norbold Posted September 6, 2023 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2023 10 hours ago, BOBBATH said: A scary thought is that there is probably no one who saw Tom ride still alive today!!! Arthur Payne might have done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sotonian Posted September 6, 2023 Report Share Posted September 6, 2023 9 hours ago, norbold said: Arthur Payne might have done! He recently turned 100! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted September 6, 2023 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2023 1 hour ago, Sotonian said: He recently turned 100! Hence my comment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBBATH Posted September 7, 2023 Report Share Posted September 7, 2023 I don't think he could have , Arthur is an Aussie and didn't come to England until his early twenties. However, did Tom Farndon go to Australia to race- in which case Arthur as a little lad might have indeed seen him !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midlandred Posted September 7, 2023 Report Share Posted September 7, 2023 5 minutes ago, BOBBATH said: I don't think he could have , Arthur is an Aussie and didn't come to England until his early twenties. However, did Tom Farndon go to Australia to race- in which case Arthur as a little lad might have indeed seen him !! He certainly did and broke track records all over the place Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted September 7, 2023 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2023 1 hour ago, midlandred said: He certainly did and broke track records all over the place When did he ride in Australia? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBBATH Posted September 8, 2023 Report Share Posted September 8, 2023 Reg Fearman is still in touch with Arthur, I will have to ask him!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted September 8, 2023 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2023 6 hours ago, BOBBATH said: Reg Fearman is still in touch with Arthur, I will have to ask him!!!! I wouldn't at the moment, BOBBATH. The reason I asked Midland Red that question is that I don't think Tom ever did ride in Australia, but I may be wrong, which is why I asked if he knows when Tom rode there. Tom Farndon did spend one winter in New Zealand where he broke lots of records, but never, as far as I know, went to Australia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BL65 Posted September 8, 2023 Report Share Posted September 8, 2023 Tom Farndon had been due to travel to Australia at the end of the 1935 British season. I have never seen any reference to him competing there in earlier seasons. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midlandred Posted September 8, 2023 Report Share Posted September 8, 2023 1 hour ago, norbold said: I wouldn't at the moment, BOBBATH. The reason I asked Midland Red that question is that I don't think Tom ever did ride in Australia, but I may be wrong, which is why I asked if he knows when Tom rode there. Tom Farndon did spend one winter in New Zealand where he broke lots of records, but never, as far as I know, went to Australia. Apologies, memory failure. A relative of Tom’s lived near us and invited me round to look through some memorabilia - cuttings, photos, trophies, etc - back in the mid1970s. It was of course New Zealand, not Australia. My notes show that on his first appearance at Western Springs, Tom clocked a race time of 78.6 secs, next night he lowered Squib Burton’s track record of 78.2 with a 77.0. He also broke the one mile record there. Four wins on his second appearance. At Wellington, he “scored brilliantly” and the following week recorded 6 wins in 6 starts. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBBATH Posted September 8, 2023 Report Share Posted September 8, 2023 I think that settles it- no-one alive today saw Tom Farndon ride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted September 8, 2023 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2023 1 minute ago, BOBBATH said: I think that settles it- no-one alive today saw Tom Farndon ride. I wouldn't say that, BB. Tom died in 1935. There are plenty of people still around in their 90s and even 100s, some of whom may have seen Tom Farndon ride. In fact, I would think it highly likely there are still a few people around who saw him. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted September 8, 2023 Report Share Posted September 8, 2023 1 hour ago, norbold said: I wouldn't say that, BB. Tom died in 1935. There are plenty of people still around in their 90s and even 100s, some of whom may have seen Tom Farndon ride. In fact, I would think it highly likely there are still a few people around who saw him. Valid point. Now, I just wonder how many people still alive saw speedway in 1928? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Split Posted September 8, 2023 Report Share Posted September 8, 2023 (edited) 7 hours ago, BOBBATH said: I think that settles it- no-one alive today saw Tom Farndon ride. I might not be old enough to have had the privilege of seeing the great Tom Farndon ride but anybody who stood on the terraces at New Cross in the 60's like I did would have spoken to many people who did. "Who was this Farndon bloke they keep on about," I asked myself, "was he that good?" Now I know, yes, he was that good! ." Edited September 8, 2023 by Split 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted September 9, 2023 Report Share Posted September 9, 2023 15 hours ago, Split said: I might not be old enough to have had the privilege of seeing the great Tom Farndon ride but anybody who stood on the terraces at New Cross in the 60's like I did would have spoken to many people who did. "Who was this Farndon bloke they keep on about," I asked myself, "was he that good?" Now I know, yes, he was that good! ." You obviously stood next to different folk to old gusto, who I am sure stated on here that in the 40s and 50s nobody mentioned Farndon. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andout Posted September 9, 2023 Report Share Posted September 9, 2023 8 hours ago, iris123 said: You obviously stood next to different folk to old gusto, who I am sure stated on here that in the 40s and 50s nobody mentioned Farndon. Well, my mother talked of Farndon often....her favourite rider in those days, my mother incidentally used to go to Speedway six times a week ALL in London! And yes, I did hear people talking about him at NX in the '60s. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted September 9, 2023 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2023 1 hour ago, andout said: Well, my mother talked of Farndon often....her favourite rider in those days, my mother incidentally used to go to Speedway six times a week ALL in London! And yes, I did hear people talking about him at NX in the '60s. I hate to mention this, andout, but do you know who "old gusto" is? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted September 10, 2023 Report Share Posted September 10, 2023 6 hours ago, norbold said: I hate to mention this, andout, but do you know who "old gusto" is? I'm sure he knows who the speedy fella is... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andout Posted September 10, 2023 Report Share Posted September 10, 2023 (edited) 13 hours ago, norbold said: I hate to mention this, andout, but do you know who "old gusto" is? No idea... OK I got it....... Edited September 10, 2023 by andout Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted September 10, 2023 Report Share Posted September 10, 2023 On 2/20/2020 at 5:38 PM, Guest said: You tell me! You asked if there was a book on Cyril Roger and I resided. I also pointed out there were not so far as I kew books on other New Cross greats (two world champions) Jack Milne and Lionel Van Praag. Conversely, I don't think having a book written about a rider elevates him in any way to a status of greatness. As an immediate post-war New Cross supporter I don't recall much mention of Tom Farndon and he only seemingly came into the limelight for the brief period when an annual memorial meeting was held. I would emphasise also that I personally respect his memory but not to the realms of adulation. This was one such post 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.