Sidney the robin Posted June 28, 2017 Report Share Posted June 28, 2017 Jon Murray who worked on the Swindon Advertiser always did a decent piece in the Swindon programme. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHALEWAY69 Posted June 28, 2017 Report Share Posted June 28, 2017 Cyril May, a unique writer who a technical understanding and visited many riders for his stories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 28, 2017 Report Share Posted June 28, 2017 Cyril May, a unique writer who a technical understanding and visited many riders for his stories. Some background to the excellent writings of Cyril May. Click on the references for more information. http://www.guskuhn.net/GKuhn/Cyril%20May/CMPage.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHALEWAY69 Posted June 28, 2017 Report Share Posted June 28, 2017 Cyrl May Cyril was born in Devizes Wiltshire. He was associated with Brooklands in his early years for which he holds a Brooklands Certificate. Cyril rode grass track from 1934 on an Excelsior JAP, he was a member of the Wembley Speedway Club grass track team. Cyril was a founder member of the West Wiltshire Motor club, the Southern Grass Track Riders Club and the Devizes and District Motor Club.he was also the President of the Swindon Speedway Supporters Club from 1966-1977.. Cyril May was the most prolific of all speedway and grass track writers, many of his biographies are researched from personal interviews, this together with his understanding of the mechanical aspects of the sport gave an authenticity to his wealth of speedway writings. Cyril started as a reporter of speedway and grass track meetings then moved into publishing with his Motor Cycle Sport Magazine and booklets on Lew Coffin, Farleigh Castle, Forty years of speedway, Grasstrack history and the story of the JAP. His 1976 publication of Ride it the History of Speedway is regarded by many as an iconic speedway history book. In 1964 his first article was published in the Speedway Star and News, from then until 1976 the winter issues of this popular magazine carried at least one of his articles each week. The Historys of Kings Oak, World championships Test matches and Grass Tracking ran for up to 20 issues. For the technically minded The JAP, Rudge, Douglas BSA and Evolution of the Speedway Machine became text book articles to refer to. Add to this his biographies of almost every top rider and many that were lesser known put Cyril in the fore front as speedways number one writer. It is understandable that with this high out put mistakes would arise, we have to appreciate that these articles were written before the days of the internet, mobile phones, faxes and Microsoft Word. Unlike today it was a lot harder to check the facts, therefore I suggest that considering the volume of words, the mistakes were few and far between. Some have said his writing was dull and boring, I for one, as an historian, would prefer to read Cyril’s articles in preference to the tales by a few of the well known writers of the day. Ride it the Complete book of Speedway 1976 Haynes The Story of the Racing JAP. 1966 Lew Coffin Story 1966 The Farleigh Castle story Motor Cycle Sport Special Grass Track Souvenir 1966 Grass track racing through the years 1966 Forty years of Speedway 1964 Articles in Speedway Star and News Note This is intended as a rough guide to where the articles by Cyril May may be found., full details of dates will be inserted as they come to hand. 1964 Billy Lamont 6-11-1964 1965 Joe Gooding 19-11-1965 Ron Johnson 3 parts Series from 1-1 1965 Sprouts Elder 16-4-1965 3 parts Charlie May 3-12-1965 1966 Jap Story March 1966- onwards 7 part World Championship series 1966 12 parts Cliff Parkinson 7-10-1966 Bull Fighting on a speedway Bike Alf Cole - 30-12-1966 Dick Case 21-10-1966 Mike Erskine 11-3-1966 On the Grass series weekly reports 1966 1967 Roger Frogley, 1967 Alec Jackson 22-3-1967 Bert Spencer 27-3-1971 Billy Galloway5-3-1971, 12-3-1971 19-3-1971 3 parts BSA 25-1-1973-3-3-73 8 parts Claude Rye Story 3 parts Charlie Pashley 4-12-1976 onwards Days of the Duggie 3-10-1969 to 20-3-1970 13 issues Evolution of Speedway Machines 28-10-1966 to 3-2-19678 parts Frank Arthur 10-1-1969 Frank Varey 13-3-1970- 3 parts Harring Touch 26-1-1968 9-2-1968 2 part Jack Chapman 12-1-1968 Jack Parker Story 17-1-1976 8 parts Jack Young December 1971-february 1972 7 parts Jeff Clew Story 25-1-1975 Kings Oak Series 23-10-1971 to 25-3-1972 23 parts Len Parker story 1-3-1968- 3 part Lew Coffin Story 1972 Nov-Dec 8 part Lionel Van Praag 18-10-1968 Max Grosskreutz 1-11-1968-27-12-1968 6 parts Roger Frogley 20-10-1967 Rudge Story 6-10-1970 to 20-3-1971 19 parts Speedway Riders on Grass Test matches 20 part series october 1964-february 1965 Vic Huxley 19-12-6930-1-1970 7parts Wal Morton 4-12-1970 Wal Phillips/ Nobby Keys 18-12-1970 3 parts Wembley Story 1967 12 parts 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 28, 2017 Report Share Posted June 28, 2017 Cyrl May Cyril was born in Devizes Wiltshire. He was associated with Brooklands in his early years for which he holds a Brooklands Certificate. Cyril rode grass track from 1934 on an Excelsior JAP, he was a member of the Wembley Speedway Club grass track team. Cyril was a founder member of the West Wiltshire Motor club, the Southern Grass Track Riders Club and the Devizes and District Motor Club.he was also the President of the Swindon Speedway Supporters Club from 1966-1977.. Cyril May was the most prolific of all speedway and grass track writers, many of his biographies are researched from personal interviews, this together with his understanding of the mechanical aspects of the sport gave an authenticity to his wealth of speedway writings. Cyril started as a reporter of speedway and grass track meetings then moved into publishing with his Motor Cycle Sport Magazine and booklets on Lew Coffin, Farleigh Castle, Forty years of speedway, Grasstrack history and the story of the JAP. His 1976 publication of Ride it the History of Speedway is regarded by many as an iconic speedway history book. I have edited your original article regarding Cyril May for use in my quote. I found the complete article intriguing. I assume the article has appeared previously, although that in no way detracts from its value. But I wonder when it was initially published? Am I correct in assuming that Cyril May was the author/compiler of the ultra-excellent Gus Kuhn website? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted June 29, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2017 Ron Hoare was another fine speedway journalist/historian. It was his article, "Undefeated Tom", in the 1961 Speedway Star Digest that first got me interested in Tom Farndon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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