Ernie Lessiter
| Born | 12 August 1929 Paddington, London, England |
|---|---|
| Died | 17 December 2001 (aged 72) Oxford, England |
| Nationality | British (English) |
| Career history | |
| 1952 | Oxford Cheetahs |
| 1954 | Ringwood Turfs |
| 1955–1958, 1960 | Swindon Robins |
| 1955 | Weymouth Scorchers |
| 1961 | Wolverhampton Wolves |
| Team honours | |
| 1957 | League champion (tier 1) |
| 1956 | League champion (tier 2) |
Ernest Archibald Herbert Lessiter (12 August 1929 – 17 December 2001) was a motorcycle speedway rider from England.[1]
Biography
[edit]Lessiter, born in Paddington, London, began his British leagues career riding for Oxford Cheetahs during the 1952 Speedway National League Division Two season.[2] His novice season was a disappointment because he could only record a one-point average and this resulted in him not riding the following season.[3]
In 1954, he made a comeback and improved dramatically by not only topping the team averages for his new club Ringwood Turfs but recording the highest average of the entire division, with an impressive 10.86.[4] The following season, he moved up to division 2 to join the Weymouth Scorchers but the Weymouth team withdrew after just seven league fixtures. This forced Lessiter to find another club and he joined the Swindon Robins.[5]
He enjoyed four consistent seasons at Swindon from 1955 to 1958[6] and helped the team win the National League division 2 title in 1956 and then the division 1 title in 1957.[7] Towards the latter part of the 1958 season, Lessiter announced his intention to retire.[8] He participated in some grasstrack meetings during 1959[9] before returning for a few rides for Swindon in 1960. His final season was in 1961, when he rode six matches for the Wolverhampton Wolves.
References
[edit]- ^ "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
- ^ "narrow Win for Cradley Heath Men". Evening Despatch. 31 May 1952. Retrieved 14 January 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "1952 season". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
- ^ "Rider averages 1929 to 2009" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
- ^ "Club History 1950s". Swindon Robins. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
- ^ "Year by Year". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
- ^ Oakes, Peter (1978). 1978 Speedway Yearbook. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. ISBN 978-0904584509.
- ^ "Speedway by Don Clarke". Sunday Mirror. 3 August 1958. Retrieved 14 January 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Uunusual Switch". Bristol Evening Post. 23 May 1959. Retrieved 14 January 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.