60's Riders Winter Jobs

[Sidney the robin]

My pleasure EIA.

 

 

 

If it wasn't for a similar great club man in Charlie Benham, I would probably have adopted Stan Stevens as my favourite too, after he had left West Ham, following the Lokeren disaster, and moved down and over to Romford. Stan rode his first meeting for the Bombers against Rayleigh on 17 July 1971, after a less than successful return from his Lokeren injuries at West Ham at the beginning of the season. Stan recorded two heat wins and two last places in that meeting in the No. 3 position. Stan was never particularly at home at Brooklands but, of course, never complained and just got on with it, always giving of his best with a smile never far from his lips, always making himself available to the fans for a chat, an autograph or even a photo - not as common then as now, with the advent of cameras in mobile phones - who would've envisaged that development back then? Stan's best results came on away trips to Hull and Sunderland, when he top scored for the Bombers.

 

With Romford's forced closure, due to one dissenting local resident (Mr Stretch), Stan then found himself back at Custom House in 1972 with the Bombers relocation there, and was appointed captain, moving on when Custom House closed, to Barrow. I lost track with Stan for a while after that, but was delighted to regularly see him ride at Mildenhall in 1975 and 1976, when in his early 40's. Still the 100% committed club man, still with the smile and the ever approachable nature.

 

Riders like Stan are the backbone of the sport and he added a lasting treasured memory of those days.

Stan Stevens for me remind me so much of a Mike Keen and a Clive Hitch all of them fans favourites none of them world beaters but for me made speedway a special sport.That is what i miss in speedway the most now, teams never stick together continuous team changes the fans can't identify with them anymore.I wish we could have the days back of riders being long club servants, won't ever happen now.

[Guest]

Pat Flanagan, a man of many tracks - Harringay, Rayleigh, California, Aldershot, Bristol, Weymouth, Exeter, Canterbury, Newcastle among them (or that might be all of them) - was a porter in London's Covent Garden fruit and vegetable market.

Edited April 24, 2016 by Guest

[E I Addio]

Back to winter jobs. In Alf Hagons case it wasn't so much a winter job as a separate full time job. A brilliant self taught engineer he had a shop in Leytonstone for years, always impressive because in the window were the envelopes of letters people had sent from all over the world. Never more than a Speedwáy second string but a class grass tracker and former British Champion who designed and built his own frames that revolutionised grass track. He also designed and built the machine on which he set what was at the time a world record flying mile at 209 mph (from memory ).

 

I think Ivor Brown had a variety of jobs. He was a postman or ran a post office and had something to do with a butchers shop I think I read . Brian Maxted was a part time fireman.

 

Stretching my memory a bit now but didn't the Boocock family have a flour mill?

Edited April 24, 2016 by E I Addio

[Leicester Hunter]

 

I think Ivor Brown had a variety of jobs. He was a postman or ran a post office

Yes, that's right. He was a Postmaster, at Wymeswold in Leicestershire, I believe.

[Reviresco]

I got to know Stan very well in later life - he even came to my 60th birthday party! He is such a modest man as well. He says he knew he was never going to be one of the greats but he just enjoyed riding and always tried to do his best for whatever team he was riding for. And he certainly did that. A wholehearted never give up trier.

 

You will know this, norbold, but it is Stan Stevens' 82nd birthday on Tuesday, 26th.

 

Many Many Happy Returns Stan and thank you very much for the memories. A good old boy from Ilford, with a story or two to tell, no doubt.

[Guest]

Ron Sharp, 1950s-1960s, California, New Cross, Southampton, Bristol, Stoke and Long Eaton among his clubs, was a shoe repair man.

Edited April 24, 2016 by Guest

[norbold]

 

You will know this, norbold, but it is Stan Stevens' 82nd birthday on Tuesday, 26th.

 

Many Many Happy Returns Stan and thank you very much for the memories. A good old boy from Ilford, with a story or two to tell, no doubt.

Indeed, macca.

 

One of the great stories he told me once was, in his typical modest manner, about a race he lost! It was about the time Rayleigh, then challenging for the Provincial League title in 1961 took on Edinburgh at Meadowbank. The previous year, Rayleigh had inflicted Edinburgh's heaviest home defeat of the season and had gone on to win the League title. They were expected to do much the same this time, but after twelve heats the scores were level. So it was all on the last heat. Stan and Reg Reeves were out for Rayleigh up against George Hunter and Doug Templeton. As they came into the last bend on the last lap of the last race, Hunter led from Reeves and Stevens with Templeton trailing in last place. A draw looked inevitable. This is where Stan took up the story for me.

 

"I thought I was holding Templeton, but as I rode in to the last bend on the fourth lap I could see the whole crowd in the main stand rise to their feet as one and that was when I realised that Doug had got me with an amazing manoeuvre as he cut through on the inside of me." That description has always stayed with me as such a graphic illustration of the way that match finished, giving a 4-2 and the match to Edinburgh at the last gasp.

Edited April 24, 2016 by norbold

[OveFundinFan]

Think Bob Duckworth was a mechanic.

 

 

And I think Ove Fundin had a family transport business.

[Guest]

George Bason, the 1947 Southampton captain who later rode for Liverpool, Swindon and California, had a small farm holding. He also used to tune speedway bike engines.

[steve roberts]

 

Ahh, Manor Park, one of my old stomping grounds. All fast food and massage parlours the last time I went there (not to one of the parlours).

 

Was the Coventry Tony, Lomas?

 

And Stan Stevens. What a great servant to British speedway was Stan. From Rayleigh in 1960, to Mildenhall in 1976 with Lockeren and Romford in between.

I think that Tony Lomas was later involved with antiques?

[Guest]

I seem to recollect that off-track Steve Schofield was - and probably still is - a private contractor with British Gas!

I think that Tony Lomas was later involved with antiques?

 

So was Lovejoy!

[steve roberts]

I seem to recollect that off-track Steve Schofield was - and probably still is - a private contractor with British Gas!

 

So was Lovejoy!

Brilliant programme!

[Guest]

Brilliant programme!

I think the response in the previous message was meant for a response re Tony Lomas and not the subsequent message re Steve Schofield? Lomas was mentioned by another Poster as being involved in antiques hence my Lovejoy response.

[Old ace 63]

Soren Sjosten, Belle Vue, had the definitive "winter job" - he had a snow clearing business back in Sweden.

[Old ace 63]

Dick Fisher, Belle Vue, ran a garage business all year round.

[Old ace 63]

Cyril Maidment, Belle Vue, was in the "rag trade" - he had a tailoring (or dressmaking?) business in London.