Cycle Speedway Teams Down the Ages
Sussex East: Sedlescombe Saints
About the team
Club formed in 1949, this being announced in the Rye and Battle edition of the Sussex Express and County Herald in June 1949.
Track was at East View, Sedlescombe(now a small private housing estate), Nr Battle.
Track Length: 90 yards.
Rode in the Sedlescombe League 1949-1951.
League racing took place on a Thursday night.
The Saints founded the Sedlescombe League in Sept 1949.
Team Colours: Red Heart on Blue with riders name on Black.
Club Manager: Alf Larkin, 12 East View(this was demolished with new housing being built in the 70s), Sedlescombe, Sussex.
Club Secretary: S.J. Puxty, 32 East View Terrace, Seddlescombe.
Ceased racing at the end of the 1951 season due to being unable to raise a team for 1952.
Individual Honours.
1951 Tony Taylor won the Sedlescombe League Individual Championship.
Team Honours.
1950 Sedlescombe League Champions(scoring 26 points), runners-up Rye Aces(24 points), 3rd Icklesham Vikings(17 points). Lower placings were: Northiam Knights(14); Staplecross Swifts(11); Battle Bulldogs(8); Westfield Wolves(5); Peasmarsh Panthers(4).
Sedlescombe & District League(1950).
Meeting of the above league on Monday March 6th 1950, at the Cross Inn, Staplecross.
League Clubs Present: Battle-Northiam-Peasmarsh-Rye-Sedlescombe-Staplecross-Westfield.
The following League Officers were elected:
Chairman : Mr G. Paine, Sidegates, Northiam.
Secretary: Mr S.J. Puxty, 32 East View Terrace, Sedlescombe..
Treasurer: Mr Parks, Marley Lane, Battle.
Minutes Secretary: F.R. Brann, Wynders Flat, Peasmarsh.
Stewards Board: Mrs G. Bates, West View, High Street, Brede.
At the same meeting it was agreed that the league overall should join NACSA.
The League representatives on the County Board were elected as following:
Mr Playford(Rye Aces) - Mr G. Paine(Staple Cross) - Mr Alf Larkin(Seddlescombe).
Meeting at the Cross Inn, Staplecross on March 23rd 1950.
League Clubs Present: Battle-Northiam-Rye-Sedlescombe-Staplecross.
It was agreed that the clubs pay 7d each per meeting to the league, this to be reviewed at the end of the season.
Meeting at the Cross Inn, Staplecross on April 6th 1950.
League Clubs Present: Battle-Peasmarsh-Sedlescombe-Staplecross.
It was agreed that 1/- per club be payable to the County Control Board. The 2/6d affiliation fee was to be paid to the County Secretary, and it was stated that there were two months due. The treasurer Mr Parks proposed that he should pay at the rate of 100 riders for each month until he received the full number of riders names. It was also proposed that riders on Her Majesty's Service may hold their licences so that they may ride when on leave. It was suggested that the club itself should hold these riders licences. It was also stated that all Track Managers, Pit Marshalls, Flag Marshalls and Time Keepers should be in possession of a licence.
Meeting at the Cross Inn, Staplecross on April 27th 1950.
All league clubs present except Icklesham.
Fees were discussed at this meeting, the results being:
Third Party Insurance was agreed at 15/- per club, with 3/9d extra to cover fire/theft(this was with the Crusader Insurance Company).
Cycle speedway rule books would cost 1/- each, NACSA affiliation fees would cost 10/- per year, riders licences to cost 6d per year, and NACSA badges to cost 1/6d each.
A Test Team selection match was arranged for May 8th, this being at the Rye track. Test Match officials were selected as follows:
Team Manager: Mr Alf Larkin - Chief Steward: Mr Hilton - Bend Stewards: Mr Bray & Mr G.Paine - Clerk of Course: Mr Burton - Announcer: Mr Playford - Time Keeper: Mr Clark - Starter: Mr Bramm - Flag Marshal: To be supplied by the Sidley club.
Match Reports:
Seddlescombe v Westfield. Westfield arrived late, this was duly noted. The Sedlescombe track surface was more than 3" deep of cinder on the inner edge on one bend, the rules stating that only 1" is allowed. The Sedlescombe club were therefore told to take off the surplus amount.
Meeting at the Cross Inn, Staplecross in May 1950.
All league clubs present except Westfield.
A new member club was introduced to the league, this being Udimore, with Mr Hedges being their representative. Lydd also joined at the same time, and it was agreed that both clubs pay a 5/- entrance fee to the league, but not the 7d per week that was paid to the board.
Test Match Finances: The collection raised £6-3-0d. On the expenses side the Advertisements were £1-5-0d, the Programmes were £3-2-3d. Expenses occured by the Seddlescombe & District League were: Seddlescombe 15/-, Battle 7/6d, Staplecross 2/6d, this being all that was known.
Match Reports:
Peasmarsh v Staplecross. After a discussion on the rules, it was agreed that gloves should be used during racing.
Westfield. It was agreed that the sewer pipe was far too close to the track. The secretary was asked to write to the club telling them that the edge of the track should be at least 3ft from the pipe, and that this was to be covered for safety purposes. The track was not to be rode on until the problem had been rectified.
Icklesham v Staplecross. The steward was perfect, but two of the heats were run over 5 laps instead of the 4 as laid down by the rules.
Rye v Sedlescombe. After a discussion of the rules Sedlescombe were found to be in the right. The league will continue to ride under the old rules until the new ones are in their possession.
Meeting at the Cross Inn, Staplecross on June 8th 1950.
League Clubs Present: Battle-Icklesham-Rye-Sedlescombe-Staplecross.
Nothing had been settled in regards to Lydd, although it was noted that they were still eager to join the league.
Proposed by Mr Playford that if Udimore cannot raise the funds, that they should be excused their affiliation fees until after their first match had been completed. Seconded by Mr Parks.
Westfield: The work in regards to the pipe had now been completed, and the track was declared in racing order.
The Secretary was instructed to write a strongly worded letter to Mr Burton in regards to the supply of the New Rules.
The Treasurer stated that the repayment of insurance money should be left till later, possibly July.
It was also brought to notice that riders cannot now change teams.
Scottish Touring Team League Fixtures were agreed as follows:
Sunday 2nd July Hellingly Lions v Edinburgh.
Monday 3rd July Baldslow v Edinburgh.
Monday 3rd July Rye Aces v Glasgow.
Tuesday 4th July Hollington Hammers v Glasgow.
Wednesday 5th July Hastings & District League v Scotland at Sidiley.
Thursday 6th July Sedlescombe & District League v Scotland at Staplecross.
Friday 7th July Sussex v Scotland at Battle.
The team for the second test match was selected as follows:
Gammon-Larkin-Puxty-Taylor(Sedlescombe) - Spray(Battle) - Fifield(Staplecross) - Polly(Rye) - O'Neil(Icklesham).
Match Steward: Mr Godden(Staplecross) - Bend Stewards: Mr Wyatt & Mr Parks - Pit Marshall: Mr T. Gay - Starter: Mr F. G..... - Flag Marshall: Mr D. Carter.
The team for the Pilot Field match on June 17th were selected as follows:
Larkin(Sedlescombe) - Oliver(Battle) - O'Neil & Wood(Icklesham) - Allen & Fifield(Staplecross) - Boswell & Polly(Rye).
Meeting at the Cross Inn, Staplecross on 28th June 1950.
League Clubs Present: Lydd-Peasmarsh-Robertsbridge-Rye-Sedlescombe-Staplecross.
Both Lydd & Robertsbridge were accepted into the League.
Mr Paine said that he had registered a complaint to Mr Burton in regards to the language used by the Hastings team in the pits.
The complaint regards Gammon at the last Test Match at Sedlescombe had been brought forward.
It was suggested by Lydd that bend stewards should have small flags for notifying the steward of disqualifications.
The team for the match between the Sedlescombe & District League and Scotland at Staplecross was selected as follows:
Puxty-Taylor-Ansette-Fifield-Polly-O'Neil-Addy-Spray.
Match Steward: Mr Mycook(Rye) - Bend Stewards: Mr Paine & either Mr Parks or Mr Silk - Team Manager: Mr L Godden - Pit Marshall: Mr D.G. Nickel - Timekeeper: Mr H. Cutting - Starter: Mr H.S. Playford - Flag Marshal: Mr H. Wolfe - Clerk of course: Mr G. Paine.
Meeting at the Cross Inn, Staplecross on 17th July 1950.
League Clubs Present: Staplecross-Battle-Sedlescombe-Westfield-Peasmarsh-Northiam.
The Scottish matches were discussed. these being found to be satisfactory everywhere.
Complaints were read from the Hastings Control Board in relation to the last test.
Northiam v Staplecross stewards report was read - unfortunately no Northiam representative was present.
The team for the Test Match at Sidley was selected as follows:
Oliver-Akehurst-Fifield-Allen-Illsely-Ansette-Pierce-Marriott.
Team Manager: Mr Godden - Bend Steward: Mr Parks.
Emergency Meeting at the Cross Inn, Staplecross on 14th August 1950.
League Clubs Present: Sedlescombe - Peasmarsh - Staplecross.
The team for the 4th Test Match to be held at Baldslow was selected as follows:
Polly-Boswell-Puxty-Taylor-Knight-Chapman-O'Neil-Wood.
Team Manager: Mr Larkin - Assistant Steward: Mr S. Puxty.
Meeting at the Cross Inn, Staplecross on 25th August 1950.
League Clubs Present: Sedlescombe-Battle-Icklesham-Staplecross-Lydd-Northiam-Peasmarsh-Rye-Robertsbridge.
Match Reports;
Rye v Peasmarsh: Peasmarsh arrived for the match, but found that another one was already taking place. It was agreed that Peasmarsh be entitled to their expenses for the trip.
Hastings & District League v Sedlescombe & District League at Baldslow: The Secretary was asked to write and make the complaints clear to the Hastings Control Board.
The next test match was decided to take place at Icklesham on Friday 22nd September at 7.00pm sharp.
The team was selected as follows:
M. Wood - J. O'Neil - A. Puxty - A. Taylor - L. Larkin - J. Chapman - Illesley - P. Knight.
Mr Parks said that he had payed out on four cases from the Benevolent Fund, and asked whether he could continue these until the end of the season. Mr Knight proposed that these should be paid out to accidents that have occured during official practise meetings as well.
It was suggested that meetings should now take place at a more central venue.
It was announced that the Westfield Club had now disbanded. Any monies held by this club should be handed over to the League until next year, when they could be handed back should the club reform again.
Officials chosen for the Test Match at Icklesham:
Steward: Mr R. King - Bend Steward: Mr S. Puxty - Team Manager: Mr Silk - Clerk of the Course: Mr Knight - Announcer: Mr Noble - Starter: Mr Letford - Time Keeper: Mr J. Swaine - Flag Marshall: Mr Edwards.
Meeting held at the Cross Inn, Staplecross on 21st September 1950.
League Clubs Present: Sedlescombe-Staplecross-Battle-Peasmarsh-Icklesham-Rye-Lydd-Ticehurst.
It was suggested that future meetings should be held in Hastings, so that all clubs could attend. For the next meeting it was proposed by Mr Parks that this should be at The Cherry Tea Rooms in Tower Road, this being with the approval of Mr Hilton, the owner of the Cafe. This was agreed upon.
Westfield Club: It was proposed by Mr Parks that the League accepts the way that the club had disposed of their funds. Seconded by Mr Larkin.
Purchasing of League Cup: Mr French of Icklesham suggested that 10/- per club should be payed into the League for the purchase of a League Cup. Mr Paine & Mr Parks to undertake the purchase.
A Puxty of Sedlescombe was chosen as the Championship Rider to take his place in the run-off after the final Test Match at Icklesham on Sept 24th.
League Accounts: It was proposed by Mr Parks that the 6d per club per month should be paid throughout the Winter months by all clubs, and that the 7d per week should be paid through September.
The next League meeting would be at the Cherry Tea Rooms, Tower Road on October 8th 1950.
Riders
- Jack Chapman
- Roy Chapman
- Dave Gammon
- Ron "Wangy" Hudson
- Lennie Larkin
- S. Larkin
- Arthur Puxty
- Tony "Ticker" Taylor
- Charlie Thomas