Southport - Sussex Road
Poplar Street : PR8 6DX A new eight acre sports ground at Sussex Road was opened in 1882 and the Southport Athletic Festival was held there on 10th June. The cinder track was 4 laps to the mile and cost £400. There was a large grandstand that extended the whole length of the straight, some 95 yards. The meeting included one mile and three miles bicycle handicap races, both won by Tommy Edge of Manchester. The annual festivals were very popular, 6,000 people attended in 1885 and the meetings were considered to be one of the top events in the North of England.

At the 1892 sports meeting high bicycles were banned, events being confined to safeties only. There were other races at Sussex Road, in 1893 there was an inter-club race between Southport CC, Bolton Wheelers and the Preston Atlas CC.

Bicycle racing at Sussex Road continued until 1894 and the Manchester Evening News of March 23rd 1895 reported that "the old sports ground in Sussex Road, Southport, has been handed over to the builders and a new athletic enclosure will be prepared near Blowick Station." The Sussex Road sports ground is now housing in the area occupied by Larch Street and Hart Street.


Refs     : [95] [136] [150] [p]