The first bicycle races in Ramsey were at the Odd Fellows gala on July 5th 1870. The course was on the road at Wood Lane and there were three bicycle races, the first was "open to all England" **, followed by a local race and finally a scratch race.
The Ramsey Gala was first held on July 25th 1872, it followed the formula of the Odd Fellows event and became an annual institution, athletics and pony racing were included. On the morning of the gala, bicycle races were held on the Great Whyte, a wide street in Ramsey, the event attracted large crowds. There were two bicycle races, both over a mile, the first "open to all England" and the second a local race. At the following year's gala there were only two competitors in the bicycle race.
It was not until Easter Monday 1886 that bicycle races on a grass track were held on Hassock Meadow, it was organised by the Ramsey Cricket Club, along with the running and pony races there were two bicycle races. The Hunts County News reported that the bicycle races "fell very flat, owing to the small number of competitors and to the riders being very unequally matched." In the one mile local race there were two riders and three riders in the two miles open race.
Notwithstanding this poor start, the Easter Monday sports became an annual event at Ramsey, which was usually a sleepy country town. The sports were very well attended and made a good profit, at the 1889 sports there were 17 events including the one and two miles bicycle races. Music was provided by St Marks Band from Peterborough and in the evening there was a Cinderella dance^^ held at the Abbey Rooms.
Ramsey Cycling Club was formed around 1891 and in the sports that year, five members of the club competed in the bicycle races. There were twenty three competitors in the one mile race, pneumatic machines were penalised 60 yards and cushion tyres 30 yards. The one mile race attracted an entry of nineteen. There an attendance of nearly 3,000 despite the poor weather.
In the early 1890s Ramsey Cycling Club held their club sports at the ground. The annual club meeting on September 12th 1895 had four events, the principal one being the five miles race for the championship of the club.
Ramsey sports continued successfully until the Easter Monday meeting in 1904 and then seemed to disappear from the calendar. Hassock Meadow is still a cricket ground and Ramsey Cricket Club (The Rams) still play there.
** ‘Open to all England' was sometimes added to advertisements for bicycle races, particularly in the 1870s. This was an affectation to promote the race.
^^ A dance that ends at midnight.