West Ham Stadium
Encyclopedia
West Ham Stadium was a stadium
that existed between 1928 and 1972 in Custom House
, in east London (it was in the County Borough of West Ham
, in the county of Essex
, at the time of the stadium's construction). The stadium was built in 1928 on Prince Regent Lane, near the site of the present-day Prince Regent DLR station
.
and speedway
on weekdays and was the only greyhound/speedway stadium designed by the famous Archibald Leitch
.
The stadium held a classic race The Cesarewitch
and it was West Ham's highlight, originally run over 600 yards and won by some of the greats in its early years. The legendary Mick The Miller
, who set a world record time in the heats, won the race in 1930 - he had earlier made his 600 yard debut at the track - while in 1931/2, Future Cutlet became the race's only dual winner. Later, in the fifties, both Pigalle Wonder (dead heat) and Mile Bush Pride were also successful.
When West Ham closed in May 1972 the event moved to Belle Vue Stadium
.
Hammers were involved in the top flight leagues 1929 to 1939; 1946 to 1955 and 1964 to 1971. They won the inaugural British League in 1965. The Lakeside Hammers
speedway team, formerly known as the Arena-Essex Hammers, who race at Arena Essex Raceway
next to Lakeside Shopping Centre
in Essex
, are the closest team and took their name from the defunct West Ham Hammers
outfit. The official record attendance for the stadia was 83,000 for a Test match against Australia.
team, Thames Association FC
, was founded. After two years in the Southern Football League
, Thames were promoted to the Football League Third Division South
in 1930. Although the stadium could hold 120,000, Thames shared a catchment area with Charlton Athletic
, Clapton Orient
, Millwall
and West Ham United
. As a result, it had trouble attracting crowds and created the lowest recorded attendance in Football League history when just 469 people turned up to watch Thames take on Luton Town
on 6 December 1930. Thames resigned from the Football League in May 1932 after finishing bottom and were dissolved soon afterward. West Ham Stadium continued to function as a greyhound and speedway stadium.
In his book 'One Day I'll Lose My Trousers' Pete Murray 60's and 70's English Actor and Personality recalls times he spent watching Thames A.F.C with his Uncle Bill Reece(who had a small bus company)who was one of the Directors of Thames.Pete lived at the Nottingham Arms in Plaistow close to the Custom House Stadium.
To realise that this was the largest sporting arena during this era,it seems incredible that only 469 fans turned up on a cold December day all those years ago in such a massive Stadium.
I wonder if the stadium was ever filled to capacity by Greyhound or Speedway fans,maybe someone might know????
Its Art Deco buildings like the majestic ones at Walthamstow Greyhounds were not saved for future generations to admire,says a lot about English Heritage and their ability with monuments to a past but not forgotten epoch.
Thames only stayed two seasons in the football league,coming 20th and 22nd out of 22 teams during their brief stay.
They had taken the place of Merthyr Town and were replaced by Aldershot Town in 1933.
The Greyhounds and Speedway (The West Ham 'AMMERS')lasted until 1972 when the stadium was demolished and used for re-development,but the street names of 'AMMERS' Speedway Riders of the past,now emblazon where the Stadium once was.....which was a nice thought.
Steven Gascoigne,Mullaloo,Western Australia. 25.08.2011.
was held in the stadium in the 1950s and 1960s. In those decades, many enthusiasts and garage owners throughout the London area built and raced cars, and in 1961 the stock car World Championship was held at West Ham, won by Jock Lloyd. By the mid 1960's, British stock cars had evolved from modified road cars into purpose-built single-seater "specials" of great power and stout construction. Photographs of cars at West Ham can be seen at www.oldstox.com
), Croombs Road (Tommy Croombs), Young Road (Jack Young
), Wilkinson Road (Arthur 'Bluey' Wilkinson
), Lawson Close (Aub Lawson
) and Hoskins Close (Johnnie Hoskins
).
Despite the similarity of name, the stadium had nothing to do with West Ham United
, who have played their home games at the Boleyn Ground
, Upton Park since 1904.
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
that existed between 1928 and 1972 in Custom House
Custom House, London
Custom House is an area in the London Borough of Newham in London, England.The area is named after the custom house of Royal Victoria Dock.The first Custom House in London was built in 1275 and was located near Billingsgate Market in the City of London....
, in east London (it was in the County Borough of West Ham
County Borough of West Ham
West Ham was a local government district in the extreme south west of Essex from 1886 to 1965, forming part of the built-up area of London, although outside the County of London...
, in the county of Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, at the time of the stadium's construction). The stadium was built in 1928 on Prince Regent Lane, near the site of the present-day Prince Regent DLR station
Prince Regent DLR station
Prince Regent DLR station is a station on the Docklands Light Railway in the Docklands area of east London. The station was opened on 28 March 1994 and provides access to the eastern end of the ExCeL Exhibition Centre and ICC London...
.
Greyhound racing
At first, the venue was used for greyhound racingGreyhound racing
Greyhound racing is the sport of racing greyhounds. The dogs chase a lure on a track until they arrive at the finish line. The one that arrives first is the winner....
and speedway
Motorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. Speedway motorcycles use only one gear and have no brakes and racing takes place on a flat oval track usually...
on weekdays and was the only greyhound/speedway stadium designed by the famous Archibald Leitch
Archibald Leitch
Archibald "Offside Archie" Leitch was a Scottish architect, most famous for his work designing football stadia throughout the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.-Early work:...
.
The stadium held a classic race The Cesarewitch
The Cesarewitch
The Cesarewitch is a greyhound competition held at Oxford Stadium.It was originally one of the classic races held in the British Racing Calendar and was inaugurated in 1928 and held at West Ham Stadium until its closure in 1977. The event switched to Belle Vue Stadium until 1995 when it was...
and it was West Ham's highlight, originally run over 600 yards and won by some of the greats in its early years. The legendary Mick The Miller
Mick the Miller
Mick the Miller was a male brindle Greyhound. He is celebrated as the first great racing greyhound to compete in England. Despite a short three year racing career, his achievements were highly publicised around the world and by the end of his career he had become an icon in the sport...
, who set a world record time in the heats, won the race in 1930 - he had earlier made his 600 yard debut at the track - while in 1931/2, Future Cutlet became the race's only dual winner. Later, in the fifties, both Pigalle Wonder (dead heat) and Mile Bush Pride were also successful.
When West Ham closed in May 1972 the event moved to Belle Vue Stadium
Belle Vue Stadium
Belle Vue Stadium is a greyhound racing track in Belle Vue, Manchester where the very first race around an oval track in Britain was held on 24 July 1926. It is also used for speedway as the home ground of Elite League team Belle Vue Aces since 1988 and since 1999 has British Stock Car Association...
.
Speedway
The SpeedwayMotorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. Speedway motorcycles use only one gear and have no brakes and racing takes place on a flat oval track usually...
Hammers were involved in the top flight leagues 1929 to 1939; 1946 to 1955 and 1964 to 1971. They won the inaugural British League in 1965. The Lakeside Hammers
Lakeside Hammers
The Lakeside Hammers are a speedway team who race in the British Elite League. They were founded by promoter Wally Mawdsley and stock car promoter Chick Woodroffe...
speedway team, formerly known as the Arena-Essex Hammers, who race at Arena Essex Raceway
Arena Essex Raceway
Arena Essex Raceway is a stock car and speedway racing track located near Purfleet, Essex. The Lakeside Shopping Centre was built alongside the venue.-The stadium:...
next to Lakeside Shopping Centre
Lakeside Shopping Centre
The Lakeside Shopping Centre is a large out-of-town shopping centre located in West Thurrock, in the borough of Thurrock, Essex just beyond the eastern boundary of Greater London...
in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, are the closest team and took their name from the defunct West Ham Hammers
West Ham Hammers
The West Ham Hammers were a speedway team, first promoted by Jimmy Baxter in 1929.. They operated from the West Ham Stadium until the outbreak of World War II under several different promotions, most successfully under the control of Johnnie Hoskins....
outfit. The official record attendance for the stadia was 83,000 for a Test match against Australia.
Football
To fill the stadium on weekends, a footballFootball (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
team, Thames Association FC
Thames A.F.C.
Thames Association Football Club were an English football club from Custom House, east London , who briefly played in the Football League between 1930 and 1932.-Name:...
, was founded. After two years in the Southern Football League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
, Thames were promoted to the Football League Third Division South
Football League Third Division South
The Football League Third Division South was a level of English professional football which ran in parallel to Third Division North from 1921 to 1958....
in 1930. Although the stadium could hold 120,000, Thames shared a catchment area with Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
, Clapton Orient
Leyton Orient F.C.
Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...
, Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
and West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
. As a result, it had trouble attracting crowds and created the lowest recorded attendance in Football League history when just 469 people turned up to watch Thames take on Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
on 6 December 1930. Thames resigned from the Football League in May 1932 after finishing bottom and were dissolved soon afterward. West Ham Stadium continued to function as a greyhound and speedway stadium.
In his book 'One Day I'll Lose My Trousers' Pete Murray 60's and 70's English Actor and Personality recalls times he spent watching Thames A.F.C with his Uncle Bill Reece(who had a small bus company)who was one of the Directors of Thames.Pete lived at the Nottingham Arms in Plaistow close to the Custom House Stadium.
To realise that this was the largest sporting arena during this era,it seems incredible that only 469 fans turned up on a cold December day all those years ago in such a massive Stadium.
I wonder if the stadium was ever filled to capacity by Greyhound or Speedway fans,maybe someone might know????
Its Art Deco buildings like the majestic ones at Walthamstow Greyhounds were not saved for future generations to admire,says a lot about English Heritage and their ability with monuments to a past but not forgotten epoch.
Thames only stayed two seasons in the football league,coming 20th and 22nd out of 22 teams during their brief stay.
They had taken the place of Merthyr Town and were replaced by Aldershot Town in 1933.
The Greyhounds and Speedway (The West Ham 'AMMERS')lasted until 1972 when the stadium was demolished and used for re-development,but the street names of 'AMMERS' Speedway Riders of the past,now emblazon where the Stadium once was.....which was a nice thought.
Steven Gascoigne,Mullaloo,Western Australia. 25.08.2011.
Stock car racing
Stock car racingStock car racing
Stock car racing is a form of automobile racing found mainly in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Great Britain, Brazil and Argentina. Traditionally, races are run on oval tracks measuring approximately in length...
was held in the stadium in the 1950s and 1960s. In those decades, many enthusiasts and garage owners throughout the London area built and raced cars, and in 1961 the stock car World Championship was held at West Ham, won by Jock Lloyd. By the mid 1960's, British stock cars had evolved from modified road cars into purpose-built single-seater "specials" of great power and stout construction. Photographs of cars at West Ham can be seen at www.oldstox.com
Closure
The stadium was sold to developers who evicted the speedway team and closed the stadium in 1972. It was subsequently demolished and housing was built on the cleared site, with some streets named after former speedway stars. These are Atkinson Road (Arthur AtkinsonArthur Atkinson (speedway rider)
Arthur Atkinson was a former international motorcycle speedway rider and promoter who appeared in the first Speedway World Championship final in 1936.-Career:...
), Croombs Road (Tommy Croombs), Young Road (Jack Young
Jack Young (speedway rider)
Jack Ellis Young was a Motorcycle speedway rider who won the Speedway World Championship in 1951 and 1952...
), Wilkinson Road (Arthur 'Bluey' Wilkinson
Bluey Wilkinson
Arther George "Bluey" Wilkinson was an international speedway rider. Wilkinson was Speedway World Champion in 1938 after narrowly missing out on winning the inaugural Championship in 1936.-Early life:Wilkinson was nicknamed "Bluey" because of his red hair...
), Lawson Close (Aub Lawson
Aub Lawson
Aubrey "Aub" Lawson was an Australian international speedway rider who featured in ten World Championship finals including the 1939 final which was never run due to the outbreak of World War II.-Career:Lawson first came to the UK in 1939 and rode for the Wembley Lions but at his mother's...
) and Hoskins Close (Johnnie Hoskins
Johnnie Hoskins
Johnnie S. Hoskins MBE is the man who is considered to have 'invented' motorcycle speedway. If it cannot be established he invented the sport, he certainly played the largest role in promoting the sport in the United Kingdom.-Early life:He left school at thirteen and worked on a farm and then as...
).
Despite the similarity of name, the stadium had nothing to do with West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
, who have played their home games at the Boleyn Ground
Boleyn Ground
The Boleyn Ground, more commonly referred to as Upton Park due to its location in Upton Park, London is the football stadium of West Ham United.-History:...
, Upton Park since 1904.