Pre War Part 2

1938 -1939

Syd Littlewood     Kid Curtis     Rol and Maurice Stobbart     George Pepper    

Photo courtesy of Colin Greenwell

This is Norman Evans. He didn't know it at the time this picture was taken (1936) but he was to figure in Newcastle's 1940's teams as captain of the Diamonds.  Nor did he know that Johnnie Hoskins was about to nickname him in his Newcastle days as "Pansy" A bit of a drawback for a speedway rider

1938

Courtesy of Keith Dyer

Speedway was brought back to Brough Park after an 8 year gap by Johnnie Hoskins.  The fans flocked to the stadium despite the depression and they started a supporters club. Reg Hay extreme left, Rol Stobbart 3rd from right, George Pepper is on the bike. Can you name rest of the riders  John
Col Greenwell says:  I think 2nd from right is Maurice Stobbart and 4th from left Kid Curtis.
Bill Walsh says: Norman Hargreaves is at extreme right

Courtesy of Bill Walsh

Maurice Stobbart

First entry in the 1938 Newcastle Speedway Supporter's Club Journal.  Is anyone old enough to remember Smoking Concerts" !  Do you recognise any of the committee members names? John
George Dutch says: The vice chairman is Miss Phyllis McQuillan who was secretary to Johnny Hoskins and the team in the early forties.  I do not go as far back as 1938 but started at Brough in 1946 when Phyllis wrote a regular item in the programme

The supporters club organised a dance at The Oxford Galleries in Newcastle City Centre which was held on 12th July 1938. Promoter Johnnie Hoskins was unable to attend but he sent them a telegram copied above.

Club Badge, A Greyhound on the left and a speedway figure on the right.  This one belongs to Bill Walsh.  It was given to him when he was a lad by rider Norman Hargreaves

1939

This picture courtesy of Mrs Jane Stobbart

The riders: Bill Goodall, Kid Curtis, Syd Littlewood, Maurice Stobbart, Team Manager - Reg Hay, George Pepper (Capt. on Machine), Promoter Johnnie Hoskins, Rol Stobbart (kneeling), Ken Brett, and Norman Hargreaves.  I don't know who the other 2 suits are
Col Greenwell says: I have been looking at your Newcastle 1939 pic. I think the guy (with the tie!) between George Pepper and Johnnie Hoskins is Billy Lamont. 

Reg Hay

1938 Bob Sparks

1939 Jack Tidbury

Syd Littlewood

I have heard from Aussie based Tony Webb who has supplied some info on Syd Littlewood

This was Brough Park in 1939, Track length 359 yards. This team competed in the National League Division 2. The crowd looks to have been quite large so the club was probably looking forward to a good few years but of course along came Hitler and the second world war, so track action was cut short and the fans had more important things to do for the next few years. 

Kid Curtis

Kid Curtis and Oliver Hart

This is my favourite picture on the entire website.  Please bring back these bikes & handlebars!

Helmet loaned by Kenny (3rd bend smithy) Smith now manager of Scunthorpe

This is Kid Curtis's crash helmet. which appears to have been made of cork, by Hobson and Sons of London. Pudding basin helmets offered no facial protection, so my admiration of the early riders has grown after seeing what scant protection they used.  I have added this helmet to the pre-war pages but Kid rode for the Diamonds briefly in 1945 as well, so the helmet may be post war, but I doubt it. If anyone can help with pictures or some paragraphs of text regarding Kid Curtis then please get in touch John

Picture from the scrapbook of Bill Walsh in New Zealand

Kid wearing a pudding basin helmet like the one pictured above although this picture dates 1950-53

Courtesy John Hunter via Dave Rowland
Kid Curtis 1938

We presume because he was the youngest rider in the league during 1938. Fred earned the "Kid" nickname.  Apparently he never climbed the heights as a rider but for me he is important as his action photo shown above is my all time favourite speedway picture. If you have any pictures of Kid in Newcastle colours then please get in touch. John

Rol and Maurice Stobbart

Photo courtesy of Jane Stobbart

Another of Jane's pictures of her late husband Rolland Stobbart.  I believe Cumbrian Rol came to Newcastle from Bristol in 1939 although he may have arrived in 1938?

Update:

 I asked Barry Wallace about Rol Stobbart and found out the following. thanks Barry: -

Photo courtesy of Jane Stobbart

I have no details at present of this photograph apart from knowing one of the riders is Rol.  Is that him in 2nd place? This shot shows just how close things can get out on track, you can literally throw a blanket over all 4 here.

Through the sites "Name the Rider" page, {visit it here}, we now have detail of the above picture thanks to Newcastle Speedways guru Barry Wallace: -

George Pepper

Above: Courtesy of Colin Greenwell

Above: Courtesy of Mike Kemp

Canadian George Pepper was a Newcastle rider in 1938 -39.  Unfortunately, the outbreak of war in 1939, stopped speedway in it's "tracks" and Brough did one of it's closing down acts. George joined the air force swapping wheels for wings. He was a night flyer.  His Mosquito planes' 2 man crew were known as "Salt and Pepper", the plane was shot down and both men listed as "killed in action".

Update: Ian Taylor has been in touch he says: -

           Newcastle visit Hackney in May 1939 (scan courtesy of Colin Greenwell)

Want to continue with the History of Newcastle Speedway? then click here. The Post War Years

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