Author Topic: Fairground Motorcycle Wall of Death  (Read 9999 times)

Offline Rena

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Re: Fairground Motorcycle Wall of Death
« Reply #18 on: Wednesday 25 November 15 16:07 GMT (UK) »
There's a photo ----

Taken in the late 1940s with two Wall of Death Riders - Eddie Harris and I believe it Tornado Smith was the second rider. Dick's son Eddie (Speedy Williams) was also a Wall of Death rider  (Pauline Gashinski)

On this Canvey Island website:-

http://www.canveyisland.org/page.aspx?id=81

http://www.canveyisland.org/page_id__81_path__0p51p75p.aspx
Aberdeen: Findlay-Shirras,McCarthy: MidLothian: Mason,Telford,Darling,Cruikshanks,Bennett,Sime, Bell: Lanarks:Crum, Brown, MacKenzie,Cameron, Glen, Millar; Ross: Urray:Mackenzie:  Moray: Findlay; Marshall/Marischell: Perthshire: Brown Ferguson: Wales: McCarthy, Thomas: England: Almond, Askin, Dodson, Well(es). Harrison, Maw, McCarthy, Munford, Pye, Shearing, Smith, Smythe, Speight, Strike, Wallis/Wallace, Ward, Wells;Germany: Flamme,Ehlers, Bielstein, Germer, Mohlm, Reupke

Offline vintagewallofdeath

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Re: Fairground Motorcycle Wall of Death
« Reply #19 on: Wednesday 25 November 15 19:37 GMT (UK) »
It would be useful to see other photos of Eddie Harris (centre) , but I have hundreds of reference photos of Tornado Smith and do not believe it is him in the photo, I have seen the same reference to identities in books and online? It is more likely it's x2 visiting riders, probably Americans but as yet I have been unable to confirm.

Offline charlie.green

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Re: Fairground Motorcycle Wall of Death
« Reply #20 on: Thursday 26 November 15 11:43 GMT (UK) »
Helllo to all.

I was told that my grandads uncle rode the Wall of Death in England and I would love to find out who he was. All I have is surnames linked to him.. I hope someone can help me?

Surnames= WILSON,ELSE,SMITH,PATRICK,CARTLIDGE,ASTLE/HASSELL.

With Thanks

Charlie
Green,Matthews,Drakeley,Lord,Measures,Taylor,Wilson,Else,Elverson,Bucknall,Swift,Patrick,Bruce,Bates,Beeby,Brown,Reed,

Offline vintagewallofdeath

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Re: Fairground Motorcycle Wall of Death
« Reply #21 on: Thursday 26 November 15 12:26 GMT (UK) »
The surname Wilson has been associated with some American riders and Smith is only associated with George "Tornado" Smith and his family in the UK. the other surnames mentioned are not currently recorded as a riders surnames in the UK. Should you find out more I would like to hear about it, cheers


Offline charlie.green

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Re: Fairground Motorcycle Wall of Death
« Reply #22 on: Thursday 26 November 15 12:35 GMT (UK) »
Thank you for your reply.
My family owned fairs and traveled around England. I am only surmising that he would of doing this about in the late 20s to 40s. I am still at a dead end  :(
Green,Matthews,Drakeley,Lord,Measures,Taylor,Wilson,Else,Elverson,Bucknall,Swift,Patrick,Bruce,Bates,Beeby,Brown,Reed,

Offline SwissGill

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Re: Fairground Motorcycle Wall of Death
« Reply #23 on: Thursday 26 November 15 15:00 GMT (UK) »
My Dad, Jack Owen, used to belong to one of the White City Teams and to earn a bit of extra cash he and some of his mates would do the Wall of Death. He said it was only dangerous if one ran out of petrol!

I tried to attach a photo of him but it was too large so here is a link:

http://www.defunctspeedway.co.uk/manchester%20White%20City.htm


Whitlow: Witton-cum-Twambrooks/Northwich
Bowers: Marthall, Siddington, Cheshire
Owen: Cheshire
Pfisterer (Fisher): West Riding Yks 1850-1875
Fisher (Pfisterer): Des Moines, Iowa 1886-
Wallis: West Riding Yks/Des Moines, Iowa, 1892-
Heinzmann: Hull/Northwich
Pfisterer, Heinzmann, Künzelsau, Baden-Württemberg
Brueck: Kocherstetten B-W
Volpp: Morsbach B-W
Schluchterer: Künzelsau, B-W

Offline Rena

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Re: Fairground Motorcycle Wall of Death
« Reply #24 on: Friday 27 November 15 02:47 GMT (UK) »
I found this snippet on GenesReunited - the mind boggles.  :o


Nottingham Evening Post Nottinghamshire, England

4 Oct 1950
GOOSE FAIR’S CARAVAN VILLAGE

 ................. But in a few months, Simba—a birthday present to Mollic—will be on her way to a zoo. Mr R. E. Monte, alias Speedy Williams, the Wall of Death rider, had toyed with the idea of introducing the lioness into his act, but Mollie wanted her to remain
Aberdeen: Findlay-Shirras,McCarthy: MidLothian: Mason,Telford,Darling,Cruikshanks,Bennett,Sime, Bell: Lanarks:Crum, Brown, MacKenzie,Cameron, Glen, Millar; Ross: Urray:Mackenzie:  Moray: Findlay; Marshall/Marischell: Perthshire: Brown Ferguson: Wales: McCarthy, Thomas: England: Almond, Askin, Dodson, Well(es). Harrison, Maw, McCarthy, Munford, Pye, Shearing, Smith, Smythe, Speight, Strike, Wallis/Wallace, Ward, Wells;Germany: Flamme,Ehlers, Bielstein, Germer, Mohlm, Reupke

Offline panished

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Re: Fairground Motorcycle Wall of Death
« Reply #25 on: Saturday 28 November 15 20:22 GMT (UK) »
hello and hope alls fine with you ,

I often seen the wall of death, wow it was good, just to let you know of those times , just for you , and stop stressing with your life life , it will go , but the wall of death, that was made od wooden bourds, boy they would creek as the bikes wised by, and the steadt look in the eyes of the drivers, , this was the Nottingham goose fair of long gone times, there was the giant scots man, over seven feet tall, I seen him my self and tiny tim the small one, pluss the  fighting  booths this was Nottingham back then, but just wanted to to tell you that there they had a trick long ago, a very hansome gal would sit on the bike gackwards and do the wall of death, wow that was good , and the Gipsys tents was all down the streets were the tram way is now, there was old Gipsy Lee , granddaughter Lee , orginal Lee, and more and more, they had electric cables running from nerby houses, to light there little sheds, my uncle had a slall selling mushy peas , would you beleave it, dordy, but the wall of death was great I was there, I seen it it was great , don't know the people or your people but grat times , look after yourself and a bit of luck  to ya

Michael x

Offline Flattybasher9

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Re: Fairground Motorcycle Wall of Death
« Reply #26 on: Saturday 28 November 15 20:43 GMT (UK) »
There was a wooden one which came to Aberdeen kinks a few times when I was a child. up to 3 bikes and riders at once. It was interesting at the start, then the science in me took over and I understood what made it work. Good fun though.

Regards

Malky