Let’s go back in time to the late fifties and look at charity fund raising activities of the time. There were no telethons or “go fund me” schemes in these days. The main fund raisers were “Flag Days”, when, in return for a few coppers, you got a “flag”, a pin with a small paper flag advertising the particular charity. The universities’ charity week was of a more general nature, raising funds for a broader spectrum of deserving causes. In some ways it was a final hurrah for the students before they got down to the serious business of studying for their exams and the students were afforded great latitude in their activities – like kidnapping footballers on the morning of a game and holding them to ransom! While they were often willing “victims”, I don’t think it could happen today.

Imagine a junior rider getting permission to stage a meeting at a currently unused track and persuading a former World Champion to appear. Even for a good cause, it too would never happen today. Well way back in 1959, Ian “Bruno” Hart did just that. While a student at Edinburgh University he first persuaded the university’s Engineering Society of his charity plan, before getting the local council, the owners of Old Meadowbank, and then the riders on board. He must have been quite a persuasive character.

On April 18, 1959 he supplemented Doug Templeton, Willie Templeton, Fred Greenwell, George Hunter, Gordon Mitchell and Jimmy Tannock, all of whom had turned out for Motherwell in their short season in 1958, with Jimmy Cox, Bill Landels, Bob Torrance, Jimmy Cramb and Norman Wright, throwing himself in for good measure too. Doug Templeton won the meeting with 14 points, losing only to Fred Greenwell in his last race. Greenwell and Willie Templeton were joint runners up with 12, Greenwell ruing a last place in his fourth outing which scuppered his chances. As top scorers, they qualified for the special final race involving Ronnie Moore, which not unexpectedly was won by the Wimbledon Don, who had come four hundred miles to race against three near novices who would struggle to get a second half in the NL at the time. However his welcome presence significantly boosted the gate and allowed a handsome sum to be added to the charity fund. What a gesture by such a generous man.

This historic meeting probably led to Hoskins deciding that Edinburgh would be his preferred location for a PL team in 1960, a team that was comprised almost entirely of the riders who rode for the Eagles in 1958.

If the first meeting posed “Bruno” with some difficulties, the following year was worse as the Monarchs were away at Stoke on April 23, 1960, the Charities Weekend, riding in their inaugural Provincial League meeting. Undaunted, he boldly recruited Bradford riders, Ray Day, Tommy Roper, Stan Holey, Tony Barnard, Vic Lonsdale, Norman Redmond and Ray Challoner to supplement locals, Bill Landels, Bill Dale, Tom Gray, Andrew Pryde and Jimmy Cramb. The meeting was won by Tommy Roper with fourteen from five rides, with Vic Lonsdale and Stan Holey next with 12 each. This year’s star guest was Ron How, who duly won the challenge race from Holey, with both Roper and Lonsdale dropping out with engine problems

Two incredible meetings held a lifetime ago, the likes of which we’ll never see again. Well done “Bruno”. Still fondly remembered in Scotland.