New Cross Stadium

New Cross Stadium

Greyhound racing at the Stadium circa.1950
Location	Old Kent Road, South East London, England
Opened	1 June 1933
Closed	3 April 1969

New Cross Stadium, Hornshay Street, Old Kent Road, in South East London opened 1 June 1933, as a greyhound racing stadium and later speedway. The ground was adjacent to The Old Den, ^[1] the then home of Millwall F.C. and was used as a training ground by the club when they did not have facilities of their own. The track was often referred to as 'The Frying Pan'. It was built inside the greyhound track and had banking all the way round. ^[2] At the time of its closure in 1969 the stadium had a capacity of 26,000. ^[3] The stadium was demolished in 1975.

Origins

Previously the site had been used for athletics during the early 1900s.^{[ citation needed ]} In 1933, the site was used for a new stadium construction. The construction cost the New Cross Greyhounds Ltd £100,000 and the stadium was designed by Mr. G. Simpson and built by Robert McAlpine & Sons. ^[4]

Greyhound racing

History

The greyhound track was small compared to the average London track and the racing was initially independent (unaffiliated to a governing body). The track was a very tight circumference of 354 yards with a surface of peat, short straights of 86 yards and heavily banked bends. The stadium could accommodate 25,000 people. ^[5]

The opening race meeting was held on Thursday 1 June 1933 and was opened by the celebrities Cicely Courtneidge and Jack Hulbert. Mr L. O. Browne was appointed as the first Racing Manager. The main race distance was over 550 yards. ^{[6] [7]} The first trainers were John 'Jack' Kennedy, Bill Smith, Godfrey Hyde Clark and Harry Spoor and a complex of 200 kennels were attached to the stadium. ^[8] In 1934, the kennels increased to 250 and Albert Bedford joined the training ranks.

Before the start of the war the stadium was acquired by the Greyhound Racing Association (GRA), who took a controlling interest in January 1938. ^[9] The GRA subsequently licensed the track with the National Greyhound Racing Club (NGRC), with the first meeting under rules taking place during January 1938. ^[10]

Also in 1938, the GRA introduced a new competition called the Greenwich Stakes (later to be called the Greenwich Cup) and this was soon followed by the Berkeley Cup in 1939, held over 415 yards. Both events were the principal events at the stadium and they became prominent races on the open race circuit. ^[5]

After the war Totalisator turnover figures peaked at £3,095,736. ^[11] The healthy bank balance of the New Cross Greyhounds Ltd Company and the GRA allowed the construction of three new covered stands, two on the home straight and one on the back straight. Restaurant buffet bars, tea buffet bars and licensed bars were to be found in all three enclosures. ^[5]

In 1946, the hare system used was a 'Sumner' and the kennel facilities for the New Cross trainers were situated at nearby Silwood Street within ten minutes walking distance of the track. ^[12]

New Cross Stadium 1950s

Trainer Jack Tallantire joined the track in 1952 and Joe Pickering experienced great success that included a double English/Scottish Grand National win by Prince Lawrence in 1954 and 1955. Pickering also lifted the Trafalgar Cup with Our Tim II.

A third major competition called the Ben Truman Stakes was introduced in 1962, when the training ranks consisted of Norman Chambers, Sanders, John Shevlin, Smith and Charlie Smoothy. ^[12]

John Field arrived as the new Racing Manager in the 1960s and in August 1968 the usual racing schedule of Thursday and Saturday nights was altered after the introduction of Bookmakers Afternoon Greyhound Service (BAGS) fixtures when the Stamford Bridge closed to greyhound racing. ^[12]

Closure

The BAGS racing lasted less than one year, when the stadium closed with relatively little notice on 3 April 1969 after difficulties over the lease with landowners British Rail. ^[13]

The stadium was left derelict for several years until it was demolished in 1975 as part of a plan to redevelop the football ground, although those plans fell through. The site is now a public open space called Bridge House Meadows. Millwall F.C. have since moved to a new site north of the stadium, with houses now occupying the location of their old ground.

Competitions

Greenwich Cup

Main article: Greenwich Cup

Berkeley Cup

Extended content

The Berkeley Cup was inaugurated in 1939. [14] The competition was given dispensation to be held during World War II but the 1940 edition was postponed. [15] Year Winner Trainer Time SP 1939 Return Fare II [14] Arthur Jonas (Stamford Bridge) 25.11 5/2 1941 Ballynennan Moon Sidney Orton (Wimbledon) 30.07 13/8f 1943 Wavecrest II Tom Johnston Sr. (Private) 30.23 3/1 1946 Winsome Seal Gordon Nicholson (Catford) 24.39 1/5f 1947 Latest Selection [16] Lilah Shennan (Private) 24.85 7/1 1948 Jacks Arrow Stanley Biss (Clapton) 24.37 100/8 1949 Buzzing Afterwards Alf Turner (Catford) 24.13 5/1 1950 Derrycrussan Tom Smith (Clapton) 24.22 4/9f 1951 Pluckanes Belle Jack Harvey (Wembley) 24.10 5/-1 1952 Kale Seed Gunner Smith (Private) 24.12 5/2 1953 Home Luck Stan Martin (Wimbledon) 23.68 1/6f 1954 Baby Joe Harry Spoor (New Cross) 24.08 8/1 1955 Rosey Coaldust Paddy McEvoy (Private) 24.08 8/1 1956 Rosey Coaldust Paddy McEvoy (Private) 24.24 2/1jf 1957 Charming Style Henry Parsons (Crayford) 24.26 7/4f 1958 Town Prince Leslie Reynolds (Wembley) 23.97 11/10f 1959 Sporting Magger Dal Hawkesley (West Ham) 24.43 100/7 1960 Victory Streak John Shevlin (New Cross) 23.80 2/1 1961 Wonder Blue Ernie Butler (Private) 23.64 33/1 1962 Greenane Boulevarde Dennis Hannafin (Wimbledon) 24.48 1963 Greenane Boulevarde Dennis Hannafin (Wimbledon) 23.99 1964 Tralong Jet John Shevlin (New Cross) 24.54 4/1 1965 Mimi II I.M.Regan (Private) 34.80 1966 Fawn Poacher Ernie Butler (Private) 34.90 1967 Big Rocket Henry Parsons (Crayford) 35.34 1968 Local View John Shevlin (New Cross) 35.22 (New Cross, 415 yards)

Ben Truman Stakes

Main article: Ben Truman Stakes

Track records

Extended content

Distance yards Greyhound Time Date Notes 415 Bantown Banner 24.02 31 May 1938 415 Winsome Seal [17] 23.96 31 May 1938 Berkeley Cup semi final 415 Floating Dingy 23.92 13 July 1946 415 Home Luck 23.48 13 April 1954 550 Knockbrack Flyer [18] 32.52 September 1935 550 Congleton Lord [19] 32.25 26 April 1938 550 Prince Norroy 32.26 25 October 1941 [20] 550 Tuturama 31.26 1963 600 Kinauld Demonstrator 35.17 26 July 1938 600 Shadowlands Delight 35.02 6 September 1947 600 Gambling Dick 34.95 September 1951 600 Silent Leader 34.50 27 August 1964 770 The Black Freak 46.12 November 1958 770 Magic Brooklyn =46.12 December 1959 770 Buckwheat 45.38 26 October 1963 880 Ray-O-Vitol 52.62 2 June 1962 415 H Knockbrack Flyer 24.82 6 April 1938 415 H Vintners Cup 24.16 13 April 1957 600 H Mira Chara 36.57 24 August 1939 600 H Mazel Tov 36.22 November 1958 600 H R.S.II 35.47 1 September 1962

Speedway

Main article: New Cross Rangers

The stadium held speedway from 1934 to 1967. The teams were known as the New Cross Lambs (1934–35), then the New Cross Tamers (1936) and finally the New Cross Rangers from 1937 to 1963. ^{[21] [22]}

In 1935 Tom Farndon was killed after crashing at the stadium ^[23] The stadium was used in the 1949 film Once a Jolly Swagman (released as Maniacs on Wheels in the US) starring Dirk Bogarde as a speedway rider and Sid James as the team promoter.^{[ citation needed ]}

Stock car racing

The birth of oval track stock car racing in the UK and the first ever BriSCA Formula One Stock Car Racing took place at the New Cross Stadium, London on Good Friday, 16 April 1954. The final was won by car 11, Chevalier D'Orgeix. Racing continued here until 1956.^{[ citation needed ]} Three meetings also took place in 1968 whilst Harringay was being revamped.^{[ citation needed ]}

During 1966 racing at the stadium was promoted by Spedeworth International and had its own team, the London Sparrows, who also had Wimbledon Stadium as its home track. The London Sparrows team included Del Stickings, Dave Pierce, Graham North, Johnny Melia, Ken Lambert, John O’Hagon, John Watts, Les Collins, Todd Sweeney and Harry Andrews.^{[ citation needed ]}

External links

• Defunct Stockcar Stadiums
• Photographs of New Cross as a Stockcar track and pictures of it today
• Details of speedway meetings at New Cross

References

1. Aerial photo of New Cross Stadium and The Den from 1962
2. Bamford, R & Jarvis J.(2001). Homes of British Speedway. ISBN   0-7524-2210-3
3. "New Cross Stadium Guide: Address, Capacity, Build Date and Much More".
4. "New greyhound track" . South London Observer. 20 May 1933. Retrieved 17 May 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
5. Tarter, P Howard (1949). Greyhound Racing Encyclopedia. Fleet Publishing Company Ltd. p. 63.
6. "Opening of New Cross Greyhound Track" . South London Observer. 27 May 1933. Retrieved 17 May 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
7. "London's newest successful track" . East End News and London Shipping Chronicle. 9 June 1933. Retrieved 17 May 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
8. "How they run" . South London Observer. 17 June 1933. Retrieved 17 May 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
9. ""Greyhound Racing Association Trust." Times, 1 Feb. 1938". The Times . February 1938. p. 20.
10. "Will new Cross Stadium ebter charmed circle?" . South London Observer - Friday. 7 January 1938. Retrieved 17 May 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
11. Particulars of Licensed tracks, table 1 Licensed Dog Racecourses. Licensing Authorities. 1946.
12. Genders, Roy (1981). The Encyclopedia of Greyhound Racing. Pelham Books Ltd. ISBN   07207-1106-1.
13. Barnes, Julia (1988). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File. Ringpress Books. p. 419. ISBN   0-948955-15-5.
14. "New Cross Greyhound Racing" . East End News and London Shipping Chronicle. 3 March 1939. Retrieved 17 May 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
15. "New Cross Classic postponed" . East End News and London Shipping Chronicle. 29 March 1940. Retrieved 17 May 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
16. "Cup-winner" . Cheltenham Chronicle. 19 April 1947. Retrieved 17 May 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
17. "New Cross record by Winsome Seal" . Daily Herald. 1 April 1946. Retrieved 17 May 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
18. "Greyhound Racing" . East End News and London Shipping Chronicle. 26 April 1938. Retrieved 17 May 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
19. "Yesterday's greyhound results" . Daily Herald. 27 April 1938. Retrieved 17 May 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
20. "Noted greyhounds to visit Bristol" . Western Daily Press. 31 October 1941. Retrieved 28 September 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
21. Jacobs, N. Speedway in London, ISBN   0-7524-2221-9
22. http://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk, New Cross Speedway
23. Jacobs, N. Out of the Frying Pan, ISBN   978-0-7524-4476-5

51°28′55″N0°2′56″W / 51.48194°N 0.04889°W / 51.48194; -0.04889