90th anniversary of speedway’s debut in West Cumbria

Today is a rather special date in the history of speedway as it relates to West Cumbria.

Tony Jackson, life-long speedway fan and former Workington Comets manager has done a lot of research on the history of the sport, particularly in Workington.

He supplied the pictures, too, for this intriguing lookback at the origins of the sport in the town.

Tony says: “It was at 2pm on Saturday August 15, 1931 that the first motorcycle cinder track races took place at Workington’s Lonsdale Park.

“A crowd of over 2,000 turned out in fair, but dull, weather to watch 32 competitors from all over the north of England take part in both scratch and handicap events.

“The Workington Motor Cycle Club promoted the meeting which saw Sheffield’s GB Mortimer win both events.

“However, Mortimer was beaten by Roland Stobart in the Cumberland v Lancashire match race.

“There were two accidents of note. Firstly in heat four of the scratch event, Frank Burgess hit the railings, sustaining a foot injury, then in the third semi-final of the handicap event J Quarmby (also of Galgate), suffered a similar injury while leading Kitchen by half a lap.

“Local rider Roland Stobart was unlucky. He was pressing Nichol for second place in the scratch final when, on the west bank of lap two, his engine seized forcing him to retire.”

The two black and white pictures were taken at a meeting at Lonsdale Park but most likely not the first one. That was the one and only meeting held in 1931.

Eight were held in 1932, then a gap before 13 were held in 1937 and a final eight in 1938; making a grand total of 30 meetings to take place there all told.

Then there was no more speedway in the town until April 3 1970 at Derwent Park and the launch of Workington Comets.

Tony says the prize money was as follows –

Scratch event : 1st £5, 2nd £3, 3rd £1-10shillings.

Handicap event : 1st £4, 2nd £2, 3rd £1-10shillings.