Clem Beckett

Clem Beckett (1906 – 12 February 1937) was a British communist, trade union leader, champion speedway rider, and pioneer of Motorcycle speedway sports. He was the winner of the Golden Helmet at Owlerton Stadium, and was famous throughout Europe for his motorsport stunts. In response to the numerous deaths of young speedway racers, Beckett founded the Dirt Track Riders' Association, a trade union catering to speedway racers. In 1936 he became one of the first British volunteers to join the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War. He was killed at the age of 31 while manning a machine gun, sacrificing himself to cover the retreat of fellow British volunteers during the Battle of Jarama.

Early life Born in Oldham, England in the year 1906, Clement Henry Beckett was raised in a working-class family and became a blacksmith after leaving school. Around the age of 20 he joined the Young Communist League (YCL), the youth branch of the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB), becoming a lifelong member of both organisations and dedicating his life outside of sports to communist party activism. Despite being a skilled tradesman, he was often victimised and discriminated against due to his trade union activism. He was sacked from the Ford plant in Dagenham after arguing with a foreman.

Sports career His motorsport career started in 1928, Audenshaw, when motor racing sports was in its infancy. He was saved from unemployment due to his unique skills as a rider on Wall of death shows. He soon became known as "Dare Devil Beckett", and worked as a speedway racer for the London-based team White City. By the end of his first year as a speedway racer, he became one of Britain's leading race drivers. His fame quickly spread across Europe, and in the year 1929 alone, he performed at racing events and displays in Germany, Yugoslavia, Turkey, Denmark, and France. The three sank their savings into purchasing land in Owlerton Meadows, which they operated under the name Provincial Dirt-Tracks Ltd, today known as Owlerton Stadium. This article led to him being blacklisted from the sport by the Auto-Cycling Union, who represented the promoters of the sport. Undeterred by being blacklisted from many jobs in motor sports, he inaugurated Sheffield's Wall of death and became an exhibition rider.

In 1931 he toured Europe, including Germany where he witnessed the rise of Germany's fascist movement. Of the approximately 2,500 British volunteers who went to fight for the Second Spanish Republic during the war, the majority were recruited by the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB), the same political party that Beckett had supported his entire adult life. Clem Beckett was one of the first British volunteers to fight for the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War, leaving Britain to join them in November 1936. His biker helmet is on display at Gallery Oldham, alongside many other objects relevant to his life. titled ‘Dare Devil Rides To Jarama’ . The play was reviewed positively by one Morning Star reviewer, describing Dare Devil Rides to Jarama as "quite simply the best political theatre produced for a long, long time".