Molly MacPhee, then Molly Chippendale, was the Secretary of The Sydney Sportsground Speedway Supporters Club in 1948. Sitting near the pit gates Molly shot a lot of candid photos of the riders as they crossed the track etc. with her possibly Kodak Box Brownie camera. Not pictures of great clarity but of huge Speedway history of the day. There are also shots from Windsor Speedway etc.and a few group shots of touring riders.
Thank you to Molly's son for access to this great Aussie Speedway history
Jack Bedkober. Jack's son Malcolm was to be a rider in later years.
Jack Bedkober in action at the SSG.
Aussie Jack Biggs and Englishman Ron Clarke at the SSG.
*** SSG refers to Sydney Sportsground.
Bernard 'Bat' Byrnes. He aslo rode road racing bikes.
Jack Clarke & passenger at Windsor RSL Speedway.
Reg Corbett - Les Hewitt - Allan Yates.
Les went on to ride for Coventry in the UK.
The world's greatest Sidecar rider of his era, Jim Davies.
Jim and passenger at Windsor RSL Speedway.
Jim outside the Pit entrance to the SSG, Driver Ave. Moore Park Sydney.
Keen spectators, Ray Duggan and Jack Arnfield.
Vic Duggan.
Vic Duggan.
Vic crosses to the Pits at the SSG.
Vic and Ford Anglia at home.
Jack Eaves. Jack lost his life at Bathurst Speedway on 27.12.1954.
Jack Foate.
Touring Englishman and spectacular leg trailer, Oliver Hart at the SSG.
Alan Gerrard was a Speedway photographer in the era.
Charles 'Chook' Hodgekiss and passenger at the SSG.
Don Lawson. Don went on to ride for West Ham and Norwich in the UK.
Don with his Newcastle ( Australia) breast plate at Windsor.
Don at the SSG.
Ken Le Breton, 'The White Ghost', in the Pits shute at the SSG with his Ashfield UK breast pale. Ken lost his life at the SSG on 5.1.1951 in the last heat of a
Aust. vs UK Test Match.
Clarence 'Clacker' Levy crosses the track to the SSG Pits with his Sidcar outfit.
Neil McDonald rode Solos & Sidecars and was also a Sidecar passenger.
Bill Melluish. Bill started riding at Maitland Speedway under the name of Bill Francis so his Mum would not find out.
Rex Newlyn. Rex later went into Speedway journalism and produced Speedway publications .
Keith 'Buck' Ryan. Keith rode for Glasgow in the UK and Captained Australia in some Test Matches
A group of Cumberland Oval Speedway, Parramatta 'Skid Kids' of the 1950s.
Pete Smith.
Top Australian Sidecar rider, Peter Speerin. Peter and Jim Davies toured the UK with Sidecars in 1952.
Peter Speerin and passenger at Windsor RSL Speedway.
Popular Solo rider, Arthur Trudgitt, aboard his Arthur Trudgitt Motorcycles delivery Sidecar.
Lionel Van Praag. Lionel won the 1936 World Speedway Championship at Wembley UK.
'Make Friday Night -Speedway Night' mobile ad for the SSG .
Lionel Van Praag pushes bike into Pits at the SSG.
Lionel Van Praag was a WWII aircraft pilot and won an award for bravery. Seen here at the controls of a light aircraft
Lionel Van Praag at the SSG.
Top Sydney Solo rider, Allan Wall. Allan rode for Poole in the UK. - also an Australian Test rider.
Graham Warren. A star rider in the UK for Birmingham, a World Finalist and an Aussie Test rider.
Graham Warren with a young fan.
Cliff Watson - represented Australia in test matches in Australia and UK.
Noel Watson. Noel lost his life at the SSG on 6.11.1953.
'Buck' Whitby with Molly.
A signed photo to Molly from Ken Le Breton. Molly was well respected by all.
Ron Phillips and Alec Hunter.
The one and only, Jack Parker at the SSG.
Jack rode at the top for 25 years.
Two views of the back straight of the Sydney Sportsground Speedway. Jack Parker said it was the best track he had ever ridden on.
