Taunton - Somerset Constabulary Sports Ground
Mountfields Road : TA1 3BJ
Taunton - Somerset Constabulary Sports Ground : Map credit National Library of Scotland Taunton - Somerset Constabulary Sports Ground : Image credit Wiki Commons Somerset Constabulary opened a sports ground on Mounfields Road, Taunton in 1939, there was a grass cycle track and grandstand accommodation for 2,500. The first event there was their annual sports on June 8th 1939, at which top riders including the Poly rider EH Chambers* and PJ Dyble of Norwood Paragon appeared. The main event was the five miles scratch race and entertainment included Chacewater Charlie, the famous cycling clown entertainment.

After the war, the Police sports meetings included good quality open cycle races and in the early 1960s Brian Sandy, a local Taunton rider was a popular winner of several five miles scratch races.

The last bicycle racing at Mountfields was probably the July 14th 1962 meeting, at which 2,000 spectators watched five open cycle races

* Ernie Chambers won two Olympic silver medals and was National Tandem Sprint championships five times stoking Jack Sibbit. Chambers worked for cycle manufacturer Claud Butler before starting out on his own.


Refs     : [p]
Photos : Wiki Commons
Maps    : National Library of Scotland