 circa.1960 | |
 | |
| Location | Hendon, London |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 51°34′22″N0°13′46″W / 51.57278°N 0.22944°W |
| Opened | 1935 |
| Closed | 1972 |
Hendon Greyhound Stadium was a greyhound racing stadium in Hendon, London.
| circa.1960 | |
| | |
| Location | Hendon, London |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 51°34′22″N0°13′46″W / 51.57278°N 0.22944°W |
| Opened | 1935 |
| Closed | 1972 |
Hendon Greyhound Stadium was a greyhound racing stadium in Hendon, London.
The area of Hendon famously has special links to greyhound racing based on the fact that on the 6 March 1876 the first attempt at mechanical racing took place on a 400 yards long straight course near the Welsh Harp in the London suburb of Hendon. This was fourteen years before the patent for circular tracks had been taken out and fifty years before the first oval race was held at Belle Vue Stadium. During 1934 an attempt to start racing greyhounds around the Hendon Cricket ground failed after the owners of the ground, the Wearmouth Coal Company Ltd rejected the proposal. [1]
One year later in 1935 a stadium had been constructed on spare land between the River Brent and the relatively new North Circular Road directly east of the main London, Midland and Scottish railway line. [2]
The opening meeting was on 5 March 1935, which featured the band of the 7th Queen's Own Hussars and the ceremony was performed by the Mayor and Mayoress of Hendon (Councillor and Mrs. Brook Flowers). [3] The stadium consisted of one main grandstand building along the home straight and a capacity of 6,000 spectators. The hare system used was an 'Outside Sumner' with a track circumference of 398 yards grass course with sharp bends. [4]
The owners of Hackney Wick Stadium owned Hendon but ran the company as Hendon Stadium Ltd. totalisator turnover figures peaked at £2 million just after World War II. [5] Main events included the Calcutta Cup and Welsh Harp Cup.
Also after the War, Hendon and Hackney became the Hackney and Hendon Greyhounds Ltd company. The resident kennels featured six ranges with each able to house up to fifty greyhounds, paddocks sat next to each range with cooking facilities and a veterinary surgeon on site. The kennel fees were 17s 6d for each greyhound. [4]
In the 1950s, Mr D G Lewis became the Racing Manager followed by Fred Whitehead becoming the Director of Racing for Hendon and Hackney. Lewis would switch to sister track Hackney with Michael Marks brought in to replace him. The pair would once again swap places in the 1960s sixties with Lewis returning to Hendon. [6]
During the 1960s racing continued on two evenings per week (Monday and Saturday at 7.45pm) and amenities included a restaurant and five additional buffet and licensed bars with principal events called the North Circular Marathon, Burletta Stakes and L.V. Chairman's Cup. A major event arrived in 1969 after Hendon was awarded the Guineas following the closure of Park Royal Stadium. With the end of Park Royal and New Cross Stadium their Bookmakers Afternoon Greyhound Service (BAGS) fixtures were replaced by Hendon and Hackney. [6]
Attached trainers included Annetts, Reg Bosley, Colebrooke, Paddy Gordon, Hedley and Lionel Maxen, the same group of trainers that supplied the Hackney greyhounds. [6]
In 1970 businessman George Walker brother of boxing champion Billy Walker arranged a reverse takeover of Hackney and Hendon Greyhounds Stadium Ltd. This meant his private company bought a public company and the new merger resulted in a new company called Brent Walker. This resulted in the end for the Hendon Greyhound Stadium because it was sold to make way for the UK's first stand-alone shopping centre on the site that would soon be known as the Brent Cross shopping centre. [6]
The stadium finally closed on 30 June 1972, it was demolished with some of the land forming the new links to the M1 motorway and the rest being used as parking spaces for the shopping centre. [7]
| Distance yards | Greyhound | Time | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 475 | Tell Nobody | 27.65 | 28 June 1948 |
| 475 | Prince Chancer | 27.18 | 16 August 1954 |
| 650 | Rambler's Destiny | 39.16 | 23 August 1947 |
| 675 | American Rose | 39.27 | 31 August 1962 |
| 880 | Prince Humphrey | 52.34 | 31 May 1963 |
| 475 H | Irish Larry | 28.80 | 19 August 1943 |
| 475 H | Stanbrook Rob | 28.03 | 7 August 1961 |
Hackney Wick Stadium was a greyhound racing and speedway stadium located at Waterden Road in Hackney Wick, London, England.
George Alfred Walker was a British businessman and founder of Brent Walker.
Ipswich Stadium was a greyhound racing stadium situated in Ipswich, Suffolk.
The Gloucester and Cheltenham Stadium was a greyhound racing stadium situated in Longlevens, some 7 miles from Cheltenham and 3 miles from Gloucester, England.
The 1954 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 29th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
The 1961 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 35th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
The 1963 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 37th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
The 1964 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 38th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
The 1967 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 41st year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
The 1969 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 43rd year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
The 1970 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 44th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
The 1971 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 45th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
The 1972 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 46th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
The 1977 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 51st year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
The 1980 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 54th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
The 1981 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 55th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
The 1982 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 56th year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
The 1987 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 61st year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
The 1989 UK & Ireland Greyhound Racing Year was the 63rd year of greyhound racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
The Guineas originally called the One Thousand Guineas was a greyhound racing competition held annually. It was inaugurated in 1939 at Park Royal Stadium over 400 yards.