Custom House Years

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Eric's Articles

Eric Chitty became a colminst in 1948 below are a few of his articals:-

 

25th September 1948

 

 

13th March 1948

 

 

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Wal Morton Tribute

Wal Morton 

 

Wal was somewhat a journeyman of the sport and raced for numerous clubs throughout his career. He started out life as a mechanic at the Austin Motor Works and became Midlands amateur middleweight boxing champion. His speedway career began at Coventry in 1933 and he moved clubs on a yearly basis, West Ham 1934 and Wimbledon 1935 until he Joined Norwich in 1936 where he stayed until the war. Whilst riding for Wimbledon he was to partner the great Vick Huxley.

After the war he was allocated to Norwich but was to swap places with Bert Spencer at Glasgow where he was to become Captain in 1946. In 1947 he was transferred to Harringay for £250 plus two riders. He returned to Norwich in 1948 having failed to make the Harringay team the previous year. In 1949 he returned to Harringay but again hardly rode for them.

Subsequently he seemed to ride for a different club practically every year after that. Notably Wimbledon in 1951 and West Ham in 1952. He had a spell with Odsal in 1953 and returned yet again to Norwich in 1957. 1964 was his final year of racing, riding regularly for Hackney until, having not turned up for one meeting failed to turn up again!

At the time of his retirement he was probable the oldest rider still racing and the only pre-war rider still holding down a team place.

Thanks for information supplied by Norman Jacobs.