cearns in some way involved with the Ilford club which put on High Beech..??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Posted November 19, 2009 Report Share Posted November 19, 2009 (edited) When did Hoskins first promote in England? Around 1929 / 1930 wasn't it? Must dig out my copy of the excellent Pre-Way Years by Robert Bamford when I get home. All the best Rob Which edition do you have .....there will be more corrections in the 3rd..... Hoskins CV. 1928 Arrived in England with 4 riders? in the wake of Australian Promoter A J Hunting. First employment ..very short lived consultant to Fred Mockford at C/Palace . Then as manager at Brighton for Major Kinnersley of Associated Southern Speedways Brighton Ltd. which closed after a handful of meetings, Moved north to Salford Manchester to manage the track for a group of Stockport business men, although he did have a few shares (50) in the Salford company Albion Auto Racers Ltd, also managed Middlesbrough (Albion Auto Racers Middlesbrough LTD) not a good first year ? In the first few years J H managed tracks for others and did not put up his own money as Promoter. (well not much anyway) There are stories in the press that Major Kinnersley brought J H to England but I think it unlikely, more evidence needed. Edited November 19, 2009 by Nigel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Posted November 19, 2009 Report Share Posted November 19, 2009 (edited) And wasn't Mr. W.J. Cearns in some way involved with the Ilford club which put on High Beech..??? Not sure if Cearns was involved with the first meeting at High Beech? he cetainly was with latter ones. Everyone seems to forget that the HB meeting was a joint effort with the Colchester Club the president of which was Ernie J Bass the man who built and promoted Lea Bridge Speedway. Edited November 19, 2009 by Nigel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Blanchard Posted November 19, 2009 Report Share Posted November 19, 2009 Not sure if Cearns was involved with the first meeting at High Beech? he cetainly was with latter ones. Everyone seems to forget that the HB meeting was a joint effort with the Colchester Club the president of which was Ernie J Bass the man who built Lea Bridge Speedway. Parsloes 1928 nearly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted November 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2009 Parsloes 1928 nearly :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moxey63 Posted November 23, 2009 Report Share Posted November 23, 2009 I don't believe the Speedway Star would make such a mistake. That bloke who wrote the piece needs sacking, especially in the week thousands of lives have been ruined by the floods in Cumbria. Who's up for getting Burfield the sack? I could set up a petition on the 10 Downing Street website. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 23, 2009 Report Share Posted November 23, 2009 I don't believe the Speedway Star would make such a mistake. That bloke who wrote the piece needs sacking, especially in the week thousands of lives have been ruined by the floods in Cumbria. Who's up for getting Burfield the sack? I could set up a petition on the 10 Downing Street website. OK, but what's the point of writing about the history of the sport if you get it wrong? I agree that it's completely irrelevant compared to people losing their homes, possessions etc but no one tried to make it a big issue. Incidentally, Lionel Wills was a member of the famous Wills family that will forever be associated with speedway thanks to their sponsorship of the prestigious Internationale meeting every Whit Monday at Plough Lane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parsloes 1928 nearly Posted November 23, 2009 Report Share Posted November 23, 2009 OK, but what's the point of writing about the history of the sport if you get it wrong? I agree that it's completely irrelevant compared to people losing their homes, possessions etc but no one tried to make it a big issue. Incidentally, Lionel Wills was a member of the famous Wills family that will forever be associated with speedway thanks to their sponsorship of the prestigious Internationale meeting every Whit Monday at Plough Lane. Do you remember the referee at one of the CL Pairs meetings at Plough Lane, Barry, who when we told him that guests of honour Ian and Lionel Hoskins were John Hoskins' sons replied, "who's Johnnie Hoskins"..??!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 23, 2009 Report Share Posted November 23, 2009 Do you remember the referee at one of the CL Pairs meetings at Plough Lane, Barry, who when we told him that guests of honour Ian and Lionel Hoskins were John Hoskins' sons replied, "who's Johnnie Hoskins"..??!! I think his name was Dale Entwhistle - always reminded me of Nigel Wagstaff !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted November 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2009 I don't believe the Speedway Star would make such a mistake. That bloke who wrote the piece needs sacking, especially in the week thousands of lives have been ruined by the floods in Cumbria. Who's up for getting Burfield the sack? I could set up a petition on the 10 Downing Street website. Well that's put me in my place. In future then it won't matter whether people get their facts right or not and no-one need bother to do any research. While people are dying in wars all over the world who cares? In fact, who cares about speedway at all? Why should anyone go to speedway when their is famine in Africa? Come to think of it isn't it all a bit pointless posting on the BSF while much of the third world is living in poverty? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parsloes 1928 nearly Posted November 23, 2009 Report Share Posted November 23, 2009 In future then it won't matter whether people get their facts right or not and no-one need bother to do any research. While people are dying in wars all over the world who cares? In fact, who cares about speedway at all? Why should anyone go to speedway when their is famine in Africa? Come to think of it isn't it all a bit pointless posting on the BSF while much of the third world is living in poverty? It's okay though, coz I hear that Dr. Brian Belton's next book will be about Solving the Crisis of International Capitalism... It's coming out by the same publishers producing my Guide to The Higway Code...!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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