Club History

The Nottinghamshire Ice Racing Club (NIRC) was formed on the 30th August 1948.
Since then it has maintained its position as one of the most successful clubs in Europe.

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Personal account by founder member Gordon Smithurst

I  first got interested in racing during sport sessions held on Saturday nights at’ The Nottingham Ice Stadium’ Most weeks a ten lap race was held and was hotly contested by lads who eventually made up the nucleus  of  ‘The Speed Club’

I cannot remember who organised it but one Saturday evening the ‘Birmingham Mohawks’ came to Nottingham and gave a speed skating exhibition and I was well and truly hooked.

A small group of us became interested, and we approached the management who kindly gave us ice time on Sunday mornings for training.

Speed skates were very hard to find and the majority of us started our career on hockey skates. Eventually enough of us were able to acquire skates and boots so training could start in earnest.


A committee was formed and this is a copy of 1949 Committee Members:
President: C.B. Mason ESQ.
Secretary: Marion Nicholson
Treasurer: K. Orange                          Chairman: R. Acton
Captain: D. Walters                            Vice- Captain: P. Moore
Trainer: H. Bradley                             Assist. Trainer: J. Oldham

Committee:
G. Smithurst          R. Acton
H. Bradley            A. Pollard

Selection Committee:
H. Bradley            N. Barnes
J. Oldham              A. Storr

Our first club sweaters were knitted by family and friends, club badges designed and purchased and sewn onto the front of the sweaters. Tights were hard to come by but we managed to purchase enough.

Our first outing was for a friendly meeting with the Birmingham Mohawks at The Ice Rink, Summer Hill. Birmingham.  We were warmly welcomed by the public. As far as I can remember our team was;

D Walters, H Bradley, J Oldham, C Stafford, P Moore, and Myself. 
As I have no programme for this event I am hoping that I have got the names correct and have not missed anyone.

Some of the programmes of events which we entered in the early years are as follows:

• 12th March 1949. The Quarter Mile British (Open) Challenge Trophy, held at Birmingham Mohawks.
  
• 2nd April 1949.      Exhibition , held at the Westover Ice Rink, Bournemouth.
  
• 23rd April 1949     Interclub Relay for the Aldwych Cup, held at , Richmond Sports Drome.
  
• 29th October 1949 Speed meeting,  Nottingham V Bournemouth, at Nottingham Ice stadium.
  
• 5th November 1949 Meeting Aldwych V Nottingham at Richmond Sports Drome.
  
• 8th April 1950        National League meeting V Brighton at the Sports Stadium, Brighton.
  
• 13th May 1950     League meeting Brighton Flyers at Brighton Sports Stadium, Brighton
  
• 29th May 1950     Presidents Shield  (Open meeting) at Brighton. Sports  stadium, Brighton
  

I was called up for National service in 1950 and joined the RAF for 3 years, so my skating during this period was limited. During this time I took up cycling and did a lot of training with Tony Bullen at the weekends.

I have programmes covering a number of events between 1950 and 1956. We had a fair amount of success but our best achievement was in 1953 - 1954 and 1955 - 1956 seasons when we won the League Championship.


Other events held at this time:

• The West Cup, half mile scratch race held at Birmingham Mohawks.
  
• The Presidents Shield held at Brighton.
  
• The Wilson Trophy held at Nottingham
  
• The Quarter mile, Half mile, One mile and Three mile amateur Championship Of Great Britain, which was held at various venues.
  
• The Sports Drome Trophy 3 mile interclub relay held at the Aldwych Speed Club, Richmond , Surrey.
  
• The National Ice Racing League held on most Saturday nights during the season., clubs taking part; Brighton, Surrey, Aldwych, Birmingham, Nottingham, Bournemouth (eventually changed its name to Southampton.)
  

Some of times recorded are:

• Quarter mile scratch - 45.6 sec. and 44.85 sec.  
  
• Half mile - 1 min.33sec. and 1 min 32.8 sec.
  
• One mile scratch 3 min. 6.5 sec. 
  
• 2 mile relay 5 min. 58.4 sec.
  

Kind Regards and Best Wishes for the coming season.

Gordon Smithurst

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Vintage Short Track Speed Skating
Scotland V's England 1965 at the old Nottingham rink http://youtu.be/_VMdtEhpK3I 

Watch Nottingham Speedskaters Of Yesteryear
​- no helmets, no pads just woolly jumpers! http://youtu.be/XxBecHTL35I