West Ham Speedway Closes 1972

[BOBBATH]

If you go on youtube and enter the above there is a 4:54 minute video- looks like it came from a local TV news program.  A number of riders etc.  are interviewed- Stan Stevens for one (what a good bloke he is). I need a help identifying two others who are interviewed  -one is at 1:31 another is at 2:01. Then at 3:10 are two older veterans, I think they are Arthur Atkinson and the other, with glasses, perhaps Tiger Stevenson. Some races of the final meeting , looks like against Hull, are shown but the West Ham uniform looks different. Can anyone help me identify the guys I couldn't, also does anyone know the lady supporter who was interviewed. I felt very sorry for the supporters who were upset. 

[customhouseregular]

7 hours ago, BOBBATH said:

If you go on youtube and enter the above there is a 4:54 minute video- looks like it came from a local TV news program.  A number of riders etc.  are interviewed- Stan Stevens for one (what a good bloke he is). I need a help identifying two others who are interviewed  -one is at 1:31 another is at 2:01. Then at 3:10 are two older veterans, I think they are Arthur Atkinson and the other, with glasses, perhaps Tiger Stevenson. Some races of the final meeting , looks like against Hull, are shown but the West Ham uniform looks different. Can anyone help me identify the guys I couldn't, also does anyone know the lady supporter who was interviewed. I felt very sorry for the supporters who were upset. 

Just read this. Will try to watch tomorrow and see if I can help.

[frigbo]

Brian Foote and the late Kevin Holden

[steve roberts]

I had the programme from the last ever meeting at Custom House but together with my huge collection I sold them!

[The Third Man]

7 hours ago, steve roberts said:

I had the programme from the last ever meeting at Custom House but together with my huge collection I sold them!

Still have that one

[chunky]

On 9/12/2021 at 10:19 AM, BOBBATH said:

but the West Ham uniform looks different.

Romford moved to West Ham, and went into Div. 2. They combined the Hammers logo with the Bombers' roundel.

On 9/12/2021 at 10:19 AM, BOBBATH said:

Then at 3:10 are two older veterans, I think they are Arthur Atkinson and the other, with glasses, perhaps Tiger Stevenson.

With Snowy Beattie in the background...

Edited September 13, 2021 by chunky

[Guest]

The interviewer is John Stapleton who became quite a well known BBC presenter of such programmes as Watchdog and Breakfast News. 

[BOBBATH]

Was I right on the two veterans interviewed- Arthur Atkinson and Tiger Stevenson? And was anybody able to identify  the West Ham  supporter lady who evidently was a dedicated fan over many years? It was distressing for me to see the parts of the news report that showed some of the stadium already being destroyed. I first went to West Ham in 1965 for the British Final and I think at that time all four corners of the stadium were available to supporters. My last ever visit was  August 1968 just before I left the UK-think it must have be sixth of August -maybe the Nordic- British Final of the World Championship- Briggo didn't qualify but then somebody got sick (Eric Boocock maybe) in a later round and Briggo made the World Final after all- think he finished second to Ivan.

 Brian Foote was after my time- wasn't there another guy called Foote who rode for Leicester-also I know that Kevin Holden was killed in a racing accident , at Exeter maybe was that also in 1972??

[shippy22]

3 hours ago, BOBBATH said:

Was I right on the two veterans interviewed- Arthur Atkinson and Tiger Stevenson? And was anybody able to identify  the West Ham  supporter lady who evidently was a dedicated fan over many years? It was distressing for me to see the parts of the news report that showed some of the stadium already being destroyed. I first went to West Ham in 1965 for the British Final and I think at that time all four corners of the stadium were available to supporters. My last ever visit was  August 1968 just before I left the UK-think it must have be sixth of August -maybe the Nordic- British Final of the World Championship- Briggo didn't qualify but then somebody got sick (Eric Boocock maybe) in a later round and Briggo made the World Final after all- think he finished second to Ivan.

 Brian Foote was after my time- wasn't there another guy called Foote who rode for Leicester-also I know that Kevin Holden was killed in a racing accident , at Exeter maybe was that also in 1972??

Brian Foote also rode for Rayleigh, Rye House & Leicester.   I think he was related to the Leicester promoter, Ron Wilson. As a Rockets supporter, Brian Foote was always a villain when he rode for our rivals at Romford, but became a hero when he signed for the Rockets !!.     Kevin Holden was sadly killed in an accident at Poole. 

Edited September 14, 2021 by shippy22

[steve roberts]

2 hours ago, shippy22 said:

Brian Foote also rode for Rayleigh, Rye House & Leicester.   I think he was related to the Leicester promoter, Ron Wilson. As a Rockets supporter, Brian Foote was always a villain when he rode for our rivals at Romford, but became a hero when he signed for the Rockets !!.     Kevin Holden was sadly killed in an accident at Poole. 

I'm sure that you are correct. He was a cousin of Ray?

[E I Addio]

9 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

I'm sure that you are correct. He was a cousin of Ray?

Brian Foote - “ Foote’s me name elbows are me game “ 

[E I Addio]

6 hours ago, BOBBATH said:

Was I right on the two veterans interviewed- Arthur Atkinson and Tiger Stevenson? And was anybody able to identify  the West Ham  supporter lady who evidently was a dedicated fan over many years? It was distressing for me to see the parts of the news report that showed some of the stadium already being destroyed. I first went to West Ham in 1965 for the British Final and I think at that time all four corners of the stadium were available to supporters. My last ever visit was  August 1968 just before I left the UK-think it must have be sixth of August -maybe the Nordic- British Final of the World Championship- Briggo didn't qualify but then somebody got sick (Eric Boocock maybe) in a later round and Briggo made the World Final after all- think he finished second to Ivan.

 Brian Foote was after my time- wasn't there another guy called Foote who rode for Leicester-also I know that Kevin Holden was killed in a racing accident , at Exeter maybe was that also in 1972??

Yes it was Arthur Atkinson and Harold “Tiger Stevenson”.  I have a photo of myself when I was knee high to a grasshopper, winning a fancy dress competition at my dads motor cycle club, and Tiger Stevenson was presenting me with first prix which was a camera.  I think Arthur Atkinson was connected with E. E. Atkinson motorcycle shop in Barking Road but I never quite established what the connection was.

Interesting that film clip says the attendance at that final meeting was 4000. How times have changed. Most promoters today would be glad to get that many in a month.

[chunky]

 

8 hours ago, BOBBATH said:

also I know that Kevin Holden was killed in a racing accident , at Exeter maybe was that also in 1972??

1977. He actually died as the result of a ruptured aorta, which may have been responsible for the crash.

[iris123]

5 hours ago, E I Addio said:

Yes it was Arthur Atkinson and Harold “Tiger Stevenson”.  I have a photo of myself when I was knee high to a grasshopper, winning a fancy dress competition at my dads motor cycle club, and Tiger Stevenson was presenting me with first prix which was a camera.  I think Arthur Atkinson was connected with E. E. Atkinson motorcycle shop in Barking Road but I never quite established what the connection was.

Interesting that film clip says the attendance at that final meeting was 4000. How times have changed. Most promoters today would be glad to get that many in a month.

Reminds me of the children's show when the young girl talked about the Grand Pricks  Think she went on to star in Eastenders ? But can't remember her name now

[Andrew]

53 minutes ago, iris123 said:

Reminds me of the children's show when the young girl talked about the Grand Pricks  Think she went on to star in Eastenders ? But can't remember her name now

Melissa Wilks,who was in Grange Hill.People get her mixed up with Susan Tully who was also in GH, and went to  Eastenders to play Michelle.

Edited September 14, 2021 by Andrew

[iris123]

1 hour ago, Andrew said:

Melissa Wilks,who was in Grange Hill.People get her mixed up with Susan Tully who was also in GH, and went to  Eastenders to play Michelle.

My bad memory

[Andrew]

No,not really its quite a common mix up as  both girls were very young presenters,but on different programs in the late 70s.

[HertsRacer]

As a Romford supporter I remember going to the last meeting. It was always weird going to Custom House then. Half the stadium had been demolished several years earlier, and the rest was falling to pieces. It was a sad feeling knowing not only that it was the end of this great stadium, but also this was the end of our Bombers who were moving to Barrow.

[customhouseregular]

1 hour ago, HertsRacer said:

As a Romford supporter I remember going to the last meeting. It was always weird going to Custom House then. Half the stadium had been demolished several years earlier, and the rest was falling to pieces. It was a sad feeling knowing not only that it was the end of this great stadium, but also this was the end of our Bombers who were moving to Barrow.

Agree about the stadium. I started going to Custom House when it re-opened in 1964 and the stadium was old and tired looking, but still looked like a proper stadium. 

[E I Addio]

1 hour ago, HertsRacer said:

As a Romford supporter I remember going to the last meeting. It was always weird going to Custom House then. Half the stadium had been demolished several years earlier, and the rest was falling to pieces. It was a sad feeling knowing not only that it was the end of this great stadium, but also this was the end of our Bombers who were moving to Barrow.

The stands on the back straight were demolished after a fire. Some oily rags had been dumped under the stand and somehow caught fire. It really was a great shame because on a summer evening there was no better place to be. From the stands on the home straight you could see the ships funnels all lit up in the King George V Dock, less than half a mile away . It all looked fantastic and added to the atmosphere.

I think part of, the problem was that the stadium was probably thrown up in a bit of a hurry when the sort came here in 1928 when money was short and no thought given to long term plans so was life expired 40 years later. It was a great stadium though. Coventry always reminded me of it in a way and that sadly is no more. Hackney never really had the same atmosphere to my mind though.