Name The Rider

I get pictures and questions sent to me where the sender doesn't know the name of the rider or wants information concerning something from our past and I don't have the answers!  Any help is appreciated because it would be wrong not to include historical items just because we have no idea what the subject is about!  I leave the pictures on the Name The Rider page until it is clearly established who, what and when they are of, then I will move them to the appropriate page on the site as my need for webspace on the site dictates.

Can you supply info about the following rider's? send me an email John

Courtesy of John Levitt

John Levitt says: I am slowly but surely going through my parents speedway photo albums and amongst the various photographs etc is a photograph of a Newcastle rider. I believe it may be Don Lawson. My parents were mainly West Ham speedway fans although their albums depict riders from lots of different teams, most if not all their photographs would have been purchased at the time and they probably stopped attending matches in the 1952/53 period when their family began to grow. I have attached a scan of the image and I would appreciate if you could confirm my belief. I also wonder where the  picture was taken was it the UK or Australia? regards John Levitt

John Skinner says: I am not certain that it is Don Lawson so if you can confirm whom it is please send me an email John  The "N" racejacket was used for one season only 1949 when the team swapped it's nickname from Diamonds to Magpies.  Don came to us from Australia via West Ham speedway.  He rode for Newcastle for 3 years 1949-1951 so it is quite likely that the photo is of Don Lawson

Pre-War Diamonds Line Up

Courtesy of Ian Young

I have received the team photo scan from Ian, shown above. Can you confirm the year (I think 1938?) If you can name the riders please let me know so I can update this webpage John

Tom Marriott says: From left. 3rd Bruce Venier 5th Elwood Stillwell 6th Robert (Bob) Sparks. All Canadians.

R Spencer Oliver Photos

Courtesy of Richard Nicholson

Picture 1: Two Newcastle fans. Photo taken by Spencer in 1964.  One is wearing a diamond pattern cardigan and both have Newcastle badges with 4 date bars so they must have been fans since 1961. Do you know who these two ladies are, if so send me an email John Richard Nicholson says:  The supporter on the left is Helen Percy

Courtesy of Richard Nicholson

Picture 2: We know that this is a Newcastle rider from 1964 Can you name him? John

Courtesy of Richard Nicholson

Picture 3: Newcastle v Newport 1964, looks like Ivan Mauger leading but who is the other rider? John

Picture 4: Newcastle v Middlesbrough 27th May 1963 We cannot make out the fallen rider apart from him being a Middlesbrough rider wearing the white helmet cover.  If anyone has the 1963 Newcastle v Middlesbrough programme have a look at any fallers in white and drop me an email John Col Greenwell says: Eric Boocock

Courtesy Richard Nicholson

Courtesy Richard Nicholson

Picture 6: Newcastle v Middlesbrough 27th May 1963.  The Newcastle rider looks like Mike Watkin, help please John Col Greenwell says: Dave Younghusband leading John says: Dave & Mike must have had a bit of rivalry going as they were both from the north east and were both looking for team places at the same time.  'Boro & Newcastle were promoted by Reg Fearman and Mike Parker whom were business partners so Dave and Mike could have quite easily have turned out for the other team, ie Mike at Boro and Dave at Newcastle but instead they went the other way.

Cradley Heath  Unknown v Newcastle

Home team Cradley Heath on gates 1 & 3 with Newcastle 2 & 4.  We think this is 1962.  Please help name the riders and the year  John

Colin Jewes says: I’ve looked at your site. Its NOT Cradley, so no Cradley riders, I can understand why its thought a possibility John, Cradley had a stand with diagonal cross-braces, but it was forward of the start line. Prior to the start line was seated area with no cover and at the back of that a bar. In your pic there’s some other light building, at an angle possibly, aligning with the 4th bend, it would seem. There was nothing at Cradley on the 4th bend. The inside rider isn’t Ivor Brown: the shirt is short-sleeved and the race jacket isn’t half white., It possibly looks like an Archer, ie Long Eaton, so the stand, – its style and age – , would fit. Suggest trying an LE supporter.

Nick Short says: Hi John, I do not recognise the track as yet, however I agree it does not look like Cradley, if I remember right it was more open.  Nice crowd though.  I believe Newcastle's rider on gate 4 is Gil Goldfinch.  Keep up the good work

Dave Train says: Hi John, just looked at defunct tracks site and believe pic you refer to is at Plymouth and is Gil Goldfinch & Vic Lonsdale (Newcastle) Jimmy Squibb plus Chris Blewett I think

Bob Boardman says: Hi John, It is always very difficult to identify riders in photos such as this. I am almost certain it is Cradley and it looks like Ivor Brown as you say. As for the Newcastle riders it looks very much like Vic Lonsdale next to Ivor and possibly Mike Watkin - he is wearing the white helmet and I would have thought yellow/black more appropriate for him as it is not an all reserves race. I will give this more thought and let you know if I come up with anything else.

Bob Andrews says: Sorry John.'62 I was scoring well at Wimbledon. I got to Cradley about '65.  Although the stand looks a bit like Cradley's the white building wasn't there. they had one on the first bend that looked a bit like that. Although if it was '62 then it might have been there??? I don't think it is Ivor Brown. ( not his handlebars ) and he looked a lot "tidier" the other team looked a bit like Southampton riders but they were in first Division then. White hat looks like Geoff Mudge or Peter Van Den Burgh and Yellow looks like Dick Bradley or Chum Taylor only looks like but may not be them  Sorry Hope I 'aint confused you Ha Ha Bob.

Colin Jewes says:  Hi John,  I could agree with Dave Train that the rider on gate 3 may well be Jimmy Squibb, – and that the emblem on the 2 jackets is therefore a Devil. So quite possible its Plymouth.

1999 Reunion

Courtesy of George Winstanley

George's photo shows his dad Jack Winstanley in the brown jacket.  How many others can you name? John Dave Rowland says: Left to right Scott Robson  James Grieves Tim Swales Stuey Robson Lee Dicken Jesper Olsen Jonathan Swales Derrel Keats Steve Jones Garry Stead Darren Smith Andre Compton David Walsh Jack Winstanley Grant McDonald Robert Eriksson Paul Gould Russ Dent Scott Lamb Kevin Little hope that is OK for starters

1951 Line Up

Courtesy of Joe Wake

Can you name this 1951 line up  John

Tom Marriott says: The rider to the right of Son Mitchell (or the third person from the left) is Mike Tams from Canada who rode for Newcastle in 1951.

Bob Bath says: Hi John, re 10th picture down titled “1951 Line Up” Tom Marriott is absolutely correct in spotting Mike Tams, I can add to this picture since the rider on the bike  is Derek Close who was the captain. Cheers and keep up the good work.

Trevor James says:  Hi John,  Name the Rider - Newcastle 1951 (riders only) Agree with those already named; Son Mitchell, Mike Tams, Don Wilkinson, ?, Peter Orpwood, Don Lawson, Jack Chignell and on bike, Derek Close, Hope this helps.  Trevor

Mike Hunter says: The rider described as ? in your Name the Rider 1951 Lineup is Johnny Green.

Miss UK Speedway

Courtesy of Dave Rowland

Miss Poole, Miss Sheffield, Miss Wolverhampton and Miss Newcastle.  Can you name any of the girls, say what the competition was called and provide the year and the winner John

Trevor James says: Hi John,  Sorry, can't name the girls. However, Miss Newcastle holds the No 8 card, which says to me its the 1964 Provincial Riders Championship at Belle Vue.  Alphabetically, Newcastle were the 8th team in the PL. Also, the card says New Elizabethan on it. Belle Vue had The Elizabethan Suite within the Zoo & Gardens complex.  Regards  Trevor

Diamonds At Berwick

Diamonds at Berwick could be Tom Owen on the inside although engines are laydowns not sure when the laydown came in.  Do you know who the riders are and can you say what year John

Carl Nicklin says: I think the Newcastle rider in yellow is Jesper Olsen and I’m guessing at Mick Powell for the rider in White.  The year I believe is 2000 judging by the race suite Jesper has on.  Rider in white is either a new member or a guest as he has not got a race suit!.  I hope this helps.  Great site keep up the good work.

Rod Hunter Leading Two Mildenhall Riders

One of my all time favourite riders, Rod Hunter in front of two Mildenhall riders. Can you say who they were and the year, Rod is in Y/B so I presume the picture was taken in the Fens John

Pre War 1938 Or 1939 Riders Are A Mystery

John says: Pre War action in front of a packed Brough Park grandstand can you name the riders and guess the year  John

Dave Train says: I think it's Ern Brecknell in the centre from 1949.

John says: Don't like to disagree but the handlebars suggest the photo is pre war?

Colin Greenwell from Middlesbrough points out that 1949 Newcastle were named the magpies.

John says I agree Col. If it was 1949 I would expect a "N" race jacket and as the riders are wearing a diamond I maintain that this photo is probably pre war 1938 or 1939.  Help please with this one and who are the riders? John

Newcastle Magpies 1949

A difficult picture to name!  The N on the Newcastle rider indicates the year was 1949.  Can anyone name the riders? John

Could Be Russ Dent?

Could be Russ Dent, what do you think? John

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