Perry Hill Greyhound Stadium was a

greyhound racing Greyhound racing is an organized, competitive sport in which greyhounds are raced around a track. There are two forms of greyhound racing, track racing (normally around an oval track) and coursing; the latter is now banned in most countries. Tra ...

stadium in

Catford Catford is a district in south east London, England, and the administrative centre of the London Borough of Lewisham. It is southwest of Lewisham itself, mostly in the Rushey Green (ward), Rushey Green and Catford South Ward (electoral subdiv ...

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

Origins

A small greyhound track existed off the east side of the Perry Hill Road (which goes north from

Lower Sydenham Sydenham () is a district of south-east London, England, which is shared between the London boroughs of Lewisham, Bromley and Southwark. Prior to the creation of the County of London in 1889, Sydenham was located in Kent, bordering Surrey. Histo ...

towards Catford Bridge) at the end of Rubens Street. In 1930 three fields made up the green space of the area, the African Banks Athletic Ground, the City of London School Athletic Ground and the Forest Hill Cricket Ground. One of these was described and was also known by locals as the 'Dog Field' and evidence points to the latter being the field in question.

History

The track opened in the early 1930s and was originally independent (unaffiliated to a governing body). In 1933 Mr Herbert Blann the co-manager of the track and residing in Rubens Street appeared in court to answer the allegations of using live rabbits to train greyhounds at Perry Hill, Forest Hill Greyhound Track. It is probable that the management changed due to the fact that the track became affiliated to the British Greyhound Tracks Control Society (BGTCS), an organisation formed to assist tracks wishing to race under regulations and a rival to the bigger

National Greyhound Racing Club The National Greyhound Racing Club was an organisation that governed Greyhound racing in the United Kingdom. History The National Greyhound Racing Club (NGRC) was formed in 1928 and this body would be responsible for regulation, licensing and the r ...

(NGRC). In addition the track had basic tote facilities which also means that there were buildings on site although not necessarily substantial brick ones. The track was issued a betting licence in February 1935 but the BGTCS disbanded in 1935 leaving the stadium unaffiliated.

Midget Cars

Midget car racing Midget cars, also speedcars in Australia, is a class of racing cars. The cars are very small with a very high power-to-weight ratio and typically use four cylinder engines. They originated in the United States in the 1930s and are raced on mos ...

took place for the first time at the Perry Hill Stadium on 7 June 1935.

Closure

Business was hit by the construction of the nearby

Catford Stadium Catford Stadium was a historic greyhound racing stadium in Catford, a suburb of London. Origins Charles Benstead and Frank Sutton founded the stadium on Southern Railway land between two commuter lines in 1932. The entrance was on Adenmore Ro ...

in 1932 which left Perry Hill in a precarious position. The stadium was wound up in November 1935 and the business went on public sale in December offering a significant package. Today the site is the Catford and Cyphers Cricket Club Ground.

References

{{English greyhound tracks Defunct greyhound racing venues in the United Kingdom Defunct greyhound racing venues in London Greyhound racing in London