Names From The Sixties

[BOBBATH]

The finishing order in that second half race was Brook, Cooper, Evans, Priest. Just a couple of days ago an acquaintance related a story to me about the time he accompanied Fred Priest to Norwich to collect a speedway machine he had purchased. So the story goes, Fred was impatient to test the machine and on the way back, in the early hours of the morning, he unloaded it from the back of the car and rode it along the deserted Halesowen by-pass. Apparently not long after that Fred decided he was never going to make the grade and retired.

BL65, that is amazing that you know the finishing order of that second half race and you will be glad to know that I have in front of me the actual program and have ceremoniously entered the finishing order in the blank spaces. Who would have thought that 53 years later I could enter the result of this race in the actual program. I bet the four guys in the race would be tickled to know that all these years later their race is being discussed-hope they are all still with us!!

One question for BL 65-how did you manage to see that race as I remember you being in the bar with the rest of us-I think I may have even bought you a drink and you still owe me one.!!!!!.

 

 

[BL65]

BL65, that is amazing that you know the finishing order of that second half race and you will be glad to know that I have in front of me the actual program and have ceremoniously entered the finishing order in the blank spaces. Who would have thought that 53 years later I could enter the result of this race in the actual program. I bet the four guys in the race would be tickled to know that all these years later their race is being discussed-hope they are all still with us!!

One question for BL 65-how did you manage to see that race as I remember you being in the bar with the rest of us-I think I may have even bought you a drink and you still owe me one.!!!!!.

 

 

 

BL65, that is amazing that you know the finishing order of that second half race and you will be glad to know that I have in front of me the actual program and have ceremoniously entered the finishing order in the blank spaces. Who would have thought that 53 years later I could enter the result of this race in the actual program. I bet the four guys in the race would be tickled to know that all these years later their race is being discussed-hope they are all still with us!!

One question for BL 65-how did you manage to see that race as I remember you being in the bar with the rest of us-I think I may have even bought you a drink and you still owe me one.!!!!!.

 

 

I would gladly buy you a drink Bob, but I am certain that in all my visits to Dudley Wood I was never bought a drink in the bar. In any event it would have been dereliction of duty to have been distracted from following the action on track. The only time I did receive a free drink was when I was a guest of the Rowley Regis Building Society in their 'sponsor's tent' at a Golden Hammer meeting - I didn't even know anyone from the Building Society.

[BOBBATH]

Don't wanna push my luck here-but the next second half race was Matt Mattocks, Bob Pawson, , Derek Timms and Barry Chandler-do you know the result of that one and then who met Errol Brook and Ron Cooper in the second half junior final. BL 65 is correct- it wasn't in the Dudley Wood bar that I bought him a beer, but there was pub outside the stadium- I think you turned right out of the stadium walked a little way along the road then turned left onto a road which I seem to recall was on a slight rise-the pub was on the left as you went up the slight hill-it was packed that night. Does anybody remember the name of the pub, is it still there?. CH was a great place to visit (wot great sarnies)and its a goddam shame the stadium has gone. I have to remind BL65 that it was in that pub after the meeting that I bought him a beer- maybe two (although because Newport won I may have bought several people a beer). I also note in the program that there was a match race between the top scorers of CH and Newport after the KO Cup Final and before the second half. I think it was between Ivor Brown and Peter Vandenberg but don't know who won. So BL65-you never know I may one day come over and collect the beer or three that you owe me!! Wonderful days weren't they!!

[Guest]

Wal Morton and Geoff Pymar. In 1963 as Bradford riders they were speedway's oldest ever pairing. Morton was then 52-years-old and Pymar 51-years-old. Morton started his speedway career in 1932 and Pymar the following year as I recall.

So much for modern day speedway's dedication to youth! If one is good enough then one is old enough

And late starters to the sport who went on to ride for England at National League Division Two level were Harold MacNaughton and Tom Oakley.

​MacNaughton began speedway racing at 37 years of age at Hastings in 1948, while Oakley then 38 years old started with Southampton about the same time. They actually both raced for the old much-loved New Cross in National League (a real NATIONAL LEAGUE) Division One in 1951.

Edited February 18, 2017 by Guest

[BL65]

Don't wanna push my luck here-but the next second half race was Matt Mattocks, Bob Pawson, , Derek Timms and Barry Chandler-do you know the result of that one and then who met Errol Brook and Ron Cooper in the second half junior final. BL 65 is correct- it wasn't in the Dudley Wood bar that I bought him a beer, but there was pub outside the stadium- I think you turned right out of the stadium walked a little way along the road then turned left onto a road which I seem to recall was on a slight rise-the pub was on the left as you went up the slight hill-it was packed that night. Does anybody remember the name of the pub, is it still there?. CH was a great place to visit (wot great sarnies)and its a goddam shame the stadium has gone. I have to remind BL65 that it was in that pub after the meeting that I bought him a beer- maybe two (although because Newport won I may have bought several people a beer). I also note in the program that there was a match race between the top scorers of CH and Newport after the KO Cup Final and before the second half. I think it was between Ivor Brown and Peter Vandenberg but don't know who won. So BL65-you never know I may one day come over and collect the beer or three that you owe me!! Wonderful days weren't they!!

Ivor Brown won the top scorers race, following his 15 point maximum in the match. Having consulted my programme, it shows Timms, followed home by Chandler and Mattocks, with the final won by Timms from Cooper then Chandler. I can't help with pub names unfortunately.

[iris123]

. They actually both raced for the old much-loved New Cross in National League (a real NATIONAL LEAGUE) Division One in 1951.

Here is some information on the National League in 1951

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1951_Speedway_National_League

 

And the National League Division 2

 

http://edinburghspeedway.blogspot.de/2013/04/1951.html

 

Even some famous names in Division 3

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1951_Speedway_National_League_Division_Three

 

I have started a new thread on the 1951 season,so i think all further comments should be placed there

Edited February 18, 2017 by iris123

[E I Addio]

Two other highlights that season were teaming up with young Terry Betts for a 5-1 over Ronnie Rolfe at Sheffield and being undefeated in a second half junior match against Cradley at Monmore Green.

 

.

BL 65, can either you, Bobbath or Norbold tell me anything about Ronnie Rolfes career. I vaguely remember him having a couple of rides at reserve for Hackney back in my schooldays but that is all . He stuck in my mind because it seemed like the peak on his helmet was made of cardboard and flapped up and down when he was racing, but apart from that I have neither seen or heard about him before or after.

[BL65]

BL 65, can either you, Bobbath or Norbold tell me anything about Ronnie Rolfes career. I vaguely remember him having a couple of rides at reserve for Hackney back in my schooldays but that is all . He stuck in my mind because it seemed like the peak on his helmet was made of cardboard and flapped up and down when he was racing, but apart from that I have neither seen or heard about him before or after.

Ronnie started on the Southern Area League tracks in the mid 1950s, which I am sure Gustix will probably be able to relate details of. Regular rides were hard to come by until the last season of the decade. From 1956 to 1959 he appeared for Rye House, Ipswich, Wimbledon and Belle Vue in official matches. After showing good improvement with Rye House and Ipswich in 1959, as with a number of riders his break came in 1960 with the formation of the Provincial League. Ronnie joined Cradley Heath and captained the side for a time. He left the Heathens for Sheffield early in the 1961 season. Following two fairly good seasons at Owlerton Ronnie moved back south to join Hackney in the Provincial League, but he was less successful and he retired during the 1963 season.

[Guest]

Ronnie started on the Southern Area League tracks in the mid 1950s, which I am sure Gustix will probably be able to relate details of. Regular rides were hard to come by until the last season of the decade. From 1956 to 1959 he appeared for Rye House, Ipswich, Wimbledon and Belle Vue in official matches. After showing good improvement with Rye House and Ipswich in 1959, as with a number of riders his break came in 1960 with the formation of the Provincial League. Ronnie joined Cradley Heath and captained the side for a time. He left the Heathens for Sheffield early in the 1961 season. Following two fairly good seasons at Owlerton Ronnie moved back south to join Hackney in the Provincial League, but he was less successful and he retired during the 1963 season.

 

I do indeed remember Ronnie Rolfe very well from his days in the late 1950s at Rye House, then his involvement with several Provincial League teams in the early 1960s. However, unlike some the riders who I was in contact at the time because of their exploits and deeds, I am unable recall any memorable anecdote about him. He was a very professional rider who was just dedicated to racing speedway to the best of his ability and he certainly did that.

Away from speedway. I am sure that he had a motorcycle repair business in the Tottenham area of north London. For my part I lost contact with Ronnie Rolfe around 1961 when I was no longer actively involved in covering news stories about speedway taking employment with a newspaper group in West Middlesex in an area where there was no speedway track.

Be that as it may, I do have contacts who can probably give me an update of what happened to Ronnie Rolfe after his retirement from speedway in the mid-1960s. If I do find out more about him I'll return to this thread.

Edited February 18, 2017 by Guest

[Guest]

Ronnie started on the Southern Area League tracks in the mid 1950s, which I am sure Gustix will probably be able to relate details of. Regular rides were hard to come by until the last season of the decade. From 1956 to 1959 he appeared for Rye House, Ipswich, Wimbledon and Belle Vue in official matches. After showing good improvement with Rye House and Ipswich in 1959, as with a number of riders his break came in 1960 with the formation of the Provincial League. Ronnie joined Cradley Heath and captained the side for a time. He left the Heathens for Sheffield early in the 1961 season. Following two fairly good seasons at Owlerton Ronnie moved back south to join Hackney in the Provincial League, but he was less successful and he retired during the 1963 season.

 

With acknowledgment to the Sheffield Speedway website, I found this relative to Ronnie Rolfe's period with the club:

ROLFE, Ronnie - Born: London 1929

Started his career back in 1956, riding in the Southern Area League for the Berkshire based California 'Poppies'. After spells at Rye House, Ipswich and Cradley, Ronnie joined the Tigers for the 1961 season and proved to be a reliable second string in the Sheffield side. He scored 194 points for the club in two seasons before a move to Hackney in 1963.

[BL65]

 

With acknowledgment to the Sheffield Speedway website, I found this relative to Ronnie Rolfe's period with the club:

ROLFE, Ronnie - Born: London 1929

Started his career back in 1956, riding in the Southern Area League for the Berkshire based California 'Poppies'. After spells at Rye House, Ipswich and Cradley, Ronnie joined the Tigers for the 1961 season and proved to be a reliable second string in the Sheffield side. He scored 194 points for the club in two seasons before a move to Hackney in 1963.

Although he rode in a best pairs event and an individual meeting at California in 1956, I don't think Ronnie Rolfe ever rode for the Poppies in the SAL. Prior to those meetings he had ridden a few times at Rye House, which is where I believed he started. Perhaps his first rides were at California in training sessions.

[Guest]

Ronnie started on the Southern Area League tracks in the mid 1950s, which I am sure Gustix will probably be able to relate details of. Regular rides were hard to come by until the last season of the decade. From 1956 to 1959 he appeared for Rye House, Ipswich, Wimbledon and Belle Vue in official matches. After showing good improvement with Rye House and Ipswich in 1959, as with a number of riders his break came in 1960 with the formation of the Provincial League. Ronnie joined Cradley Heath and captained the side for a time. He left the Heathens for Sheffield early in the 1961 season. Following two fairly good seasons at Owlerton Ronnie moved back south to join Hackney in the Provincial League, but he was less successful and he retired during the 1963 season.

 

 

 

With acknowledgment to the Sheffield Speedway website, I found this relative to Ronnie Rolfe's period with the club:

ROLFE, Ronnie - Born: London 1929

Started his career back in 1956, riding in the Southern Area League for the Berkshire based California 'Poppies'. After spells at Rye House, Ipswich and Cradley, Ronnie joined the Tigers for the 1961 season and proved to be a reliable second string in the Sheffield side. He scored 194 points for the club in two seasons before a move to Hackney in 1963.

 

 

Although he rode in a best pairs event and an individual meeting at California in 1956, I don't think Ronnie Rolfe ever rode for the Poppies in the SAL. Prior to those meetings he had ridden a few times at Rye House, which is where I believed he started. Perhaps his first rides were at California in training sessions.

 

 

I agree with your comments BL65 about Ronnie Rolfe in regard to California-in-England speedway. I first met him at Rye House in the mid-1950s and for that immediate period always associated him with the Hoddesdon track. The Sheffield reference to him and California is not correct - Ronnie Rolfe just rode there in 1956 NOT for them. Thanks BL65 for highlighting this fact.

Edited February 19, 2017 by Guest

[Dickie Head]

Back to Doug Dearden, I recall him as a grass track rider in the 70's. I believe he ran a motor cycle dealership in the Holbury area of Southampton. The business still exists as Dearden Motorcycles Ltd.

[cyclone]

Re Ronnie Rolfe, he had the distinction of winning the first ever meeting held at Estadio Bello Monte, Venezuela on 27th November, 1959 (I have the programme for this).

[BL65]

Re Ronnie Rolfe, he had the distinction of winning the first ever meeting held at Estadio Bello Monte, Venezuela on 27th November, 1959 (I have the programme for this).

I recall that there was a picture of John S. Hoskins in the programmes for the opening meetings in Venezuela, with an article headed 'Inventor del dirt-track'.

[Guest]

BL 65, can either you, Bobbath or Norbold tell me anything about Ronnie Rolfes career. I vaguely remember him having a couple of rides at reserve for Hackney back in my schooldays but that is all . He stuck in my mind because it seemed like the peak on his helmet was made of cardboard and flapped up and down when he was racing, but apart from that I have neither seen or heard about him before or after.

 

 

Ronnie started on the Southern Area League tracks in the mid 1950s, which I am sure Gustix will probably be able to relate details of. Regular rides were hard to come by until the last season of the decade. From 1956 to 1959 he appeared for Rye House, Ipswich, Wimbledon and Belle Vue in official matches. After showing good improvement with Rye House and Ipswich in 1959, as with a number of riders his break came in 1960 with the formation of the Provincial League. Ronnie joined Cradley Heath and captained the side for a time. He left the Heathens for Sheffield early in the 1961 season. Following two fairly good seasons at Owlerton Ronnie moved back south to join Hackney in the Provincial League, but he was less successful and he retired during the 1963 season.

 

 

 

I do indeed remember Ronnie Rolfe very well from his days in the late 1950s at Rye House, then his involvement with several Provincial League teams in the early 1960s. However, unlike some the riders who I was in contact at the time because of their exploits and deeds, I am unable recall any memorable anecdote about him. He was a very professional rider who was just dedicated to racing speedway to the best of his ability and he certainly did that.

Away from speedway. I am sure that he had a motorcycle repair business in the Tottenham area of north London. For my part I lost contact with Ronnie Rolfe around 1961 when I was no longer actively involved in covering news stories about speedway taking employment with a newspaper group in West Middlesex in an area where there was no speedway track.

Be that as it may, I do have contacts who can probably give me an update of what happened to Ronnie Rolfe after his retirement from speedway in the mid-1960s. If I do find out more about him I'll return to this thread.

 

 

 

With acknowledgment to the Sheffield Speedway website, I found this relative to Ronnie Rolfe's period with the club:

ROLFE, Ronnie - Born: London 1929

Started his career back in 1956, riding in the Southern Area League for the Berkshire based California 'Poppies'. After spells at Rye House, Ipswich and Cradley, Ronnie joined the Tigers for the 1961 season and proved to be a reliable second string in the Sheffield side. He scored 194 points for the club in two seasons before a move to Hackney in 1963.

 

 

Although he rode in a best pairs event and an individual meeting at California in 1956, I don't think Ronnie Rolfe ever rode for the Poppies in the SAL. Prior to those meetings he had ridden a few times at Rye House, which is where I believed he started. Perhaps his first rides were at California in training sessions.

 

 

 

I agree with your comments BL65 about Ronnie Rolfe in regard to California-in-England speedway. I first met him at Rye House in the mid-1950s and for that immediate period always associated him with the Hoddesdon track. The Sheffield reference to him and California is not correct - Ronnie Rolfe just rode there in 1956 NOT for them. Thanks BL65 for highlighting this fact.

 

 

Re Ronnie Rolfe, he had the distinction of winning the first ever meeting held at Estadio Bello Monte, Venezuela on 27th November, 1959 (I have the programme for this).

 

This is what the Cradley Heath website says about Ronnie Rolf (sic): Another product from the Rye House training school he made his debut in the Southern Area League in 1956 for both Rye House and California but became a regular performer at Hoddesdon in 1957. When the club didn't operate in 1958 Ronnie had some outings with Ipswich for their National Trophy matches.

He wintered in Venezuela in 1959 / 60 before getting his big break with the heathens when the Provincial League started in 1960.

Ronnie was Cradley's first captain in the Provincial League, he regularly scored around eight points per meeting throughout 1960 with his first maximum coming in a Challenge match against East Anglia in July. A little overshadowed by Eric Eadon and Harry Bastable later in the season but earned a place in the Heathens side for 1961.

1961 saw Ronnie start to struggle a little with the track at Dudley Wood and after just nine meetings he was transferred to Sheffield.

He regained his form with the Tigers at Sheffield and stayed with them for the rest of 1961 and into 1962. In 1963 Ronnie decided to move nearer to his London home but the move didn't work out and he retired in July.

http://www.cradleyspeedway.co.uk/riders/rrolfe.htm

Edited February 19, 2017 by Guest

[BL65]

This is what the Cradley Heath website says about Ronnie Rolf (sic): Another product from the Rye House training school he made his debut in the Southern Area League in 1956 for both Rye House and California but became a regular performer at Hoddesdon in 1957. When the club didn't operate in 1958 Ronnie had some outings with Ipswich for their National Trophy matches.

He wintered in Venezuela in 1959 / 60 before getting his big break with the heathens when the Provincial League started in 1960.

Ronnie was Cradley's first captain in the Provincial League, he regularly scored around eight points per meeting throughout 1960 with his first maximum coming in a Challenge match against East Anglia in July. A little overshadowed by Eric Eadon and Harry Bastable later in the season but earned a place in the Heathens side for 1961.

1961 saw Ronnie start to struggle a little with the track at Dudley Wood and after just nine meetings he was transferred to Sheffield.

He regained his form with the Tigers at Sheffield and stayed with them for the rest of 1961 and into 1962. In 1963 Ronnie decided to move nearer to his London home but the move didn't work out and he retired in July.

Ronnie was one of a group of riders who would have been glad to return early from Venezuela in late December 1959, with the tour being described as a failure by Phil Bishop. As I recall, the organisers suffered a loss of about £250,000 on the venture. This included spending £100,000 on buying land and building tracks, only for the Caracas stadium to be demolished three months later to make way for a new highway. The eight meetings staged were poorly attended, with admission prices unaffordable for the masses. Other riders on the tour included Brian Brett, Geoff Pymar and Cyril Roger. Cyril suffered an injury and spent some time in hospital.

 

Shortly after he returned from Venezuela, Rayleigh prematurely claimed that Ronnie Rolfe had signed to ride for the team in 1960.

Edited February 19, 2017 by BL65

[BL65]

Referring back to Errol Brook, the Birmingham promotion saw some potential and included him at reserve in the challenge against Leicester in 1960. However, he was up against riders of National League standard and failed to score from two rides.

[BOBBATH]

Hope Ronnie is still with us (maybe not though)-here is what I have found out so far from the great Peter Morrish book "British Speedway Leagues 1949-1964.. Its a great book but only shows number of points scored , not number of meetings or number of rides. So here goes : 1956 for Rye House - 3 pts.; 1957 for Rye House- 18 pts.; 1959 for Rye House- 47 pts... All these are SAL scores. Looks like there may have been no SAL in 1958.. However in 1959 Ronnie also scored 16 pts. for Wimbledon in NL. I have lots of PL stats from 1960 onwards from Matt Jackson who does a wonderful stats job( we all owe him a great deal) -will check this out and provide Ronnie's CMA's for following years. never got to see Ronnie-but he is obviously a part of the history of our great sport!! Wonderful that his name got mentioned as my "research" in Peter's book has also brought back memories!! Thanx forumlanders!!

[BOBBATH]

Here are Ronnie Rolfe's averages 1960-63. Courtesy of Matt Jackson.. 1960 he rode for CH, 61 for CH and Sheffield, 1962 CH and 1963 for Hackney. For each year listed are the # of meetings and CMA. Here goes 1960; 19-6.32; 1961; 24 -6.60: 1962 ; 24-5.87; 1963 10-3.76 .So for example in 1960 he rode in 19 meetings with a CMA of 6.32. Looks like Ronnie's best year was 1961. One comment -I think these are not just Prov. league matches but also other official meeting like e.g. the KO Cup-they may also include the regional leagues for PL teams e.g. Northern league, these were usually run at the start of the season before the regular PL season got underway. Hope this helps.