Walthamstow Speedway
Walthamstow Stadium, Chingford Road, East London E4.  Speedway began at "The Stow" in 1934 but didn't continue after that year.  There was no action until 1949 when the sport operated for 3 seasons, through 1949 1950 and 1951.  It was always difficult for Walthamstow to attract large crowds as they were competing against successful  local tracks, Harringay and West Ham.
Walthamstow Art Deco  Charlie May Song   The Spectacular George Newton   1950: Speedway Echo   The End  Walthamstow Badges   Signature Tune
Walthamstow's "Art Deco" Frontage
A fine looking stadium but housing is too close for any new speedway application.
Walthamstow Programme 1934
Signature Tune
Richard Lewis says: Can you possibly tell me the tune that was played at the march on of riders and track staff at the start of the meetings at Walthamstow. My wife recall going as a young girl and can sing the tune but cannot recall the title. She always recalls Archie Windmill as she was thought it was a brilliant name, seems he was also quite tall? Hope you can help.
John says:  If you know what the march out music was please send me an email John
Fred Rogers
Courtesy of Mike Kemp via Jim Henry
A good close up view of a concrete starting area.  Do you know who this rider is/was and can you say what year John
John says:  Thank you Jim for the pic.  Not sure who this is, the year or which track it was taken at.  The witches hat building and the concrete starting area may help in identification, also the front forks of the bike are relatively "modern".  Let me have your comments please John Col Greenwell says: Info from John Somerville that the track is Walthamstow but the rider is still unnamed John says: The "Stows" second and last period of speedway operations was 1949 1950 and 1951.  So the pic is from one of these years.  Help please in naming the rider Mike Kemp says:  The rider is Fred Rogers
Memories
Don Williams says: I came across your photos of the Walthamstow Wolves Speedway whilst researching for material for my memoirs which I am writing. They brought back a flood of memories, I used to go regularly when I was aged about 10 (I am 73 now) …… I recall the song we used to “sing" for Charlie May, it went like this ….
	Two, four, six, eight, Charlie’s at the starting gate Will he win? We don’t know Come on Charlie have a go!
Thanks for the memories says Don Williams
Keith Cooper's Photographs 1949
The photos that follow were sent to me by Keith Cooper who admits to being 6 years old when he got them.  Thank you Keith for sending them to me they really enhance the page.
Archie Windmill
Bert Edwards
Bill Osborne
Charlie May
Charlie May
Ted Argall
Did Ted Argall have a son Eddie Argall who rode for Newcastle Diamonds?
Reg Fearman says: Indeed Eddie is the son of Ted.  He first came to Halifax and then Newcastle. After he retired he set up a cycle business at Keighley which was very successful.  He won more than once the local or area top award as business man of the year.  I believe he sold up and is back in OZ at Burleigh Heads and is running a tourist company with a partner in Yorkshire.
Dick Shepherd
Dick's son Richard has been in touch.  I have reproduced Richards email below: -
Hello John,  I was looking through your Walthamstow site and found my father mentioned twice. Thank you. Dad died in September 2007 in his adopted home in California. He left the UK when I was sixteen I am now nearly 66. He often mentioned Bill Osborne, Wally Lloyd, Split Waterman and masses of other riders I have been reading about in Wembley speedway Pre-War. I am waiting for the post war book to come out. We still have his Ipswich colours although very tatty and his helmet. I am thinking of loaning them to the Speedway museum in Hertfordshire. There is also a bunch of filled in programmes. The picture of Dad on his Jap I have a newspaper copy of but the one where he is talking to Wally Lloyd [smartest I have ever seen him] I do not, is it possible please to obtain a copy please? Do you have anything on Brian Shepherd, Dad's brother who died two years ago now. He broke his leg and gave up to become Dad's mechanic and together they developed frames and parts for the bikes. I used a pair of Dad's bars on my cycle and we used to go down to the old cycle speedway track, behind Woolworths I think, in Wembley. Best wishes and thank you for a great job on the web sites.
John says:  I am always pleased to hear from the family of a rider either, still with us or deceased and I will always supply the family with any image of a photo I have on the website if they want one.  Speedway is a community after all.
Harold Bull
Harry Edwards
Walthamstow 1949 Team
Courtesy of Andy Reid
Andy Reid says: Just uncovered a Walthamstow team photo from possibly 1949. I'm not sure why there are only seven riders as teams had eight in those days. I'm no expert in post war rider identification, but I think they are as follows:-Wally Lloyd (Team Manager), Jim Boyd, Harold Bull, Bill Osborne (?), Dick Geary, Harry Edwards, Charlie May, Wilf Jay (?) on machine. Andy
Walthamstow v Halifax 1951
Walthamstow Souvenir Programme
Courtesy of Graham Gleave
Reg Reeves (Left) & Trevor Redmond
Courtesy of Graham Gleave
Alf Stradling's Photos 1949
Benny King
Reg Fearman says: Benny King
Charlie May & Manager John Deeley
Reg Fearman says: Charlie May and manager John Deeley right
Bert Edwards
Reg Fearman says: Bert Edwards
Jim Boyd & Reg Reeves
Reg Fearman says: Jim Boyd left Reg Reeves right
Charlie May
Reg Fearman says: Charlie May
Jim Boyd & Ken Le Breton
Reg Fearman says: Jim Boyd & Ken LeBreton. With second from right Donald Peers singer.
Fred Pallett says: Jim Boyd Walthamstow in England colours on the left. The rider next to him in Australia colours and white leathers is Ken Le Breton.
Jim Boyd
More Of Alf Stradling's Photos
The Spectacular George Newton
Reg Fearman says: I believe George Newton is the rider shown above
John says: so this is another pic of George Newton.  I am too young to have seen George in action but it is obvious from the photos on the website of George that he must have been great to watch.
Jim Boyd
Reg Fearman says: Jim Boyd
Pete Lansdale
Jim Boyd & ? Grant! & Bert Edwards
Reg Fearman says: Jim Boyd and ? Grant (Harringay) and Bert Edwards
Unknown Guy In Suit With Jim Boyd
Reg Fearman says: ? with Jim Boyd.  So who is the guy with the incredibly short tie?
Bob Rowe says:  Hello John, I believe “the man in the suit with the short tie” in the photo with Jim Boyd is Charles Chandler, the chairman of Walthamstow Stadium. His father Bill was the man who actually was responsible for building the stadium. Another of his relatives was the leading bookmaker Victor Chandler.
Roy Gress: Hi John, Just found your ‘defunct speedway’ website. Loved the photographs. In answer to your question re the ‘unknown chap with the short tie’. He is definitely Charles Chandler Snr. His son Charles Chandler Jnr took over the stadium upon his death and remained Director until its sale in 2008.  It’s strange how the Wolves went down due to, in the day, massive financial losses, mainly due to the lack of local attendance and constant noise complaints by locals. The Stadium also went the same path, due to the rise in popularity of off track betting, which meant less bums on seats and the demise of ‘on track bookies’ who went from over 100 to less than 20. In the final years the Chandler’s pumped a substantial amount of their own funds to try and keep the business afloat but sadly it wasn’t to be. My father worked at the Stadium, as senior electrician & hare driver, from its inception in the 30’s until his retirement in 75.  Kind regards Roy
John says:  Roy's mention of the track electrician brought back memories of my track, Brough Park in the 1960s when as a kid, I was amused by track announcements calling on the "Track Electrician" to come to the phone or go somewhere.  I was impressed that an electrician had almost a weekly call, I thought speedway must be a high tech sport!  However,after a couple of seasons of being impressed, on quizzing adults around me I discovered that most of these announcements were being made concerning a very mundane task.  It seems one of the job's entrusted to the "Track Electrician" was the turning on of the track lights!  I went home and told mam and dad that I wanted to be a Track Electrician when I grew up and refused to turn off my bedroom light, telling my mother she would need an electrician to do that.  She wasn't pleased!
Odd times now the announcer calls out for the track electrician, it always brings a smile to my face.
Charlie May
Charlie May
Dick Shepherd With Wally Lloyd His Team Manager
Dick Shepherd with Wally Lloyd (manager)
Wilbur Lamaroux & Graham Warren
Reg Fearman says: Wilbur Lamaroux USA and Graham Warren, Australia
Walthamstow Badges
1930	1950	1951
Walthamstow v Southampton 1949
Dick Geary
Picture Courtesy of Mike Kemp
Can you identify, the rider, the track and the year John
Alan Goodman says: This is Dick Geary. Note the moustache. The track is Walthamstow as can be seen by the Walthamstow race jacket in front of the distinctive pointed tower.
Speedway Echo 1950 Featuring Walthamstow
Speedway Echo 1950
Walthamstow Team 1950
Harry Edwards, Ron Lewin (trainer) Bert Edwards, Reg Reeves, Arch Windmill, Benny King, George Newton. John Deeley (manager), Charlie May with captain Jim Boyd on the bike
Another 1950 Team Line Up
Walthamstow v Glasgow Giants
Courtesy of Graham Gleave
Reg Reeves (Walthamstow) leading Ashfield's Willie Wilson (outside) and Ken Le Breton, the Ashfield captain.  Walthamstow's George Newton brings up the rear
4 Walthamstow Wolves In Action
4 Walthamstow Wolves in action. I think it’s a great shot from 1950. The riders are L to R. Harry Edwards, Benny King, Charlie May and Jim Boyd. I believe Walthamstow stadium still runs dog meetings, but I guess there’s no chance of speedway there now. The last speedway season was 1951. I think I read somewhere the team colours were Black and White with three Red Wolves perhaps someone can confirm this.
Robin Smith says: You are quite right about the Walthamstow colours. I was there in Oct 1950 for the Third Division Riders Championship which finished, 1 Pat Clarke (Oxford) 2 Ken Middleditch (Poole) 3 Trevor Redmond (Aldershot). Regards Robin Smith
The 'Stow v Liverpool &  White City
Courtesy of Richard Austin
Walthamstow 1952 Dogs "Yes" Speedway "No"!
As usual, dogs survive whilst speedway goes defunct. Gambling obviously pays, whereas "honest to goodness" speedway doesn't.  Maybe we should encourage gambling at our remaining speedways!!
In this pic the speedway track looks like it could be used without too much work.  These fine pictures are by Phil Small
1952 News Article
Hello John,  There was message on Facebook recently suggesting that Walthamstow closed due to a court order. This has apparently now been removed so perhaps was recognised as fake news but may have left some readers puzzled. The truth is that the track closed when the Speedway Control Board refused to sanction their move up into Division1. With 5 other London tracks operating they had found it hard to attract large enough crowds and the promoters decided that the only way forward was to seek promotion. When this was turned down on appeal the Charnley family who controlled the stadium withdrew their team and, I was told, vowed never again to allow speedway at the track, a view supported by the fact that several prospective promoters were rebuffed during the 70s and 80s I understand. The attached cutting from Speedway News 1952 explains. I hope this is of interest. Graham Brodie
Walthamstow Stadium 2008 The Death Knell!
Reg Fearman says Hello John,   Just an update - I'm having a squint at the A to Z.   Walthamstow is no more, sold up and gone on 16th August 2008.   It is now a development property owned by Yoo Capital and K W Linfoot P.L.C. No chance of a rebirth!
"London Mayor Boris Johnson has given his backing to plans to turn former greyhound track Walthamstow Stadium into a 294-home housing development".
John says: Yes, the stadium has had it! London Mayor Boris Johnson is pleased! So you don't care about speedway Boris ok we will cast votes against you!  Nah only joking, I quite like the guy
If you have any photos, programmes, badges etc please scan them and send me their images John
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