Herne Hill Help

[author]

Can anyone help me.
I am writing a book about Speedway in Britain and am trying to find some information about a lady rider who rode at Hackney in 1964, becoming the first female to ride on a speedway track for over 30 years.
Her name was Mary Mansfield (nee Cuddihey) who lived and worked in London having married Brian Mansfield in 1963.
I believe she was also a racing cyclist and was killed in an accident at Herne Hill Velodrome circa 1971. If anyone knew her or has information about her death I would be grateful if you could contact me.
Thank you.

 

[gaz71]

The Mary Mansfield story. This is the story told to me, if Hackney supporters can add to it or verify it that would be good.
Mary Mansfield was a London cyclist who was trained by Hackney speedway promoter Len Silver to race speedway. Mary raced against Rosita Mattingley wife of Morrie the Southamptomn and Glasgow rider. The match race gained a lot of media coverage, it is estimated the attendance was 500 extra on that night in 1964. A short while later female riders were once again banned from competition by the ACU .Mary married David Hicks in 1970 and resumed her cycling career
There is a sad end to the Mary Mansfield story. She received fatal injuries when she crashed avoiding a fallen rider at the Herne Hill track in 1971.

This is all i could find.hope it helps.Good luck with the book as im a Speedway fan myself.

 

[Dec66]

Can anyone help me.
I am writing a book about Speedway in Britain and am trying to find some information about a lady rider who rode at Hackney in 1964, becoming the first female to ride on a speedway track for over 30 years.
Her name was Mary Mansfield (nee Cuddihey) who lived and worked in London having married Brian Mansfield in 1963.
I believe she was also a racing cyclist and was killed in an accident at Herne Hill Velodrome circa 1971. If anyone knew her or has information about her death I would be grateful if you could contact me.
Thank you.

This is the first time I've heard of this lady, so obviously I don't know anything about her myself, but perhaps the South London Press may have stuff about her in their archives if she competed at Herne Hill (which you'd expect)

Try contacting them, you never know what you may turn up.

Good luck with the book, and your research.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Good luck, no idea personally but pinged it to a Speedway pal.

 

[classic33]

http://www.defunctspeedway.co.uk/misc.htm#Lady Riders

I have a Mary Cuddhay, London '51