W J Cearns
1950 W J Cearns dies following a short illness. The former office boy invested his life savings in the failing building company that employed him. He took it over, and was one of the first to understand the great advantages of working with reinforced concrete. When one of his customers was faced with bankruptsy, he bought them out and thereby became the owner of the stadium that he was constructing – Wimbledon. Another of his building projects was West Ham, where he built the main grandstand and later became club chairman. He also served on the Football League management committee and was deputy chairman of the BGRS (a rough equivalent of the Racecourse Promoters Association). Popular with his Wimbledon patrons, ‘WJ’ would regularly mingle with patrons during race meetings, listening to their grievances and observations.
1992 John Cearns, chairman of the promoters association dies unexpectedly aged 73. His position is taken by old friend
John Cearns
Charles Chandler who steps down as MD of GRA. Chandler’s role is taken by Clive Feltham.
1961 Sheffield Sports Stadium Ltd announce that they plan to sell Owlerton to Sheffield Corporation for £185,000.
1994 A massive gamble on Michaels Machine for the Irish Derby sees his price tumble from 50-1 to 20-1.
1985 Clive Feltham is appointed as the new General Manager at Hall Green.
1972 Newdown Heather dominates the Irish coursing classics for the third time in four years. Litter brothers Heathermore King and Newmore King (out of Wondermore) divide the Derby, while Lively Air (Newdown Heather-Knocks Fly) lands the Oaks.
1959 Clare Orton has his first winner at Wimbledon after taking over from his father Sidney.
1959 Ireland’s track bookies are on strike over betting charges. They demand the same deal as horse race bookies, five times the admission charge. All meetings are cancelled and Bord na gCon threaten to install tote equipment at all tracks.
1953 Norwich grader Siva Alladin wins the NGR Club class, for greyhounds who have raced, at Crufts.
1959 The versatile NGRC steward John Skeaping has written a book in the ‘Take Home’ series about greyhound racing which is sent to thousands of factories and offices. They are given away free by the employers and are hugely popular. One recent survey by Shell Petrochemical revealed that 94% of ‘Take Home’ books were read and enjoyed by grateful employees. While that may not seem so remarkable, Skeaping certainly is. In addition to being a well known TV personality on the programme Tell The truth, Skeaping is a Professor of Sculpture at the Royal College of Art.
1959 Following the departure to Clapton of George Miller, his Reading kennel is taken over by head lad Ron Jeffrey.
1970 Moordyke Spot sets record for consecutive graded wins at Wimbledon when he lands his seventh consecutive top heat race. Later in the year he will equal the 500 yard track record. He is installed as 16-1 Derby favourite with some firms.
1953 Yorkshire police apply to local magistrates to have the liquor licence revoked from Darnell Greyhound Track after reporting 16 occasions of alcohol being sold to under-18s.
