Ken Middleditch
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Arthur Middleditch (born 5 October 1925 in Camberley
, England
) is a British
retired motorcycle speedway
rider.
in World War II
as a rear gunner, and became interested in speedway while stationed in Egypt
.
Middleditch signed for Third Division
team Hastings
in 1948 after progressing through Eastbourne's
speedway training school. By 1949 he had become Hastings top points scorer but at the end of that year Hastings were forced to close down and he signed for Poole
.
Middleditch had a successful career at Poole, forming an effective pairing with Poole rider Tony Lewis, he eventually became the team captain and won four league titles with the club. Middleditch left Poole for the 1957 season when the club closed for a year and signed for Swindon
. He returned to Poole for a further two stints before retiring in 1961.
Ken's son, Neil Middleditch
, also had a successful career as a speedway rider and has been team manager of the Poole Pirates since 1998.
After retiring from the sport Ken set up a business, Middleditch Salvage, in Sturminster Marshall
, Dorset
.
Camberley
Camberley is a town in Surrey, England, situated 31 miles southwest of central London, in the corridor between the M3 and M4 motorways. The town lies close to the borders of both Hampshire and Berkshire; the boundaries intersect on the western edge of the town where all three counties...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
) is a British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
retired motorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. Speedway motorcycles use only one gear and have no brakes and racing takes place on a flat oval track usually...
rider.
Career Summary
Middleditch served in the RAFRoyal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as a rear gunner, and became interested in speedway while stationed in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
.
Middleditch signed for Third Division
Speedway National League Division Three
The National League Division Three was the third division of Speedway in the United Kingdom. The league was created as a third tier in 1947 but ran for only 5 years. In 1952 it was replaced by more regional leagues such as the Southern League.-References:...
team Hastings
Hastings Saxons
Hastings Saxons were a British motorcycle speedway team which operated for two years between 1948 and 1949 at the Pilot Field in Hastings.-History:...
in 1948 after progressing through Eastbourne's
Eastbourne Eagles
The Eastbourne Eagles are a British speedway team based near Eastbourne, England who compete in the British Elite League. They became Elite League Champions in 2000. They were also Elite League Knockout Cup winners in 2002 and again in 2008. Speedway was initially introduced to Eastbourne in...
speedway training school. By 1949 he had become Hastings top points scorer but at the end of that year Hastings were forced to close down and he signed for Poole
Poole Pirates
Poole Pirates are a motorcycle speedway team based in Poole, England, competing in the British Elite League...
.
Middleditch had a successful career at Poole, forming an effective pairing with Poole rider Tony Lewis, he eventually became the team captain and won four league titles with the club. Middleditch left Poole for the 1957 season when the club closed for a year and signed for Swindon
Swindon Robins
The Swindon Speedway team, also known as the Swindon Robins, are an English Motorcycle Speedway team established in 1949 that competes in the Elite League....
. He returned to Poole for a further two stints before retiring in 1961.
Ken's son, Neil Middleditch
Neil Middleditch
Neil Middleditch is a former Speedway rider and the team manager of the Poole Pirates. His father Ken was a former rider with the Poole Pirates...
, also had a successful career as a speedway rider and has been team manager of the Poole Pirates since 1998.
After retiring from the sport Ken set up a business, Middleditch Salvage, in Sturminster Marshall
Sturminster Marshall
Sturminster Marshall is a village and civil parish in east Dorset in England, situated on the River Stour between Blandford Forum and Poole. The parish has a population of 1,895 , and includes the village of Almer west of Sturminster Marshall, near Winterborne Zelston and the hamlet of Henbury to...
, Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
.