Barry's Uncle

[DK Rides Again]

I've done a quick forum search and can't find any mention of him, so I thought this would be the place to ask.

 

Looking for some information on something else, I picked up on a bit of info that, despite reading this book several times, has never registered before.

 

In Michael Scott's book on Barry Sheene, 'The Will To Win', he mentions Barry's substantial property, with it's self contained living quarters for his parents and his uncle Arthur "the speedway rider"; in another article I found on the net, Barry is described as coming from racing stock, starting with his uncle Arthur Sheene, "a speedway professional".

 

Not being quite as steeped in the history of the sport as others, I don't know anything about Arthur and his career, so what's the story?

Edited November 30, 2009 by DK Rides Again

[WembleyLion]

There is an Arthur Sheene in the A to Z of riders on the Coventry website which suggests he rode for them in 1929.

[Jim Blanchard]

I asked a similar question not so far back DK and up to date these are the responses.

 

From 'Nigel' on the Speedway History Forum:

 

 

"""""""""""""""Arthur Sheene is listed in "Speedway Panorama" as a midland pioneer Rider...which means he was riding in 1928....I,ll do a bit more digging through my records.

 

Found a mention of Arthur Sheene riding At Brandon in 1928.

 

I think Arthur's speedway career was short lived and not too successful . I have only found one mention of him (so far) he won the Brandon club handicap in 96 and 4 fifths of a second. Scratch races were around 80 secs """"""""""""""""""""""""

 

(Hope you did not mind me quoting you Nigel.... )

[Nigel]

I asked a similar question not so far back DK and up to date these are the responses.

 

From 'Nigel' on the Speedway History Forum

 

(Hope you did not mind me quoting you Nigel.... )

 

No probs Jim

[DK Rides Again]

Thanks for that chaps.

 

Slightly disappointing though; the way the pieces I quoted were written, it was as if we should all know who Arthur Sheene was and that he was a major influence on Barry's career, not that he didn't make it past the earliest days of UK speedway, 30 odd years before Barry did anything serious on a bike.

 

Perhaps there's a bigger story, yet to be uncovered.....

[Nigel]

Thanks for that chaps.

 

Slightly disappointing though; the way the pieces I quoted were written, it was as if we should all know who Arthur Sheene was and that he was a major influence on Barry's career, not that he didn't make it past the earliest days of UK speedway, 30 odd years before Barry did anything serious on a bike.

 

Perhaps there's a bigger story, yet to be uncovered.....

 

Book, Books.... they like to embellish and exaggerate ...to make things more interesting ....Journalistic licence.. Something that creates the myths of history!!!