Mitchell family donate dad's collection to SRBF
Latest News Tuesday 1st November 2022, 10:46am
THE family of long-time supporter Colin Mitchell have handed over their father's collection of programmes and other memorabilia to the Speedway Riders' Benevolent Fund.
The collection has raised several hundred pounds which will, once again, go into the Ben Fund to help injured riders today and into the future.
Colin had, like so many of his generation, takes part in cycle speedway, he rode for 'The Clifton Cobblers' from Brighouse, Yorkshire, and while he would like to have taken up conventional speedway racing, he missed the opportunity because he was called up to do his national service in the Royal Air Force.
Instead became a regular spectator at Bradford's Odsal track, where, as a 14-year-old he witnessed at close hand the track death of Joe Abbott and was actually photographed among the crowd looking over the fence at the spot where the crash happened.
Daughter Lynn and sons Paul and Robert told SRBF chairman Paul Ackroyd: "Dad first got the speedway bug when he and his friends would cycle to Odsal. Dad and his friends would sit in the stand alongside a young Eric Boocock and his mother with Dora and Gordon Copley.
"Nigel Boocock was just starting his speedway career and his father would be with him in the pits. This friendship was rekindled at the re-opening press day event at Halifax in 1964. From then onwards, the Mitchell, Boocock and Copley families sat at every meeting in the top-left corner of the main stand.
"Colin's National Service had him posted in Church Lawford and then Wellesbourne, from where he would travel at every opportunity to Coventry and Birmingham speedway. His favourite rider at this time was Graham Warren (his first was Max Grosskreutz).
"The last two months of his National Service were spent at West Kirby, Birkenhead, for fire service training and with him about to be demobbed he was left to do almost as he pleased. This gave him the time to travel to Belle Vue.
"After that, he attended local tracks Odsal and Halifax regularly, with the occasional trip to Belle Vue, Sheffield and one memorable trip to Doncaster to see the new and exciting Ipswich team, which included an even more sensational John Louis.
"He would regularly attend the British League Riders' Final and British Grand Prix and after the closure of Halifax and then Odsal he would venture to Belle Vue, Sheffield, Stoke and Scunthorpe.
"In summary, speedway was his life and passion and we would like to thank all those riders down the ages that thrilled and entertained him."
