London - Dagenham
Old Park : RM10 9AR London - Dagenham : Map credit National Library of Scotland London - Dagenham : Image credit www.retrobike.co.uk The Essex County Cycling and Athletic Association held their championship meetings annually, usually in Chelmsford. By 1935, the Association was losing money on the meeting and they decided to hold the championship event at Old Park, Dagenham, this proved to be more successful from an attendance point of view. At the Whit Monday 1935 Championships, PC Key of Chelmsford CC won both the championship half and one mile cycle races. Unfortunately, the event still lost money because the price of admission was reduced.

The picture reproduced here was taken from the www.retrobike.co.uk forum website and is dated 1943. I can find no other record of bicycle racing in Dagenham during the war.

The Essex championship meetings were dominated by athletics events and the meeting venues moved around the county in the 1940s. Dagenham proved none too popular and it was 1947 before they staged the next championships.

The Essex County CAA Championship meeting returned to Dagenham on 7th June 1947, both the half mile bicycle scratch race and the one mile County Championship were won by HMG Crowe of Becontree Wheelers.

This was probably the only bicycle racing to be held at the Dagenham Old Park. The park still exists.


Refs     : [p]
Photos : www.retrobike.co.uk
Maps    : National Library of Scotland