Fred Wilkinson (8 June 1906 – 24 September 1978) was a British motorcycle speedway rider who rode in the early years of the sport. He earned two international caps for the England national speedway team.[1]
| Born | 8 June 1906 Coalville, Leicestershire, England |
|---|---|
| Died | 24 September 1978 (aged 72) Syston, Leicestershire, England |
| Nationality | British (English) |
| Career history | |
| 1929–1931 | Leicester Super |
| 1929, 1931 | Coventry Bees |
| 1932 | Sheffield Tigers |
| 1933 | Nottingham |
Biography
editWilkinson was born in Coalville, Leicestershire in 1906, his father a miner at a local colliery.[2] The family moved to Binley near Coventry, and then Seend in Wiltshire, with Wilkinson starting his racing career in grasstrack races.[2] His early speedway experience was at the Gorse Hill Autodrome in Swindon, and at Bristol.[2]
In 1929, he signed for the Leicester Super team,[3] also riding for Coventry Bees, settling in Syston, Leicestershire, where he ran a garage.[2] He captained the Leicester Super team in 1930, and stayed with the team until it closed during the 1931 Speedway Northern League.[4]
Wilkinson rode for England in the second Test match of 1931 against Australia, staged at Leicester Super Speedway, scoring three points.[5] He was selected at reserve for the fourth test at Hyde Road but did not score from his one ride.[2]
Wilkinson moved on to ride for Sheffield in 1932, but they withdrew mid-season, leaving him racing a series of individual, special and challenge events only.[6][7]
He was commemorated by an event in the 1980s that bore his name: The Fred Wilkinson Trophy match was staged at Leicester Stadium between 1980 and 1983, with a further staging at Peterborough in 1985.[2]
References
edit- ^ "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f Jones, Alan (2010) Speedway in Leicester: The Pre-War Years, Automedia, p. 193
- ^ "Fred Wilkinson's Wonderful Riding". Melton Mowbray Times and Vale of Belvoir Gazette. 8 November 1929. Retrieved 11 October 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "1931 season" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
- ^ Foster, Peter (2005) A History of the Speedway Ashes, Tempus, ISBN 0-7524-3468-3, p. 23-5
- ^ "Rider averages 1929 to 2009" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
- ^ "Fred Wilkinson at his best". Leicester Evening Mail. 27 June 1932. Retrieved 11 October 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.