Hungerford Virtual Museum

Website produced and maintained for the Hungerford Historical Association
by Hugh Pihlens

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The Cycle Speedway Club was at a track adjacent to the War Memorial Recreation Ground on Hungerford Common (near Park Way). The open-air swimming pool was later built nearby in 1964.

A group of keen local people used to travel to the Swindon speedway track, but they decided to create a track of their own in Hungerford. They called it the Hungerford "Panthers". It started in 1953 and the prime movers were Bert and Maud (Mandy) Mansbridge (of Port Down, Park Street).

Jack Williams says "It was tremendously popular to young men in the town and was extremely well organised; at its peak the club raced in a wide area around, and in those days Bedwyn, Abingdon, Wallingford, Cholsey, Drayton and Thatcham all had active teams and Bob Lewington was generous in transporting riders and their cycles to away matches.

The excitement at the start was quite amazing and young men hurled themselves at the first bend, Jack Pike was the starter and track marshals such as Archie Barratt, Fred Richens and Eddie May were in attendance.




			Aerial view of the War Memorial Avenue and the Open-air Swimming Pool, c1965. At the extreme top-right of the photograph is the cycle speedway track.



	Cycle Speedway Track August Bank Holiday, 1964

The prime riders in those days were Ken Clements, David Cook, Albert Wiltshire, Bryan Geater, David Pike, Alan Barratt, Tony Culley, Tony Fox and John North. Rex Smith went on to become Berkshire Champion and for many years the enormous excitement of the racing continued, indeed it was a privilege to start the races in 1969 when elected as chairman of the Parish Council."

The Newbury Weekly News of 8th December 1955 included the following short article: "Football is being added to Hungerford Panthers' cycle speedway club winter activities. A match has been arranged away to Wallingford cycle speedway club for Sunday, the team being K Windsor, B Brind, B Geater, A Barratt, A Cox, P Winsor, P Tilley, G Eatwell, J North, I Pounds and K Hall. This, it is hoped, will be the first of a series of matches."

Steve Harrison also remembered (10 Sep 2002) "Robert Cox, Keith Talmage, Brian Tuttle and Steve Harrison. Helpers at the track included Fred Richens, Basil Rolf and Mary Rolf.

Top Riders at Hampden Park, Glasgow were:
- Steve Harrison 8th 1971 British Junior Title
- Robert Cox 6th 1971 British Junior Title

Brian Tuttle was the "Riding Backward Champion", on one August Bank Holiday Event.

August Bank Holiday was the main event for Hungerford Cycle Speedway Club. Teams from all over Britain would arrive to race over the 3 days team and individual events, also a Cross Country race over the Hungerford Common with sometimes 50 riders in the race.

Hungerford raced in the local leagues such as Great Bedwyn, Bucklebury, Thatcham, Swindon, and Oxford. Later they joined the Southern National League and there were races against places such as Bournemouth, Southampton and Oxford.

On August Bank Holidays a fete also took place with skittles, and a tug of war. The elderly ladies made and sold tea.

The Hungerford Panthers track closed around 1972 through lack of helpers with the track and maintenance work, however, it reopened in 1974 when Swindon Monarchs rode there for one year."

John Bance added (by email 11 Feb 2011): "I'm surprised that Rob Jordan was not mentioned within the Cycle Speedway article. I remember going with him to some events and I also remember him easily winning the cross Hungerford Common race. Many people will remember him becoming one of the top English Motocross racers. Having been in that sport for many years myself, and also growing up with Rob, I would say Rob was one of the most talented two wheeled racers the Hungerford area ever produced , and even today most of the books being sold of the 60s scrambles era will show more pictures of Rob than most other riders. He had a natural talent on two wheels; he was just fearless."