Maw Wood was everyone's friend

NEWS Wednesday 5th July 2023, 1:10pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

As supporters will now be aware, we recently lost a great supporter of Speedway, Marion Wood, universally known as "Maw" and one of the best-known figures at Armadale right up to recent times. She would have reached the age of 96 later this month.

Maw was actually the mother of Margaret Sutherland, equally well known as the Track Shop boss from Powderhall days also until fairly recently. Maw had started going to speedway, as far as Margaret is aware, in the early sixties when taken by an uncle, and she used to sit in the Old Meadowbank stand with Margaret every Saturday night.

Everyone knew Maw, and Maw knew everyone. She was a hugely well liked and good humoured person, though she could have strong opinions! She would do anything for anyone, for example she supplied sandwiches and Mars Bars for Alan Bridgett and poet Mose for years and would not set off for the speedway without her bag of goodies for her friends.

She was also a follower of cricket, which her husband played, and had a collection of cricket books. Most of the Monarchs also knew her well, right from the days when George Hunter used to come up into the grandstand on a Saturday night at Meadowbank to speak to her and Margaret.

She hasn't been well enough to attend speedway for a couple of years but she was, and will be, very much missed.

The funeral of Marion "Maw" Wood will be at Mortonhall on Wednesday 19th July at 12 midday.