Tom Farndon
| Tom Farndon | ||
 |
||
| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Nationality |  England |
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| Date of birth | 11 September 1910 | |
| Place of birth | Coventry, England | |
| Date of death | 30 August 1935 (aged 24) | |
| Current club information | ||
| British league | - | |
| Career history | ||
| Coventry Crystal Palace Glaziers New Cross Lambs |
1929-1930 1931-1933 1934-1935 |
|
| Individual honours | ||
| Star Riders' Champion London Riders' Champion British Individual Match Race Champion |
1933 1934, 1935 1934, 1935 |
|
| Team honours | ||
| London Cup | 1931, 1934 | |
Tom Farndon (11 September 1910 in Coventry, England – 30 August 1935),[1][2] was a Speedway rider who won the Star Riders' Championship in 1933 whilst with the Crystal Palace Glaziers.[3]
He started his career with Coventry, initially at the Lythalls Lane track and later with the club based at Brandon Stadium, before enjoying 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 New Cross Rangers 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.
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.
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
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