The first bicycle race at the Gardens was at the Grand County Fete on 20th May 1874, the organiser, Mr HG Davies advertised this as "Gentlemen Amateur Athletic Sports", the event was aimed at the "Nobility and Gentry of Cheltenham" and admission cost half a crown. There were eight events, including a bicycle race ‘once around' the Gardens. The County Fete was held several times in the 1870s.
The Cheltenham and North Gloucestershire Cycling Club's Annual Athletics meeting was held on Whit Tuesday from 1882, this was altogether a more ambitious undertaking, which appealed "chiefly to the middle and working classes", the meeting included bicycle and tricycle races. The following year, in 1883, there was a procession of 31 bicycles and 45 tricycles, who rode around the town before the races. The cycle handicap events were open one and two miles for bicycles, a one mile club races for bicycles and tricycles. The bicycle races were held on the ‘outside path' of the Gardens.
Cheltenham Athletic Society started to hold their athletic sports in 1883, firstly in May and June before settling into Easter Monday meetings from 1885. That year they suffered a heavy financial loss due to the poor weather, but the following year, fine weather and an attendance of 6,000 ensured financial success.
Athletic sports meetings were held throughout the 1880s promoted by various organisations including Cheltenham Athletic Society North, Gloucestershire CC, the Conservatives and various groups of ‘local gentlemen', one of which was trying to raise money for a new recreation ground.
Cheltenham Cyclists' Club was formed in 1888 and the club immediately took an active part in local bicycle racing in association with the Cheltenham Athletic Society. Cheltenham CC organised a cyclists meet at the 28th June 1888 athletic meet and they held an evening fete and race meeting on 21st August 1889 during Cheltenham cricket week. The following year, in association with the Cheltenham Athletic Society, the club organised a bicycle meet and racing on 7th April 1890 and the next year they held their own sports meeting. The club seemed to go out of existence after 1894.
At the Easter Monday meeting in 1892, two of the Linton brothers Arthur and Sam** competed in three races. In the one mile bicycle handicap, Sam Linton won off 70 yards and in the mile safety scratch race he came third. Both brothers rode in the three miles safety handicap, but Arthur Linton was obviously not well known there as he was off 225 yards and his brother Sam was off 195 yards. Sam won the race with Arthur second, the two were riding together for the last mile, so Arthur most probably helped Same to win. The attendance at the event was very high at 5,000.
Cheltenham Borough Council purchased the spa and gardens in 1893 and by 1895 the track had been improved by banking one of the dangerous corners. Cheltenham Athletic Society continued to hold their Easter Monday Athletic Festival meetings with bicycle races into the 1900s even though the early date meant that there were occasionally snowstorms during the meeting. The Cheltenham Echo in 1908 commented that the Festival continues to be popular despite the unsuitably of the track for racing.
The last bicycle race at the Gardens was probably the Cheltenham and County Harriers August Bank Holiday meeting in 1922, when 2,500 spectators watched the sports which included a ¾ mile open handicap and a one mile scratch race for the Cheltenham Spa Trade Cup. A Triumph bicycle was donated as the raffle prize by A Williams, a local bicycle dealer.
Montpellier Gardens continues to be well used by the community and music, food and literature festivals are held there.
** The Linton brothers John, Arthur, Samuel and Thomas came from the South Wales cycling stronghold of Aberaman. Arthur Linton was the most talented of the brothers, he won the Fallowfield Gold Cup in 1893 and then took up with Choppy Warburton as his manager, after this he had a stellar career in Europe and America where he was advertised as ‘Champion cyclist of the world'. Arthur Linton died in 1896 due to complications with typhoid fever. His younger brother Sam started racing in 1892 but was not particularly successful and stopped racing after he had several accidents.
