Goodbye to Harry Darling

NEWS Sunday 1st February 2026, 9:03pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

We have lost our oldest Monarch as the sad news has reached us that Harry Darling has passed away in Hospital. He had reached the excellent age of 95 and leaves behind his wife Doris and his family.

Before riding Speedway Harry competed in trials and scrambling. He had his first rides at the Newtongrange training track and was then invited into second halves at Old Meadowbank in 1951. Clem Mitchell noticed that the Wolverhampton manager invited him down to their track, so pre-empted this by signing him as a Monarch.

Harry won the Scottish Junior Championship at Ashfield on 16th October 1951 after a run-off with Niven McCreadie and won a chrome ice bucket which he kept all his life. He said "We never got paid that night the crowd was so poor. It was very wet which suited me as I had scrambling experience."

He rode 69 matches for Monarchs between 1952 and early 1954. He made his debut at Motherwell on 28th March 1952, scoring paid 4 from his two reserve rides. He was often paired with his friend Jock Scott in the two reserve berths, and one match they were particularly proud of was a home match against Glasgow Tigers on 28th June 1952.

Monarchs trailed 15-33 at one stage, but had improved to 34-44 after 13 heats. Jock and Harry were out in heat 14 – and grabbed a 5-1 to really get the fightback going! Monarchs eventually won by 56-52.

Harry stopped racing in 1954 and when Monarchs pulled out of the league he swapped his frame for the Meadowbank tractor. He took up contract farming. Later he ran a coach hire business and often took supporters to away matches. He also attended many veterans' events and always maintained his interest.

He said in a 90s interview "I admire the people that run speedway. Sometimes they get criticised but if it wasn't for them we wouldn't have the sport, the best sport there is."