Liverpool - Tramway Grounds
Green Lane : L13 7GD
Liverpool - Tramway Grounds : Map credit National Library of Scotland Green Lane was a sports facility for Liverpool Tramways and the ground was used for football, cricket, athletics and bicycle races. The Liverpool Pembroke Club were the main promoters of bicycle racing at Green Lane, although a few other organisations such as the Liverpool Licensees, the West Lancashire Territorial and the Catholic Institute held sports meetings there.

Liverpool Pembroke was formed in 1890 and was named after a chapel in Pembroke Place, some time later they formed a cycling section within the club, which changed its name to Pembroke Athletic and Cycling Club. The first bicycle racing at Green Lane was at the Liverpool Pembroke sports series of Monday evening meetings in 1909 which included running and bicycle races.

On Good Friday 1911 the Liverpool Pembroke A & CC held a mixed (running and cycle races) meeting with bicycle races over quarter, half and one mile. The Liverpool Evening Express notes that first prize for each of these events "will take the form of gold chains and, as the value of these are easily determined, the competitors are assured of receiving full value." There were problems in Liverpool race meetings, and no doubt elsewhere, with race winners not receiving the full advertised prize values.

The largest crowds at Green Lane were for Coopers and Company sports meetings, Coopers was a large grocery company in Liverpool. At their June 6th 1914 event, there were around 20,000 spectators.

The Liverpool Pembroke A & CC continued to be the main promoter of running bicycle races at Green Lane through the 1910s. The Tramway Sports evening meetings on July 22nd and 23rd 1919 featured four bicycle races. On August 20th 1923 Pembroke held an evening sports meeting which included a two laps club members handicap race. This was probably the last bicycle racing that took place at Green Lane.

By 1930, the Green Lane ground was closed to allow the Lister Drive power station to be extended and a new Tramways ground was opened at Finch Lane Knotty Ash L14 4AY. There did not seem to be any bicycle racing at Finch Lane.


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