Page 88 - ‘A Blaker Family History’ The family history of Joseph Blaker (1916-2007; ‘Joe’)

© The Blaker Society
© The Blaker Society

45 Sherwood Avenue, Potters Bar, Middlesex: Contemporary View

28 Cobton Drive, Hove, East Sussex: Contemporary View

‘Joe’ loved many different sports – with wrestling, show jumping, cricket
and motor racing being particularly enjoyed. He was a frequent visitor to
the motor events at Goodwood, together with son, Graham, where they
shared a Family Membership of the Goodwood Motor Racing Club.

‘Joe’ Blaker on Nigel Mansell’s ‘Red 5’ Williams-Renault F1 Car; Goodwood, July 2002

However, ‘Joe’s’ first introduction to sport was Speedway Motorcycle
Racing, at New Cross Stadium, Hornshay Street, Old Kent Road, South East
London. The New Cross track was opened in 1934 by the joint promoters,
Fred Mockford and Cecil Smith, who had previously operated a speedway
track at Crystal Palace. The new club colours were orange and black, with
a black Maltese cross as the emblem. The new track, which was one of the
shortest in the country, was built inside the greyhound racing track, and
was nicknamed the ‘Frying Pan’. Speedway meetings were held at the
track every Wednesday evening, with the ‘New Cross Rangers’ attracting
large crowds.

‘Joe’ became intimately involved with the New Cross Supporters Club,
organising coaches to away fixtures and occasionally acting as stand-in
announcer, starter and steward at meetings at New Cross. ‘Joe’s’ son,
Graham, was adopted as the Club’s mascot for several seasons, and
together with some 50 other supporters, travelled to away fixtures in a
coach hired from Bradshaw’s Coaches, and driven by Sam Hutchings, who
became a family friend.

New Cross Speedway Supporters’ Club Card

Presentation to Ron Johnson, Speedway World Champion by Fred Mockford
and ‘Joe Blaker, with Graham Blaker in Arms

After ‘Peg’ gave birth to her twin daughters, the event was broadcast to
supporters at the stadium at the next home fixture – on 6 May 1953,
against Norwich. On that occasion, ‘Joe’ was driven around the track by
the team captain, with ‘Joe’ riding pillion! By the late 1950s, attendances
at New Cross had dwindled from almost 30,000 in the 1940s to less than
5,000, with the result that Fred Mockford closed the Club at the end of
1953. Although it was briefly resurrected in 1959, it finally closed in
1963, following a meeting against Poole. The track was used for stock car
racing for some time, but it was finally demolished in 1975, and now
forms part of a public open space called ‘Bridge House Meadows’.