My father was Roy Duke. He died in 1996. Speedway racing was his real love, I was too small a child to remember him racing, by 1949 he had a serious accident on the track and gave up racing.
Lynn Shannon née Duke
Hello Lynn (Shannon),
I hope you are well. I was delighted to learn more about your Dad, who (as you will know) had a successful speedway career after the war, first with Norwich (1947), then with Yarmouth (1948) before his serious racing accident a year later on… was it the Bell End team’s track (in South Holland, Lincolnshire)? Sadly it hastened his retirement from his beloved speedway.
I’m an Oxford speedway fan, (since our real beginning in 1949), and recalled – quite a while ago – that your father rode for the Cheetahs a couple of times in their debut season. I later discovered, through The Speedway Researcher, that he was the inaugural Trophy winner at the first meeting of 1939, namely the Bolton Trophy. This week, somebody on the Oxford Speedway Facebook page, showed a photograph of that trophy, ( silver, but now – nostalgically – looking like a Greek BRONZE trophy!) and which was an exciting discovery to me, Lynn – perhaps it’s now in the British Speedway Museum? Obviously you would know the answer to that. Perhaps you might be able to tell me after whom or what the trophy was named. Sincerely, Simon de Lancey.
Did you get my last comment, Lynn? It was a reminder of your Dad’s speedway history, and the fact that he won the Bolton trophy in 1939 at Oxford Speedway stadium, the first prestigious open (individual) event of the season – on their opening night, I believe: 1939 was Oxford’s very FIRST season of speedway racing. There is a photograph of the Cup on the Oxford Speedway Supporters’ website if you haven’t seen it elsewhere. Regards, Simon de Lancey.
Sorry I didn’t reply sooner. There were many cups on his collection at home. After he died I gave them to the Veteran Speedway Racers Association.
I suspect most people who remember him are not with us any longer.
When he had The Exchange (pub) in Holbeach 1951 to 1953 (approx) the cups were all displayed on a high shelf behind the bar. The Exchange is now a private house.
Kind regards
Lynn
Thank you SO much, Lynn, for all the updates on your father’s winners’s trophies, and where they all are now: in a good home called the Veteran Speedway Racers’ Association. I would have loved to have seen him ride (I was under 2-yrs. old in 1939), and I certainly would have enjoyed the display of all his cups, whether at his pub “The Exchange”, or in the VSRA museum, but I’m a bit too old to travel much these days. I’m sorry I have only just found your reply (2/12/23), and thanks also to you, Geoff, for passing on my messages.
Best wishes,
Simon.
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8 Responses
My father was Roy Duke. He died in 1996. Speedway racing was his real love, I was too small a child to remember him racing, by 1949 he had a serious accident on the track and gave up racing.
Lynn Shannon née Duke
Thanks for your memory. I remember your Dad racing. Regards Geoff
Hello Lynn (Shannon),
I hope you are well. I was delighted to learn more about your Dad, who (as you will know) had a successful speedway career after the war, first with Norwich (1947), then with Yarmouth (1948) before his serious racing accident a year later on… was it the Bell End team’s track (in South Holland, Lincolnshire)? Sadly it hastened his retirement from his beloved speedway.
I’m an Oxford speedway fan, (since our real beginning in 1949), and recalled – quite a while ago – that your father rode for the Cheetahs a couple of times in their debut season. I later discovered, through The Speedway Researcher, that he was the inaugural Trophy winner at the first meeting of 1939, namely the Bolton Trophy. This week, somebody on the Oxford Speedway Facebook page, showed a photograph of that trophy, ( silver, but now – nostalgically – looking like a Greek BRONZE trophy!) and which was an exciting discovery to me, Lynn – perhaps it’s now in the British Speedway Museum? Obviously you would know the answer to that. Perhaps you might be able to tell me after whom or what the trophy was named. Sincerely, Simon de Lancey.
Did you get my last comment, Lynn? It was a reminder of your Dad’s speedway history, and the fact that he won the Bolton trophy in 1939 at Oxford Speedway stadium, the first prestigious open (individual) event of the season – on their opening night, I believe: 1939 was Oxford’s very FIRST season of speedway racing. There is a photograph of the Cup on the Oxford Speedway Supporters’ website if you haven’t seen it elsewhere. Regards, Simon de Lancey.
Thanks I will remind Lynn Regards Geoff
Sorry I didn’t reply sooner. There were many cups on his collection at home. After he died I gave them to the Veteran Speedway Racers Association.
I suspect most people who remember him are not with us any longer.
When he had The Exchange (pub) in Holbeach 1951 to 1953 (approx) the cups were all displayed on a high shelf behind the bar. The Exchange is now a private house.
Kind regards
Lynn
Thank you SO much, Lynn, for all the updates on your father’s winners’s trophies, and where they all are now: in a good home called the Veteran Speedway Racers’ Association. I would have loved to have seen him ride (I was under 2-yrs. old in 1939), and I certainly would have enjoyed the display of all his cups, whether at his pub “The Exchange”, or in the VSRA museum, but I’m a bit too old to travel much these days. I’m sorry I have only just found your reply (2/12/23), and thanks also to you, Geoff, for passing on my messages.
Best wishes,
Simon.
Good result- Geoff