KENNY CAMERON HAS PASSED AWAY

NEWS Monday 2nd February 2015, 12:30pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

We have received the sad news that Monarch of the sixties, Australian Ken Cameron, passed away last Sunday in an Edinburgh nursing home at the age of 84.

Kenny was a leg-trailing rider for much of his career, and quite a big name in Australian speedway in the late fifties and early sixties. He was known as “Casper” because he wore white-painted leathers and a cartoon race jacket depicting the character Casper the Friendly Ghost. Back home he was a rival to the likes of Ivan Mauger and Jack Young and always spoke with relish of his days racing against these speedway greats.

He was signed for Monarchs in 1963 by Ian Hoskins and arrived with his bike at Waverley Station. At his first practise session at Old Meadowbank there was actually ice on the track. He made a fair start to his Monarchs career but regrettably fractured his skull riding for the team at Wolverhampton on 17th May.

Ken did return to action but was never the same rider again. He briefly rode for Sunderland in 1964 but gradually he learnt to make his life in Edinburgh away from the speedway track. He had a B Sc degree and worked at Edinburgh University for a long time, and was a keen bowler.

In recent years Ken stayed at the Forbes Road nursing home. He has a son, also Kenny, who lives in New Zealand, and a daughter Robyn in Australia.

A funeral service to which all are welcome will be held at Mortonhall Crematorium Pentland Chapel on Wednesday 11 February at 3.30pm.