Guest Posted April 8, 2017 Report Share Posted April 8, 2017 (edited) These riders from Canada had Links with London tracks: 1) Eric Chitty, West Ham, 1936-53. (2) Jimmy Gibb, West Ham, 1938-39, Wimbledon 1949, 1951. (3) Charlie Appleby, Smallford 1937, Hackney Wick, 1938-39, Crystal Palace 1939. (4) Eddie 'Flash' Barker, West Ham Hawks 1938, Crystal Palace 1939. (5) Crocky Rawding, New Cross, 1938, Wimbledon, 1939. (6) Goldie Restall, New Cross, 1938. (7) Bill Matthews, West Ham, 1947. (8) Sandy Sturgess, West Ham, 1948. (9) Sean Venables, Hackney, 1988, 1989, 1990. Pre-war other Canadians who raced in England were: George Pepper Elwood Stilwell Bruce Venier. Bob Sparkes. Others who have raced for British tracks post-war are Charlie Appleby (pre-war at several London tracks), Les Tams, Mike Tams, Kyle Legault Rob Fisher (generally regarded as an Anglo-Canadian), Were there any more Canadian riders active in the UK? I seem to recall there was a Polish rider who had Canadian connections? Edited April 13, 2017 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted April 8, 2017 Report Share Posted April 8, 2017 (edited) Stan Bradbury? EDIT: http://www.speedwayplus.com/StanBradbury_m.shtml Edited April 8, 2017 by The White Knight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 8, 2017 Report Share Posted April 8, 2017 Stan Bradbury? EDIT: http://www.speedwayplus.com/StanBradbury_m.shtml According to this Link, Stan Bradbury was an English rider who went to live and race in Canada. http://www.speedwayatoz.co.uk/pdfs/bradbury%20stan.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frigbo Posted April 8, 2017 Report Share Posted April 8, 2017 Chris Slabon Gary Ford Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 8, 2017 Report Share Posted April 8, 2017 (edited) Chris Slabon Gary Ford Yes, indeed. Chris Slabon is the rider with Polish links that I referred to previously. And of course Gary Ford. I will add both to my OP list and then bring it forward as an update quote. Thank you frigbo. This an updated list of riders from Canada, The first group had Links with London tracks: 1) Eric Chitty, West Ham, 1936-53. (2) Jimmy Gibb, West Ham, 1938-39, Wimbledon 1949, 1951. (3) Charlie Appleby, Smallford 1937, Hackney Wick, 1938-39, Crystal Palace 1939. (4) Eddie 'Flash' Barker, West Ham Hawks 1938, Crystal Palace 1939. (5) Crocky Rawding, New Cross, 1938, Wimbledon, 1939. (6) Goldie Restall, New Cross, 1938. (7) Clune Johnston, Edinburgh, 1939 (8) Fred Belliveau, Wembley, 1939 (9) Bill Matthews, West Ham, 1947. (10) Sandy Sturgess, West Ham, 1948. (11) Sean Venables, Hackney, 1988, 1989, 1990. Pre-war other Canadians who raced in England were: George Pepper Elwood Stilwell Bruce Venier. Bob Sparkes Clune Johnston Others who raced for British tracks post-war are Charlie Appleby (pre-war at several London tracks), Les Tams, Mike Tams, Kyle Legault Rob Fisher (generally regarded as an Anglo-Canadian), Gary Ford, Chris Slabon Dave Dodd. Were there any more Canadian riders active in the UK? Edited April 13, 2017 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 8, 2017 Report Share Posted April 8, 2017 (edited) 1949, the old 'Speedway Echo' - the forerunner of the 'Speedway Star' featured then Wimbledon rider Jimmy Gibb on their front cover. I wonder what the story on him that is mentioned was all about - 'Lured from films to speedway'? Edited April 8, 2017 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyclone Posted April 10, 2017 Report Share Posted April 10, 2017 (edited) Dave Dodd, Poole & Liverpool 1960 Clune Johnstone Marine Gardens 1939 Edited April 10, 2017 by cyclone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBBATH Posted April 11, 2017 Report Share Posted April 11, 2017 Don't know about Chris Slabon, but for sure Robert Slabon-who was a World Finalist- raced in Canada-in fact I saw him at Welland a number of years ago. Also Kyle Legault who raced I think at Sheffield-saw him at the Canadian Championship at Paris a number of years ago-one of the best meetings I ever saw- Legault came over to defend his Canadian Championship , won every race and broke the Paris track record, although there was a Canadian who gave him a run for his money-a guy called (I think) Aaron Hesmer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 11, 2017 Report Share Posted April 11, 2017 (edited) Dave Dodd, Poole & Liverpool 1960 Clune Johnstone Marine Gardens 1939 Thank you. I do now recall Dave Dodd, while the name Clune Johnston is also one that I have come across in various "research moments." I will add both names into the initial list that I made. And now I have recollections of a Canadian who rode for Wembley and Stoke in 1939? Edited April 11, 2017 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 11, 2017 Report Share Posted April 11, 2017 1939. Fred Belliveau was a Canadian dirt track rider who rode speedway for Wembley and Stoke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andout Posted April 13, 2017 Report Share Posted April 13, 2017 Rob Fisher (Bob's Canadian born son) had a couple of outings with Coventry.....not sure of the years 80's or 90's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 7, 2017 Report Share Posted June 7, 2017 (edited) Bill Matthews, a top USA/Canada Flat Track rider who had a one season UK spell as a speedway rider in 1947 with West Ham and briefly Birmingham. http://www.motorcyclemuseum.org/halloffame/detail.aspx?RacerID=223&lpos=0px&letter=M&txtFname=Bill&rblFname=S&txtLname=Mathews&rblLname=S&discipline=0 Edited June 7, 2017 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triple.H. Posted June 7, 2017 Report Share Posted June 7, 2017 I remember the late Gary Ford and his team mate Sean Willmott having a big crash at Oxford while riding for Weymouth ? They both got up but their bikes were rather the worse for wear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andout Posted June 8, 2017 Report Share Posted June 8, 2017 gustix....not quite sure why you have Rob Fisher as "Generally regarded as anglo-Canadian".....True he has English parents but was BORN in Canada, has a Canadian Passport and is a Canadian in every sense. Same for Gary Ford, born in Canada to English parents but a Canadian in every sense. Could be the same, though I don't know, for Sean (Change name to Shawn) Venables. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 8, 2017 Report Share Posted June 8, 2017 gustix....not quite sure why you have Rob Fisher as "Generally regarded as anglo-Canadian".....True he has English parents but was BORN in Canada, has a Canadian Passport and is a Canadian in every sense. Same for Gary Ford, born in Canada to English parents but a Canadian in every sense. Could be the same, though I don't know, for Sean (Change name to Shawn) Venables. Thank you andout for the clarification. Full recognition for Rob Fisher's Canadian nationality by me in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted July 22, 2022 Report Share Posted July 22, 2022 On 6/8/2017 at 2:43 PM, andout said: gustix....not quite sure why you have Rob Fisher as "Generally regarded as anglo-Canadian".....True he has English parents but was BORN in Canada, has a Canadian Passport and is a Canadian in every sense. Same for Gary Ford, born in Canada to English parents but a Canadian in every sense. Could be the same, though I don't know, for Sean (Change name to Shawn) Venables. See we have an important correction, that Gary Fords parents were in fact from Scotland, not England at the bottom of the forum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andout Posted July 22, 2022 Report Share Posted July 22, 2022 3 minutes ago, iris123 said: See we have an important correction, that Gary Fords parents were in fact from Scotland, not England at the bottom of the forum True.....I knew both Joe and Margaret Ford and there is absolutely NO doubt they were Scottish! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBBATH Posted August 29, 2022 Report Share Posted August 29, 2022 How old was Gary Ford when he passed away?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted August 29, 2022 Report Share Posted August 29, 2022 8 minutes ago, BOBBATH said: How old was Gary Ford when he passed away?? 37. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBBATH Posted August 29, 2022 Report Share Posted August 29, 2022 Jeez that's awful young, was he in an accident or was it a medical issue? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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