CESSNOCK (NSW)
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1921 - CESSNOCK SHOWGROUNDSIn 1921 before the official opening as a speedway motorcycle grass track and later dirt racing events were held at the Cessnock Showgrounds.
1923 - BADEN HOWARDBorn at Pokolbin NSW in 1905 Baden Howards family moved to Cessnock when he was fourteen years old, By 1923 he was racing motorcycles at both the Cessnock and Maitland Showgrounds, The Howard family were wine makers in the district.
(Editorial Allan Baker)1923 - Baden Howard on his Indian motorcycle. Photo: unknown.1923 - Billy Galloway and Cecil Brown from the USA. Photo: unknown.In November of 1924 an official proposal was put forward to the Cessnock Sports Club to promote promoted motorcycle speedway meetings at the showground.
A deal was struck and the race track was layed.
The Cessnock Showgrounds Speedway was officially opened by Mr J M Baddeley the Minister for Mines, on a Saturday night in October of 1925.
On this opening meeting a motorcycle and bicycle handicap was decided, The attendance was estimated at between six and seven thousand, After the congratulating the promotors of the undertaking and refering to the sport of motorcycling in general, Mr Baddeley cut the white ribbon which had been stretched across the track and declared "Cessnock Speedway open for racing", A squad of boy scouts formed a guard of honour to the minister.
The opening meeting attracted eighty one entrants, and in, the cycle event 50 entries were received, The most exciting event of the night was in the third semi-final, when W Gallaway (10 second handicap), and secured a verdict by the narrowest possible margin, The lighting and condition of the track were favourably commented upon by many of the prominent riders.
(Editorial Allan Baker)-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------CHARLIE SPINKS
Before going to England in 1928 with Speedway promoter AJ Hunting, Charlie Spinks was another Cessnock competitor, Spinks actually lived in Singleton where he was born in 1904, He had a pilot's licence that he got in World War two and flew into Cessnock to attend race meetings.
Spinks was captain of the English Lea Bridge team in 1931 before transfering to West Ham in 1932.
(Editorial Allan Baker)Charlie Spinks. Photo: unknown. |
1st November 19248th July 192522nd September 1925 |
Charlie Spinks with his Douglas motorcycle. Photo: unknown.
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JOHN SKELTON
John Skelton was born in Boggabri NSW in 1907, He moved to Cessnock when he was seventeen years old, he raced motorcycles at the Cessnock Showground track when it was a half miler, Skelton also entered and won hill-climb events at the nearby Millfield Speedway Hillclimb course.