The first bicycle race at Northolme was on Whit Monday 1879, when the Friendly Societies of Gainsborough, including the Foresters, Oddfellows and Free Gardeners attended, all gaily dressed in their insignia, they marched from the Market Place to Northolme for a feast and sports. A bicycle race was included, it was won by Snowden of Epworth. Over 3,000 people attended the event and in the evening there was dancing and a fireworks display.
Gainsborough Bicycle Club was formed in 1880 at the Marquis of Granby Inn. There was another bicycle club with the same name as Gainsborough BC, but with no connection, which existed in the London area and was active on the racing scene at that time.
The first Gainsborough Amateur Athletic Sports were held on June 18th 1881. A one mile bicycle race was included, which was run in two heats and J Stennett of Newark was the winner. This first attempt at a sports meeting for the town was deemed a success and several more summer sports meetings followed.
The Working Men's Club held their sports at the Cricket ground on September 4th 1885, there was a one mile bicycle handicap race. won by A Hill of Lincoln, off 15 yards. The sports were held again in 1886 with a one mile open race won by W Rowe of Peterborough and a one mile youth bicycle race won by G Saville of Retford. In the tug-of-war, the tee-totallers beat all comers. There were 3,000 spectators and the Britannia Band played.
The Working Men's Club sports continued until 1888 and expanded to include three bicycle races. Unfortunately, the Men's Club made a loss on the sports and decided to discontinue promoting them after 1888.
William Fullalove, the captain of Gainsborough Cycling Club appeared at the Gainsborough Police Court in August 1888 charged with cycling past a police superintendent, without sounding a whistle or a bell. Fullalove said in his defence that the superintendent was "driving a spirited horse and he thought it best to go past quietly." He was fined seven shillings.
Gainsborough CC held their first club sports meeting on Wednesday August 14th 1889 with a two miles open handicap (safeties barred) , a one mile safety handicap and their club championship race, which was won by T Trevithick. The club sports were held the following year in front of 300 spectators.
The Gainsborough Flower show was held at Northolme on September 5th 1891 and the sports included a one mile local bicycle handicap and a one mile open race. The name Baines appeared in the bicycle race results, William Baines was a bicycle dealer in Back Street, Gainsborough from around 1888. The Baines brothers set up the Aegir Cycle Factory** around 1899.
The bicycle club Gainsborough Onward CC were first mentioned in the press when some of their riders competed in the Misterton Cycling Club sports on September 17th 1892. The following year, the club held its own sports on September 9th 1893 at Northolme, the home of Gainsborough Trinity FC, before a football match. There were two bicycle races, a one mile handicap and a three miles scratch race for the club championship. AE Baines won the club champion and he was also awarded the Bayliss and Thomas Challenge cup valued at ten guineas.
Gainsborough Onward CC competed fairly successfully in local track races and in 1896, they organised their first open sports meeting at Northolme on August 22nd, a brass band competition was held in association with the sports. There were running races and three bicycle events, half and one mile handicaps and a three miles handicap race for club members. There was some disagreement in the club because the Bayliss and Thomas Challenge cup race was changed from a scratch race to a handicap race. H Roebuck and H Frow were the two scratch men in the race, with Roebuck winning in a time of 9 min 59 sec. The various bands from the band competition played during the sports.
The Gainsborough Onward sports were held again for the next three years, in association with Gainsborough Trinity FC. On September 1st 1900, Trinity FC joined forces with Gainsborough Cricket Club to run the annual sports, which included four bicycle races. The meeting was very successful and the sports were held until 1919.
At the Gainsborough CC meeting on July 17th 1909, the White Brothers showed their domination of grass track racing in the region when CW White won the one mile NCU (Lincolnshire) Championship with his brother Albert^^ in third place. CW also won the mile scratch race from Albert. By 1912 Albert White was in his prime and he won the one mile scratch race for the Marshall Cup, but not before his brother CW was disqualified for pushing and reported to the NCU. Albert White fittingly won the last bicycle race to be held at the ground in the Cricket Club one mile scratch race on July 19th 1919.
** The Aegir Cycle Factory was set up by Baines & Sons in North Street, Gainsborough around 1899. They experimented with motors and cars and produced motor cycles in 1901 with a De Dion engine. The company name was changed to Rocar (Gainsborough) Ltd in 1979 and they were acquired by the Perry Group plc in 1987. Aegir was an old Norse name for a sea god.
^^ Albert White (known as LAL) was born in Brigg in 1890, he was employed as a steel worker in Scunthorpe. Between the years 1913-26, he won 15 national titles and competed in four World track Championships and won a silver medal in the 1920 Olympics. White died in 1965.
