Five 1931-32 Stamford Bridge Speedway silver trophies awarded to Frank Arthur, the first a two-handled cup engraved STAMFORD BRIDGE SPEEDWAY, THE ''PO

Five 1931-32 Stamford Bridge Speedway silver trophies awarded to Frank Arthur, the first a two-handled cup engraved STAMFORD BRIDGE SPEEDWAY, THE ''POINT STAKES'', 1931, WINNER, F. ARTHUR, hallmarked London 1931, height overall 20cm., 8in.; the second engraved STAMFORD BRIDGE SPEEDWAY, 1931, OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP, WINNER, F. ARTHUR, a two-handled cup on an ebonised base, hallmarked London 1931, height including base 19cm., 7?in.; the third engraved STAMFORD BRIDGE CUP, a two-handled cup hallmarked London 1931, damage to stem base, overall height 25cm., 10in.; the fourth engraved STAMFORD BRIDGE CUP, AUGUST 1932, a two-handled cup hallmarked London 1932, overall height 30cm., 12in., all four London trophies bearing the Charles Boyton & Son Ltd makers mark; the fifth a small decorative two-handled cup with laurel leaves rising in relief from the stem, the body engraved NATIONAL SPEEDWAY ASSOCIATION, NATIONAL LEAGUE, 1932, WINNERS, THE STAMFORD BRIDGE TEAM, FRANK ARTHUR (CAPTAIN), hallmarked Birmingham 1931, makers mark A.E. Poston & Co Ltd, overall height 13cm., 5in. (5) In 1928 speedway arrived in Britain from Australia, bringing with it a certain 19-year-old Frank Arthur. Few could match him on our dirt tracks, particularly at Stamford Bridge, and by that September he had won 31 trophies. The following year he won the Overseas Star Rider Championship, as well as beginning a successful career as an international speedway promoter. In 1930 he joined Stamford Bridge as team captain, eventually taking them to the inaugural National League title in 1932, his personal trophy being included here. He also captained the Australian test team and is reputed to have earned close to ?50,000 over a three-year period. Then management at 'The Bridge' replaced speedway with greyhound racing for 1933 and, having lost his favourite track, Frank retired from riding to become a full-time businessman in 1935. He returned to Australia prior to WWII and became co-promoter at Brisbane's Exhibition Ground during the 1950s, before dying in 1972 aged 63 in Sydney, from whence these trophies were purchased at auction.