Durham Wasps
Encyclopedia
The Durham Wasps was an ice hockey
team located in Durham
and was one of England
's most well-known names in ice hockey
. The team was bought by Sir John Hall
and moved to the neighbouring city of Newcastle Upon Tyne
in August 1996. The Newcastle team, after several changes, is now known as the Newcastle Vipers
.
The rink opened sometime around 1940, and Icy relied on skaters to help out with the maintenance and protection of the rink. During wartime, men around Durham City were scarce, but there was an airbase nearby, Middleton St. George, and Canadian
Airmen often came to the rink as ice hockey was very popular in Canada at that time, as it still is, and competition was a good way to boost morale.
The hockey at the rink
became an attraction and there were other shows such as figure skating.
A mix of contemporary NHL superstars who were, at the time, in service with the Canadian Air Force, came to the rink. These included players such as Bobby Bauer, Woody Dumart, and Milt Schmidt.
The rink had a number of wooden beams running across the middle of the roof to serve as support. Incidentally this structure was an old circus tent, and at the time was the largest big top in Europe. This caused a number of problems for the players, though they were eventually able to adapt. Many people crowded in or around the rink, but Icy was not able to advertise the hockey due to laws by the War Office
, which stated that no movement of military personnel was allowed to be advertised.
When World War II
ended, many of the Canadians went home, but some remained and Durham's enthusiasm for ice hockey continued. A new rink had to be built for Durham's skaters.
The rink, when it was completed with a permanent roof on the site of the old one cost just over £64,000. Money was saved by buying in a surplus of war coffins and bought many for the rinks seating and stands. The nails going into the coffins would suggest the beginning and not the end, for the future to come.
The Durham Wasps began their prosperous start to hockey just after the war, and was started by Michael Davey of Ottawa
, Canada, along with a few other Canadians, who after the war made their homes in Durham.
In the 1950s, Icy, inspired by the Wasps and the Riverside, started another ice rink at Whitley Bay
, their hockey team called the Bees to start with, then the Braves, and then the Warriors, the name which still survives.
The opening at Whitley Bay started a long lasting rivalry between the two places, and Icy arranged to have games across the border with Scotland on weekends.
Ice hockey remained popular in the sixties and seventies, but it exploded with popularity between the eighties and nineties, and the period from around 1982 to 1992 was one to remember for the Wasps. In this period alone they won the Heineken Championship
four times, the league championship
six times, the Norwich Cup three times, and other trophies like the Autumn and Castle Eden Cups on many other occasions. The Durham Wasps dominated the British League for over 10 years.
In a few years of their greatest era, the Wasps fell into financial difficulties, and the rink as well as the Wasps were bought by John Hall
, then owner of Newcastle United Football Club, in a plan to have a sporting excellency, and moved the Wasps to Sunderland, while the new rink was being built in Newcastle. A replacement team was established in Durham called the Durham City Wasps who played in the English League and attracted crowds of between 600 and 1200. After a season of playing out of the Crowtree Leisure Centre, the Newcastle United owned Wasps were taken to Newcastle to the new Telewest Arena. The Wasps were then re-named the Newcastle Cobras, and in the next few years changed hands and owners from the Cobras, to the Riverkings, to the Jesters, and the Vipers. Despite the fact that they now have nothing to do with the old club many Wasps fans still shun ice hockey in Newcastle.
The Riverside Rink closed on 8 July 1996, and re-opened as a bowling alley around a year later. The Wasps' era had finally ended. The building was earmarked for demolition following the closure of health club situated in the former rink in early 2006. The bowling alley remains open. Since 1996, a campaign for the construction of a new ice rink in County Durham
has been spearheaded by the County Durham Ice Foundation, a pressure group made up of ice skaters, ice hockey fans and players.
A one-off game also took place between the Wasps and former local rivals Whitley Warriors on 4 May 2008 at Whitley Bay Ice Rink commemorating the 60th anniversary of the formation of the club, and in support of the ongoing campaign to bring back an ice rink. Over 2,300 fans turned up to witness this encounter which saw Wasps players icing once again including the Johnson brothers, Mario Belanger, Ivor Bennett, Stephen Foster, John Hutley and Karl Walker. The reformed Wasps team won the game 8-4.
Heineken British Championship Winners
Autumn Cup Winners
Castle Eden Cup Winners
Defencemen
Forwards
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team located in Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
and was one of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
's most well-known names in ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
. The team was bought by Sir John Hall
John Hall (businessman)
Sir John Hall is a property developer in North East England. He is also life president and former chairman of Newcastle United.-Biography:...
and moved to the neighbouring city of Newcastle Upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
in August 1996. The Newcastle team, after several changes, is now known as the Newcastle Vipers
Newcastle Vipers
The Newcastle Vipers were an ice hockey club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Former members of the Elite Ice Hockey League, the club previously held membership in the British National League.- History :...
.
The History of the Wasps
John Frederick James Smith known as "Icy", was a successful ice seller who decided to build an ice rink in Durham.The rink opened sometime around 1940, and Icy relied on skaters to help out with the maintenance and protection of the rink. During wartime, men around Durham City were scarce, but there was an airbase nearby, Middleton St. George, and Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Airmen often came to the rink as ice hockey was very popular in Canada at that time, as it still is, and competition was a good way to boost morale.
The hockey at the rink
Ice rink
An ice rink is a frozen body of water and/or hardened chemicals where people can skate or play winter sports. Besides recreational ice skating, some of its uses include ice hockey, figure skating and curling as well as exhibitions, contests and ice shows...
became an attraction and there were other shows such as figure skating.
A mix of contemporary NHL superstars who were, at the time, in service with the Canadian Air Force, came to the rink. These included players such as Bobby Bauer, Woody Dumart, and Milt Schmidt.
The rink had a number of wooden beams running across the middle of the roof to serve as support. Incidentally this structure was an old circus tent, and at the time was the largest big top in Europe. This caused a number of problems for the players, though they were eventually able to adapt. Many people crowded in or around the rink, but Icy was not able to advertise the hockey due to laws by the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
, which stated that no movement of military personnel was allowed to be advertised.
When World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
ended, many of the Canadians went home, but some remained and Durham's enthusiasm for ice hockey continued. A new rink had to be built for Durham's skaters.
The rink, when it was completed with a permanent roof on the site of the old one cost just over £64,000. Money was saved by buying in a surplus of war coffins and bought many for the rinks seating and stands. The nails going into the coffins would suggest the beginning and not the end, for the future to come.
The Durham Wasps began their prosperous start to hockey just after the war, and was started by Michael Davey of Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Canada, along with a few other Canadians, who after the war made their homes in Durham.
In the 1950s, Icy, inspired by the Wasps and the Riverside, started another ice rink at Whitley Bay
Whitley Bay
Whitley Bay is a town in North Tyneside, in Tyne and Wear, England. It is on the North Sea coast and has a fine stretch of golden sandy beach forming a bay stretching from St. Mary's Island in the north to Cullercoats in the south...
, their hockey team called the Bees to start with, then the Braves, and then the Warriors, the name which still survives.
The opening at Whitley Bay started a long lasting rivalry between the two places, and Icy arranged to have games across the border with Scotland on weekends.
Ice hockey remained popular in the sixties and seventies, but it exploded with popularity between the eighties and nineties, and the period from around 1982 to 1992 was one to remember for the Wasps. In this period alone they won the Heineken Championship
British Championship
The British Championship is the most prestigious ice hockey cup competition in the United Kingdom, and also the longest established ice hockey competition. It has been run under various formats and titles since 1930 and contested annually since 1966...
four times, the league championship
British ice hockey league champions
The British ice hockey league champions are the winners of the highest ice hockey league in the United Kingdom, currently the Elite Ice Hockey League...
six times, the Norwich Cup three times, and other trophies like the Autumn and Castle Eden Cups on many other occasions. The Durham Wasps dominated the British League for over 10 years.
In a few years of their greatest era, the Wasps fell into financial difficulties, and the rink as well as the Wasps were bought by John Hall
John Hall (businessman)
Sir John Hall is a property developer in North East England. He is also life president and former chairman of Newcastle United.-Biography:...
, then owner of Newcastle United Football Club, in a plan to have a sporting excellency, and moved the Wasps to Sunderland, while the new rink was being built in Newcastle. A replacement team was established in Durham called the Durham City Wasps who played in the English League and attracted crowds of between 600 and 1200. After a season of playing out of the Crowtree Leisure Centre, the Newcastle United owned Wasps were taken to Newcastle to the new Telewest Arena. The Wasps were then re-named the Newcastle Cobras, and in the next few years changed hands and owners from the Cobras, to the Riverkings, to the Jesters, and the Vipers. Despite the fact that they now have nothing to do with the old club many Wasps fans still shun ice hockey in Newcastle.
The Riverside Rink closed on 8 July 1996, and re-opened as a bowling alley around a year later. The Wasps' era had finally ended. The building was earmarked for demolition following the closure of health club situated in the former rink in early 2006. The bowling alley remains open. Since 1996, a campaign for the construction of a new ice rink in County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
has been spearheaded by the County Durham Ice Foundation, a pressure group made up of ice skaters, ice hockey fans and players.
A one-off game also took place between the Wasps and former local rivals Whitley Warriors on 4 May 2008 at Whitley Bay Ice Rink commemorating the 60th anniversary of the formation of the club, and in support of the ongoing campaign to bring back an ice rink. Over 2,300 fans turned up to witness this encounter which saw Wasps players icing once again including the Johnson brothers, Mario Belanger, Ivor Bennett, Stephen Foster, John Hutley and Karl Walker. The reformed Wasps team won the game 8-4.
New arena development
Plans were announced in August 2008 for a new arena to be built on the outskirts of Durham at Belmont. The proposed development was planned to open in December 2009 centred around a 3,000 seater olympic-sized ice rink and was hoped the venue could be ready for the 2010/11 ice hockey season, heralding a potential return of the Wasps to Durham. This project never came to fruition, but it is still hoped that an ice arena could return to Durham in the future.Honours
Heineken Premier League Champions- 1985, 1986, 1989, 1991, 1992
Heineken British Championship Winners
- 1987, 1988, 1991, 1992
Autumn Cup Winners
- 1984, 1988, 1989, 1991
Castle Eden Cup Winners
- 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995.
Notable Wasps players
NetmindersDefencemen
Forwards
- William Graham UK, one of the first ever players
External links
- Campaign to reinstate ice rink and ice hockey in Durham County Durham Ice Foundation
- Videos of Durham Wasps YouTube
- Official site of the 2008 "Revival" game between Durham and Whitley