Harringay Stadium was a major greyhound racing and motorcycle speedway venue in Harringay, north London. It was built and opened in 1927 and closed in 1987.
Construction Harringay Stadium was the third greyhound racing stadium to open in Britain. It was owned by the Greyhound Racing Association Ltd (GRA).Despite the name the GRA was in fact a private company rather than a sports governing body. After great success with their first track at Belle Vue in Manchester in 1926, they opened both White City and Harringay stadiums in 1927.
The driving force behind the GRA, and its managing director until the 1960s, was Brigadier-General Alfred Critchley, who wrote in his autobiography that, when he first learned of greyhound racing, "It immediately occurred to me that this might prove to be the poor man's racecourse". Apparently his interest in how the lower-paid classes were losing money by backing horses was born out of concern for his valet who lost large sums betting on horse racing.
Harringay Stadium was constructed by Messrs T.G. Simpson of Victoria Street, London, at a cost of £35,000. The site had been the Williamson's Pottery Works from the late 18th century through to the early 1900s. It was then used as a dumping ground for the spoil from the construction of the Piccadilly line to Finsbury Park.
On completion, the rather awkward structure had a capacity of 50,000. The main stand running along the north of the site seated 3,000. The remaining 47,000 spectators were accommodated on terracing constructed on earth banking. When it opened the stadium was originally called Harringay Park.
There were a number of additions to the stadium in the years after construction, including a number of smaller stands around the track and the construction of a restaurant in the main stand. One of the most renowned additions was the Australian-invented Julius totalisator. This electro-mechanical computer, installed in 1930 and extended and upgraded in 1948, saw continuous service until the stadium was closed in 1987.
Greyhound racing Opening The opening night was on Tuesday 13 September 1927 and drew in a crowd of 35,000, and the racing was dampened by persistent rain all evening. The opening race was the Chorley Wood Stakes, and it was won by Baltard Castle over 500 yards in a time of 30.80 sec at 3–1 for trainer Sid Jennings. Another greyhound racing that evening was Ever Bright trained by John 'Jack' Kennedy and although only finishing third he would finish as runner-up in the 1927 English Greyhound Derby less than one month later. The original trainers were Kennedy, Jennings, William Spoor, Harry Buck and Reginald Grey. Track lighting was seen as a first-time experience by most (football did not have floodlights for another 30 years).
Pre war history In 1927 the GRA set up the Hook estate at Northaw for GRA trainers to train out off for White City Stadium and Harringay. The 140 acres of park and grassland was used for greyhounds over nine months old and could house 600 dogs. The pups under nine months were reared under the supervision of William Skerratt on farms in and around Blythe Bridge near Stoke-on-Trent before graduating to Northaw.
Bendeemer trained by Jack Kennedy finished fourth in the 1928 English Greyhound Derby final before the Mick the Miller appeared at Harringay for the only time in 1929. He defeated the Billy Chandler (grandfather of Victor Chandler) owned Bishops Dream in a match race on 11 December.
Two further Greyhound Derby final appearances in 1931 and 1932 by Brunswick Bill and Fret Not respectively were followed by the arrival of two trainers called Leslie Reynolds and Jack Harvey; the latter would provide Harringay with their first Derby champion in Davesland in the 1934 English Greyhound Derby.
The track was the first to race a steeplechase in 1934, which featured a hurdle, a water jump, a collapsible dummy brick wall and a brushwood hedge. The steeplechase failed to become a permanent fixture in the industry.
The prestigious Pall Mall Stakes was set up in 1935 and became Harringay's feature competition. Shove Halfpenny, the first winner of the Pall Mall, switched kennels to Jack Harvey in 1937, finishing runner-up in the Derby final, and Eddie Wright steered Carmel Ash to second place in the 1939 Derby final.
With the advent of war, major competitions were badly hit, with many postponed until 1945; the 1940 Greyhound Derby was affected after White City cancelled the event despite the fact that it had already started on 15 June. The race was moved to Harringay, a move that did not go down well with many within the industry, and the press described it as being the forgotten Derby. Racing was restricted during the next four years, with Saturday matinee meetings being the only fixtures.
Postwar history In 1948 the popular totalisator board underwent extensive improvements, with the small stand next to the board being demolished and the tote doubled in size, displaying results automatically. Tote turnover in 1946 was a massive £11,046,994 second only to White City.
In the 1950s the grandstand received a glass front to accommodate a restaurant and offered 14 buffet bars and 10 licensed bars. Such was Harringay's reputation that in the 1950s Sporting Life called the track "the best running circuit in Britain". In 1957 Racing Manager Harold Ingleton retired and was replaced by Ken Obee from Stamford Bridge. In 1959 the Oaks was switched to Harringay from White City.
In 1961 the track heating system was introduced with electric cables sewn into the track by the tractor and a team of workers about eight inches under the turf. They would prove to be useful until the advent of all sand tracks. The track was able to use two hares, an 'Outside McGee' and 'Outside Sumner' and small hurdle races described as chases. Harringay held Bookmakers Afternoon Greyhound Service (BAGS) meetings from 1967 after being chosen as one of the tracks to host the service.
In late 1968 the stadium underwent a facelift with new stands, a new track surface with improved banking, and new distances of 450, 725, and 900 yards. Trainer Peter Hawkesley replaced the retiring Wilf France in 1970 and Jimmy Keane replaced Frank Melville in 1971 after he left for Rochester. In 1971 eight dog racing was trialed and one year later Harringay dogs had a brief spell of fame when the stadium became the home of Greyhound racing on London Weekend Television's World of Sport between 1972 and 1982.
Westpark Mustard completed win number seven on her way to 20 consecutive wins in 1974 and a new major competition called the Golden Jacket was inaugurated at the track in 1975. Ballyregan Bob appeared during December 1985 and twice in November 1986, all three wins formed part of the magical 32 world record (two of them track records).
Decline and closure By 1986 plans to sell most of the site had been announced and the managing director of the GRA, Charles Chandler, promised a new, smaller stadium on the site, modelled on the Stamford Bridge track. The plan failed to materialise. In 1987 the GRA was taken over by Wembley plc, and with the 23-acre site of the stadium valued at £1 million per acre the sale plans accelerated. The last greyhound meeting was held on 25 September 1987.Bamford, R & Jarvis J.(2001). Homes of British Speedway. and the last winner was 6–1 shot Davdor Darra. The famous totalisator board was dismantled and parts of it went to the Science Museum at Wroughton, Swindon. The stadium, which was acquired by the local council and McAlpine Homes, was subject to various appeals before being demolished and making way for 220 homes and a Sainsbury's superstore.
Competitions The Oaks (an original classic race) Pall Mall Stakes Golden Jacket National Sprint Produce Stakes
Track records Pre Metric records Distance (yards) Greyhound Time Date Notes440 Houghton Spur 24.66 1968450 Gun Black 24.74 1970500 Demotic Mack28.46 1946500 Welcome Home 28.41 20 March 1961 525 Fish Hill29.40 1946525 Polonius 29.22 1956525 Pigalle Wonder29.03 24 November 1958 525 Cranog Bet 29.02 6 July 1964 525 Shady Parachute 28.89 July 1968525 Yellow Printer28.71 4 November 1968 Pall Mall heats525 Yellow Printer28.60 8 November 1968 Pall Mall semi-finals525 Always Present 28.54 28 March 1969 525 That Cailin 28.47 1970 525 Camira Story 28.39 1970525 TJs Silver 28.321973650 Westpark Larch 37.12 26 July 1965 650 Summer Guest 25 July 1966 650 Brinmark Fire 36.80 1968 700Chain Mail 41.32 1931 700Mick's Fancy41.209 September 1931 700 Alvaston Lulu Belle40.44 1946700 Noreview King 40.24 24 November 1958 700 Westpark Quail 39.69 15 February 1965725 Cullen Era 40.27 1968 725 Coldwells 40.15 28 March 1969 725 Houghton Tango 39.92 1970880 Tugwell 52.64 1946880 Greenane Airlines 52.08 28 September 1959880 Boothroyden Larry 51.15 7 December 1964880 Gezira 51.09 1968 880 Hiver Whitenose50.43 1970900 Breach's Biscuit 52.36 1968900 Greenville Fauna 51.86 28 March 1969 900 Breach's Biscuit 51.80 7 April 1969 900 Coldwell's 51.57May 1969 900 Booked Six 51.56 May 1969 900 Greenville Fauna 51.29 1970900 Country Maiden 51.16 1972963 The Popular Streak 56.72 11 May 1959 966 Boothroyden Larry 56.49 19 October 1964 500 H Kilganny Bridge 29.53 1946525 H Juvenile Classic 30.24 1946 525 H Dark General30.22 1950 525 H Blue Sand 29.81 24 October 1956 525 H Sherrys Prince29.02 1972 525 Chase Fodda Champion 30.36 1 April 1957525 Chase Ballinagree 30.14 27 October 1963 700 H Misty Bridge 41.61 11 August 1958 700 H Fawn Buffalo 40.79 20 September 1965
Post Metric records Distance (metres) Greyhound Time Date Notes272 Very Attractive 16.15 25 June 1984 272 Fearless Action 15.93 25 November 1985414 Sampsons Pal24.77 31 August 1979414 Ballybeg Sport 24.60 04.09.1981 National Sprint final475 House Party28.37 23 October 1978475 Yankee Express 28.22 28 October 1983475 Castlelyons Cash28.85 14 May 1986475 Fearless Swift 28.43 25 July 1986660 Drynham Star40.14 21 February 1976660 Howl On Roger 41.38 5 October 1979688 Scurlogue Champ 42.50 23 November 1984688 Ballyregan Bob 41.94 6 December 1985688 Ballyregan Bob 41.74 28 November 1986830 Miss Kilkenny51.79 3 October 1977891 Welsh Cobbler56.38 3 November 1978891 Westmead Light 56.23 4 September 1981891 Jos Gamble 56.23 28 October 1983475 HDerby Wonder29.13 23 February 1980475 HWestlands Steve29.13 13 December 1980660 HHowl on Rodger41.38 5 October 1979
Cheetah racing at Harringay In 1937, Harringay Stadium was part of a scheme by the owner of the Romford Stadium, Arthur Leggett, to increase attendance at his venue. Twelve cheetahs were imported into the UK from Kenya in December 1936 by explorer Kenneth Gandar-Dower.Mark Barber, Financial Times, 5 August 2003. After six months' quarantine the cheetahs were given a year to acclimatise and for training at Harringay and Staines stadia. The cheetahs ran in public for the first time to a packed house at the Romford track, on Saturday, 11 December 1937. Two races were held.The Times, Racing Cheetahs, 11 December 1937.
The experiment failed and the racing stopped because although the cheetahs were able to better the greyhound times they had to be let off first when racing greyhounds and when they raced against each other they became disinterested and stopped chasing the lure.
Speedway