CHARLIE BARRETT - Unsung Speedway Hero No3

Charlie Barrett was from West Hartlepool and was a member of the Middlesborough Motor Club, competing in hill climbs, grass track races and the famous speed trials on the beach at Saltburn during the late 1920s. Charlie also rode in the very first dirt-track meeting at Cleveland Park, Middlesborough on August 23rd 1928. Middlesborough were running on an open licence in 1928, staging 16 individual meetings, but the following year they entered a team into the Northern League with Charlie as their captain. The first official match was against Salford on ay 16th and joining Charlie in the Middlesborough team were James "Indian" Allen, Frank Harrison, Alec Hill, Charlie Sanderson, Jack Ormston and Norman Evans.

On May 31st, Middlesborough registered a massive 43-18 victory over Sheffield and both Charlie and Norman Evans went through the card unbeaten. Later in the season Charlie had a brief spell at Preston before moving down to Wembley where he stayed for the rest of the season and right through to the end of the 1930 racing programme.

Following his departure from Wembley Charlie did some racing on the continent and raced around the bull-rings of Spain during 1932 alongside fellow Teessider Cliff Parkinson and Eva Asquith from Bedale.

During the second world war Charlie joined the RAF and was based in the North West where he delivered fighters from Walney Island, Cark and Haverigg to the frontline airfields in the South East. In the RAF museum at Haverigg there is a display of memorabila and photographs of Charlie in his flying days. Following his retirement from the RAF, Charlie stayed in the area (now known as Cumbria) and became the landlord of the King William IV pub in the village of Kirksanton, near Millom. He continued his interest in motor sports, taking part in scrambles, beach races and trials. He also became interested in the new sport of Kart Racing and was involved in the opening and running of the Kart Track at Rowrah, near Whitehaven.