Jack Hargreaves (speedway rider)

Jack Hargreaves (16 December 1912 – 15 January 1944) was a motorcycle speedway rider from England.[1]

Jack Hargreaves
Born16 December 1912 (1912-12-16)
Keighley, West Yorkshire
Died15 January 1944(1944-01-15) (aged 31)
Bingley, West Yorkshire
NationalityBritish (English)
Career history
1936–1937Liverpool Merseysiders
1937–1939Belle Vue Aces
Team honours
1937, 1939National Trophy
1937A.C.U. Cup

Biography edit

Hargreaves, born in Keighley, West Yorkshire, began racing for the Liverpool team that raced at Seaforth Greyhound Stadium, although Seaforth did not race in the National League.[2] He began his British leagues career riding for Liverpool Merseysiders during the 1936 Provincial Speedway League season, where he reached the final of the National Trophy.[3]

In 1937, the Liverpool team withdrew mid-season and Hargreaves (who had topped their averages) joined the Belle Vue Aces in the top league,[4] contributing towards the team as they won both the National Trophy and A.C.U. Cup double.[5]

He was again part of the Belle Vue team, when they won the 1939 National Trophy, just before the season was ended by World War II. He averaged 6.18 that season.[6] He also reached the Championship round of the 1939 Individual Speedway World Championship.[7]

During the war, Hargreaves was a car mechanic in a local garage, but he died as a result of a road accident on 15 January 1944, when the motorcycle he was riding collided with a bus. He died shortly afterwards in hospital. [8]

References edit

  1. ^ "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  2. ^ "Seaforth Speedway". Liverpool Echo. 14 September 1935. Retrieved 4 January 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. ^ "1936 season" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  4. ^ "Speed League faces crisis". Daily Mirror. 25 June 1937. Retrieved 4 January 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. ^ Oakes, Peter (1978). 1978 Speedway Yearbook. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. ISBN 978-0904584509.
  6. ^ "Rider averages 1929 to 2009" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  7. ^ "Year by Year". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  8. ^ "Marks' efforts in vain". Bradford Observer. 17 January 1944. Retrieved 4 January 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.