Lincoln - Bracebridge Recreation Ground
255 Newark Road : LN5 8XN Lincoln - Bracebridge Recreation Ground : Map credit National Library of Scotland George Jackson, a local Lincoln man, purchased a piece of land extending to 2½ acre at Worsley House, probably around 1880, where he set up a market garden called Beaconsfield Nursery. He created Worsley Pleasure Grounds there and advertised its opening on May 14th 1883 with attractions including croquet, archery and dancing on the lawns with Mr Yates' Quadrille Band. He applied for a liquor license later that month, but was refused. This seemed to have brought an abrupt end to the pleasure grounds project

In 1887 Jackson decided to dispose of the "nearly new" six bedroomed Worsley House and nurseries, but he couldn't sell, so in July 1888, he tried set up a company to develop the site as a pleasure garden and to raise £1500 capital. Again he was not successful but he did however lay out a cinder bicycle track banked up to 3ft at the corners and facilities for athletics, lawn tennis and bowling. Jackson advertised the ground as the Lincoln and Bracebridge Recreation Ground.

The first bicycle racing at the recreation ground was the Lincoln and Bracebridge Athletic Sports meeting on 20th July 1889 which attracted over 600 spectators. Competitors were restricted to Lincolnshire residents and there was only one bicycle race, a one mile handicap for roadster machines, in which there were eight competitors.

Jackson applied for a licence on 6th September 1889 to sell wine, cider, perry and liquors to be consumed on the grounds, but this was refused after an objection by neighbours, the magistrate considered that there was ample public house accommodation in Bracebridge.

A ‘Great Bicycle Tournament' was held at the ground on 28th June 1890, under the auspices of Lincoln Cycling Club. The ground was referred to as Bracebridge Recreation Grounds. The three events were one and two miles open handicaps and a one mile open novices handicap. H Monument of Grimsby CC won the Novices race and AW Harris of Leicester won both the other events.

George Jackson was declared bankrupt in January 1891 and Worsley House and the recreation ground were offered for sale by auction in April 1891. Jackson said that the recreation ground was not a commercial success and that he had lost £300 on the project, it appeared that Jackson had "omitted to keep proper books of account." Jackson's failures with his ventures show how important it was to obtain a liquor licence to ensure the commercial success of Pleasure and Sports Grounds.

The ground was sold to WA Herring as a plant nursery in 1892. A Smiths crisp factory was built on the site in 1937. PepsiCo acquired Smiths in 1989 and changed production to the Walkers brand (who PepsiCo had also acquired), Walkers Lincoln still occupy the site.


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