Clutton Pirates Cycle Speedway
My first memory of Cycle Speedway was when living in Featherbed Lane, I was given an old but fairly sturdy bicycle by Roy Collins. This was in the late 1940s. It was far too big for me, aged about nine, but until I “grew into it” I could “sort-of” ride it in the lane with one leg through the crossbar to use the far pedal. One day Neil Bennett, who had on one occasion taken me to Knowle to see Bristol Bulldogs Speedway, very thrilling, asked me if I would give him the bicycle. He wanted to make it into a “track bike”. I agreed and that was that.
Cycle Speedway originated in 1946 in post-war East London, where early pioneers raced on stripped-down pedal cycles on roughly marked-out tracks, and it wasn’t long before the sport had spread to all corners of the UK with eventually over 3,000 teams.
In the early-1950s, and with an established racing calendar – including national championships for teams and individuals — many teams evolved into clubs with purpose-built tracks, helping the sport to build its profile and attract investment. It is still going today but is a lesser-known cycle sport..
Clutton Pirates, led as I recall by Mrs Sage in Temple Cloud, established a cinder track in an old quarry, accessed from Eastcourt Road. The quarry had been once a local swimming spot but had been partly filled-in. Alongside was a footpath from Temple Inn Lane to Eastcourt. The team surprisingly were from both Clutton and Temple Cloud although it went under the title of Clutton; a rare joint-venture between the two villages.
The original team consisted mainly of Michael Sage, Michael Blackmore, John Sage, Ray Sage, Jimmy Kerley, Bob Ettle, Neil Bennett, Alan Young, Johnny Branch, and Rene Flower. Eddie (Bill) Hill was also involved and did ride for the team on occasion, though he was termed “the Manager”. The team had some success locally, including racing against Bristol Bulldogs’ cycle team who had a track alongside Airport Rd, where Mike Sage met his future wife Sheila. Eventually, and after they were married, Sheila became the Pirates’ team secretary.
Quarry track
On the Quarry track.
Machines and Races
There were three team members (Ray Sage, Bob Ettle, and Rene Flower) who owned ‘proper’ commercially-bought racing cycles; no freewheels, straight handlebars, double front forks, and no brakes; the other team members had home-made. racing machines. Nevertheless a few of the team rode their bikes to local events – dangerous – lethal in fact apart from being illegal, but generally they were ‘sponsored’ for transport by local haulage firms, ( Arth.Maggs, Minall Bros and on at least one occasion, Jim Brain) taking the team and their machines to race tracks. I well remember going in father’s lorry to the track at Chilcompton, somewhere along the Wells Rd. with the Pirates, However I cannot recall the result on that occasion! Travelling farther afield meant a rail journey; to Plymouth for a whole weekend of racing, to Westbury or Trowbridge, and eventually to Wembley in a National Championship.
Each heat had two riders from each team, four on the track. It was all very fast and furious; surprisingly though there were few injuries recorded.
Clutton Pirates 1951
Clutton Pirates 1952
Later Years
The team lost their track at Eastcourt when the Clutton RDC took over the quarry as a tip for household refuse and they moved to the field behind the Warwick Arms, shared with the Football Club in a quarry behind the present Van MOT garage. They also had a temporary demonstration track annually at Clutton Flower Show when it was held in Stowey Road in the late 50s/early 60s.
As the years went on, the team often changed due to National Service call-up, work, and other distractions but Clutton Pirates as a team survived with some success into the very early 1960s.
Who in the village now, would have heard of Clutton Pirates though they were nationally known in their hey-day!!