Jack Hargreaves (speedway rider)

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

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

Biography

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

  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.