Tom Farndon
 | |
| Born |
11 September 1910 Coventry, England |
|---|---|
| Died |
30 August 1935 (aged 24) London, England |
| Nationality |
 England |
| Career history | |
| 1929-1930 | Coventry |
| 1931-1933 | Crystal Palace Glaziers |
| 1934-1935 | New Cross Lambs |
| Individual honours | |
| 1933 | Star Riders' Champion |
| 1934, 1935 | London Riders' Champion |
| 1934, 1935 | British Individual Match Race Champion |
| Team honours | |
| 1931, 1934 | London Cup |
Tom Farndon (11 September 1910 – 30 August 1935),[1][2] was a British speedway rider who won the Star Riders' Championship in 1933 whilst with the Crystal Palace Glaziers.[3]
Career
Born in Coventry, Farndon started his career at the Lythalls Lane track in Foleshill and later rode for the club based at Brandon Stadium, before a spell with the Crystal Palace Glaziers. He moved to New Cross Lambs with Palace promoter Fred Mockford in 1934.[4]
Farndon was the British Individual Match Race Champion and was undefeated from 1934 until his death in 1935.
Death
Tom Farndon was killed after a crash on 28 August 1935 whilst racing at the New Cross Stadium in a second half scratch race final. He was involved in a collision with team-mate Ron Johnson which hurled him through the air and saw him land head first on the track, though some reports stated that Farndon first hit the fence in mid-air before landing on the track.
Tom died two days later in Miller General Hospital, Greenwich, without regaining consciousness.
Thousands lined the streets to see his funeral. An art deco memorial in the form of a motorbike racer, carved by local sculptor Richard Ormerod out of black granite stands at Tom's final resting place in St. Paul's Cemetery, Holbrook Lane, Coventry.
Tom Farndon Memorial
Between 1935 and 1961, the Tom Farndon Memorial was held on 11 occasions at the New Cross Stadium. The running of the memorial was abandoned after 1961 as a mark of respect.
| Year | Winner | |
|---|---|---|
| 1935 | Eric Langton () | |
| 1936 | Jack Milne ( ) | |
| 1937 | Not Held | |
| 1938 | Bluey Wilkinson ( ) | |
| 1939-1945 | Not Held due to World War II | |
| 1946 | Malcolm Craven () | |
| 1947 | Jeff Lloyd () | |
| 1948 | Howdy Byford () | |
| 1949 | Not Held | |
| 1950 | Graham Warren () | |
| 1951 | Jack Young () | |
| 1952-1958 | Not Held | |
| 1959 | Peter Craven () | |
| 1960 | Ronnie Moore ( ) | |
| 1961 | Jack Young () | |
External links
- Vintage Speedway Magazine -Tom Farndon Story (Part One)
- Vintage Speedway Magazine -Tom Farndon Story (Part Two)
- Photograph of Tom Farndon 1933
- Tom Farndon Headstone
References
- ↑ Jacobs, N. & Chaplin, J. Tom Farndon The Greatest Speedway Rider of Them All, ISBN 978-0-7524-5140-4
- ↑ Bamford, R & Jarvis J.(2001). Homes of British Speedway. , ISBN 0-7524-2210-3
- ↑ Jacobs, N. Speedway in London, ISBN 0-7524-2221-9
- ↑ Jacobs, N. Out of the Frying Pan The History of New Cross Speedway, ISBN 978-0-7524-4476-5