Jim_Kempster

Jim Kempster

Jim Kempster

British speedway rider

Ernest Arthur David Kempster known as Jim Kempster (9 October 1900 – 29 June 1945) was an international speedway rider from England. He was the first captain of the England national speedway team.[1][2]

Quick Facts Born, Died ...

Education

Kempster attended Beaudesert School.[3]

Speedway career

Kempster earned the nickname 'Smiling Jim Kempster' and came to prominence in 1928 when he won a race against Roger Frogley, in a match deemed to be the English Championship. Kempster had raced against the early Australian pioneers.[4] He earned significant prize money during 1928 and won an International title in front of 45,000 at the new Wimbledon Stadium. Kempster was given the title of World Champion after the success because he had beaten the former title holder Sprouts Elder, of the United States.[5]

He joined the Wimbledon Dons for the inaugural speedway season in England. He soon became their club captain and finished fourth in the riders league averages during the 1929 Speedway Southern League despite the fact that Wimbledon finished bottom of the league.[6] He captained England against Australia on 30 June 1930, for England's first test match.[1][7]

Kempster continued to ride in the top tier of British Speedway from 1929 to 1933. He signed for Clapton Saints in 1933.[8] After retiring he coached novice riders at Luton and made a brief comeback for the Wembley Lions during 1936 as a backup rider.[9]

Personal life

Kempster married Hilda Thompson in 1930.[10]

He was killed in a plane crash on 29 June 1945, while serving with the Air Transport Auxiliary during World War II[11] and is buried at the Rheinberg War Cemetery.[12][13]

References

  1. [1]
    "Wimbledon Speedway". Defunct Speedway. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  2. [2]
    "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  3. [3]
    "1932 Sports Day". British Speedway. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  4. [4]
    "English Stars". Daily Mirror. 30 June 1928. Retrieved 15 August 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. [5]
    "World's Speedway Champion". Hull Daily Mail. 29 August 1928. Retrieved 15 August 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. [6]
    "BRITISH LEAGUE TABLES - PRE-WAR ERA (1929-1939)". British Speedway. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  7. [7]
    "Wimbledon Speedway". Gus Kuhn. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  8. [8]
    "Speedway". Illustrated Police News. 29 June 1933. Retrieved 15 August 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. [9]
    "Speed veteran comes back". Daily Mirror. 17 June 1936. Retrieved 19 November 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. [10]
    "Notes". Hull Daily Mail. 18 October 1930. Retrieved 15 August 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. [11]
    "ATA Personnel". archive.atamuseum.org. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  12. [12]
    "Retro Speedway". Classic Speedway. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  13. [13]
    "FIRST OFFICER ERNEST ARTHUR DAVID KEMPSTER". Commonwealth War Graves. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
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