Pre War Part 2

1938 -1939

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

Speedway was back at Brough park after an 8 year gap.  The fans flocked to the stadium despite the depression and they started a supporters club.

 

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

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 Hey, 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. 

Update: Barry Wallace has been in touch. We are clarifying the who's who on the old photograph shown above. I will add Barry's comments when we agree the names.  Barry is the undisputed expert and I am very grateful for any help he can give to maintaining the History Site as an accurate record of Newcastle's Speedway History.

I have heard from Aussie based Tony Webb who has supplied some info on Syd Littlewood (3rd from the left in the above photo).

Syd Littlewood, Newcastle rider of 1938/1946. I managed to track down his only son Trevor who lives nearby in Algester a Brisbane suburb. Syd passed away in 2000 at the age of 86. his wife Gladys, a Norwich girl, is alive and well at 92!  Syd retired to Queensland at the end of the 1950 UK season. he rode at the EKKA in Brisbane  1951/52, but found Australian speedway not entirely to his liking. He was very friendly with Bob Leverenz and Alec Hunter who often stayed with Syd on their travels to Brisbane. Syd returned to his trade of fitter and turner, and for a while was in business with former rider Morrie Bond. I will be writing a fuller biography which I will forward to you. Trevor has a great collection of photos of Syds career. Regards Tony Webb Brisbane

Well Tony I for one look forward to hearing from you re Syds career and them photos please for the website mate. Contact me Here

1939

2 items supplied by Syd's wife Gladys and his son Trevor, there are more photos from Gladys and Trevor on the first post war page.

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

 

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 Stobart

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: -

"Rol Stobbart joined brother Maurice in the 1938 Diamonds team just a few weeks into the season after a couple of heavy defeats."
 
"He did not resume riding immediately after the war and was presumed to have retired.
However, when Newcastle were short-handed towards the end of 1948 due to their Aussies and Kiwis heading home, both Maurice and Rol were persuaded by Johnnie Hoskins to help out."

 

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: -

The 4-rider action shot featuring Rol Stobbart was taken at Bristol on 13
May 1949 when the Bulldogs were at home to Ashfield.
 
It shows from left to right, Rol Stobbart (Ashfield), Eric Salmon
(Bristol), Ken Le Breton (Ashfield) and Roger Wise (Bristol).
Wise won the race from Le Breton and Stobbart after Salmon was excluded.
 
Bristol won the match 63 - 21.

Thanks Barry, your help is appreciated

  

2 pictures of Rol Stobart taken at Wembley

 

Does anyone have pictures of Maurice please email John

 

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: -

Hello
 
I'm interested in the photo of George Pepper .  George was from Belleville , Ontario , Canada . George also won the Canadian Championship 200 mile road race ( 1936)  held here on the City streets . This was the only race in North America to be held on city streets . I am doing research on this race , much more than what has been written already but finding good photos of George is hard to come by . 
20.000 people attended this historic event but no pics seem to be available ( I have a few )   even from the people of Belleville .
So to see a nice photo of George is Great .
  
George was a very good fighter pilot , sadly George died during a training flight with a childhood buddy .
 
Sincerely
Ian Taylor
Belleville
Ontario
Canada

 

           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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