Falkirk - Brockville Park
Hope Street : FK1 5BU
Falkirk - Brockville Park : Map credit National Library of Scotland Falkirk - Brockville Park : Image credit Wiki Commons Brockville Park was a football ground and the home of Falkirk FC from 1885. Bicycle racing was on a grass track, roped around the football pitch. In 1890 a cinder track was laid down.

The first bicycle racing at Brockville Park was on July 16th 1887 at the Falkirk Football Club's sports. The crowd of 3,000 spectators gathered around the grass track to watch the running and bicycle races. Competitors were mostly local men and the two bicycle races were a 1 mile local handicap and a 2 miles open handicap. Local rider WB Gillespie was the star rider, winning both events. East Stirlingshire Bicycle Club held their annual sports on August 13th 1887 with Gillespie again doing well.

In 1890 there were complaints about the state of the track and the quality of maintenance. After this, The Field of August 2nd 1890 reported that Falkirk FC had laid out a cinder track of five laps to the mile.

At the Falkirk FC meeting on July 20th 1895 there was a large crowd of 4,000 people to watch the five flat races and four bicycle races. The Canadian WG Hurst entertained the crowd with tricks and acrobatics on a bicycle.

The Scottish Referee of December 16th 1901 reported that "the cinder track has been done away with and the playing pitch extended 16 yards by 12 yards. The Falkirk FC continued to hold their sports but bicycle racing events disappeared from the program in the early 1900's. The West of Scotland Harriers included half and one mile bicycle handicap races until 1904, presumably on a marked out grass track on the football field.

Falkirk Victoria Harriers held athletics and bicycle race meetings up to 1910 and the last bicycle racing at Brockville Park was probably their meeting on 30th July 1910 with half and one mile handicap races.

A greyhound racing track was built around the football pitch in 1932. Falkirk FC left Brockville Park in 2003 to ground share with Stenhousemuir. The ground was subsequently developed as a Morrisons supermarket.


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