Liverpool - Cattle Market Hotel Grounds
Old Swan Road : L13 3BS
Liverpool - Cattle Market Hotel Grounds : Map credit National Library of Scotland Liverpool - Cattle Market Hotel Grounds : Image credit oldswanliverpool.blogspot.com The Cattle Market Hotel was next door to the Liverpool cattle market, which opened in 1830. The Hotel had a bowling green and spacious grounds behind the hotel where sports such as Cumberland and Westmoreland wresting and bowling competitions took place in front of large crowds.

There was a sports meeting at the hotel on Whit Monday and Tuesday 1869, admission to the grounds cost sixpence. The event was billed as the Stanley Park Races, because the Cattle Market Hotel was in the Stanley district of Liverpool (note: this was not Stanley Park, which was over a mile away from the hotel and the park did not open until 1870. The meeting included horse and pony races, trotting races, athletic and other sports, including bicycle racing. The bicycle racing prizes were on display at Lloyd's, Church Street, Liverpool.

There is no record of the results of the sports meeting, but there was a press report of a disturbance at the event, the police were called and seven policemen attended, following this, a man was subsequently found guilty of assaulting a police officer.

There are no further reports of bicycle races at the hotel, but the Liverpool Athletic Ground was built on the hotel grounds in 1886. The hotel was demolished in 1931 and replaced another building, which eventually was called the Cattle Market Fun Pub, the building was demolished in the 1990s. The site of the Castle Market Hotel, at the side of the Meat and Fish Markets, has been developed for light industry and cafes.


Refs     : [p]
Photos : oldswanliverpool.blogspot.com
Maps    : National Library of Scotland