Hackney Wick Stadium

Hackney Wick Stadium was a sports stadium located at Waterden Road in the London Borough of HackneyOriginsThe site chose for the stadium was on land known as Hackney Marshes west of the River Lea and on the west side of the Waterden Road. The stadium was constructed from September 1931 until 1932 and cost £70, 000 to build and after completion £18, 000 in wages had been paid to the builders. OpeningHackney opened On Friday 8 April 1932 under the affiliation of the British Greyhound Tracks Control Society the rival to the larger National Greyhound Racing Club. Thirteen thousand people attended the first night and witnessed Marjory Graves, MP for South Hackney officially open the track. The capacity of the track was put between 30, 000-50, 000 and a totalisator had been installed for the first night. A greyhound called Bullseye became the first ever winner at the track. Although the meeting was advertised as the first official meeting there had been a dress rehearsal two days previous on Wednesday 6 April which attracted 12, 000 people. The company responsible for the project was Hackney Wick Stadium Ltd headed by Managing Director Arthur Gilbert and Racing Manager Fred Whitehead with William Chandler also holding shares in the new company, Chandler would in due course buy the Crooked Billet independent track and turn it into Walthamstow Stadium one year later. Greyhound historyAfter World War II Hendon Greyhound Stadium and Hackney Wick merged to become the Hackney and Hendon Greyhounds Ltd company. The resident kennels featured six ranges with each able to house up to fifty greyhounds, paddocks sat next to each range with cooking facilities and a veterinary surgeon on site. The kennel fees were 17s 6d for each greyhound.

Hackney Wick Stadium was a sports stadium located at Waterden Road in the London Borough of HackneyOriginsThe site chose for the stadium was on land known as Hackney Marshes west of the River Lea and on the west side of the Waterden Road. The stadium was constructed from September 1931 until 1932 and cost £70, 000 to build and after completion £18, 000 in wages had been paid to the builders. OpeningHackney opened On Friday 8 April 1932 under the affiliation of the British Greyhound Tracks Control Society the rival to the larger National Greyhound Racing Club. Thirteen thousand people attended the first night and witnessed Marjory Graves, MP for South Hackney officially open the track. The capacity of the track was put between 30, 000-50, 000 and a totalisator had been installed for the first night. A greyhound called Bullseye became the first ever winner at the track. Although the meeting was advertised as the first official meeting there had been a dress rehearsal two days previous on Wednesday 6 April which attracted 12, 000 people. The company responsible for the project was Hackney Wick Stadium Ltd headed by Managing Director Arthur Gilbert and Racing Manager Fred Whitehead with William Chandler also holding shares in the new company, Chandler would in due course buy the Crooked Billet independent track and turn it into Walthamstow Stadium one year later. Greyhound historyAfter World War II Hendon Greyhound Stadium and Hackney Wick merged to become the Hackney and Hendon Greyhounds Ltd company. The resident kennels featured six ranges with each able to house up to fifty greyhounds, paddocks sat next to each range with cooking facilities and a veterinary surgeon on site. The kennel fees were 17s 6d for each greyhound.