The Oddfellows and Foresters held a joint public gala on Wednesday July 14th 1869, which was funded by subscription by local tradesmen. People assembled at Mr Norman's field and marched around the town accompanied by the bands of the Cambridgeshire Militia and the Wisbech Volunteer Corps. Two bicycle races were then held around the streets of the town** one race hopefully advertised as "Open to all England" for a silver cup, the other race was a race for locals. The open race was won by Mr Alfred Wilderspin^^, a local bicycle maker, riding one of his own machines, in second place was his brother Albert. In the local race Albert Wilderspin was the winner but this time from his brother Alfred. Several thousand people watched the bicycle races.
After lunch, people made their way to the Manor House Park for an afternoon of sports, by courtesy of John Fryer, who owned the Manor House. There were twenty events including two further bicycle events, a one mile race and a slow bicycle race. The meeting ended with a fireworks display and torchlit procession to the Marker Place where there was dancing. The gala was probably the biggest event of the year in Chatteris, the streets were decorated and there were flower arches across some roads.
The winning formula for the gala was repeated the following year on July 13th 1870, this time there were three races around the streets of the town, the additional race was for boys. For the sports at Manor Park, an area of about three acres was roped off and a cycle track of four laps to the mile was marked out. The thousands of spectators amused themselves with "stalls, shooting targets, shows and refreshment booths in abundance." Bicycle racing was all the rage at that time and the gala included five of them. The most exciting event was the one mile bicycle race which was won by R Honey a few inches ahead of Clay. The Cambridge Chronicle reported "We are glad in being able to add the not a single accident, and nothing worth mentioning to disturb the harmony of the day."
The attendance at the July 5th 1876 was reported to be slightly down and only four competitors rode in the morning race around the streets, which was won by John Clarke of Lynn on a 52½" Stanley who beat Henry Hill of Wisbech riding a Davey of Wisbech. By 1877 the Chatteris Bicycle Club had been formed. The 1879 gala was enlivened by the appearance of HL Cortis++ who rode in the morning event around the streets of Chatteris. The race took place in the wind and rain, with Partridge taking the lead, then Vesey, but in the second half of the race Cortis went to the front and won by some twelve yards. The afternoon bicycle races had disappeared by this time.
At the 1880 morning race, all the competitors protested against "Fish" Smart on the grounds that he was a professional athlete and champion speed skater. The race went ahead with Fish winning by a walkover. The gala continued to be held at Manor Park, but the attendance was falling and the event lost money. Mr John Friar was unable to host the 1883 event and as a consequence, the gala moved to Mr Benjamin Lines Blake's field.
In 1884, the gala moved back to Manor Park, with the same activities that had proved popular before. The morning race around the town saw a good field in the open race and a race for tricycles was added. The afternoon sports in the Park passed off successfully, but there were no press reports of bicycle races there. The attendance was over 3,000.
1887 gala was held at Norden House, but returned to Manor Park for the July 10th 1889 event. The morning races around the town saw an event for members of Chatteris Bicycle Club and an open race for riders on safety bicycles. There was heavy rain for most of the day.
The gala seemed to be in decline by the 1890s, there was rain again for the July 8th 1891 event and "the attendance was not large." There was a bicycle race around the streets of Chatteris in the evening of Wednesday July 20th 1891, the Chatteris prize band played during the event. The bicycle races around the town were dropped from the 1892 gala but there were one and two miles bicycle races in the afternoon sports. At the 1894 gala sports, the newspapers reported that the was little or no interest from the general public. The June 23rd 1896 gala included four bicycle events, a one mile local and one, two and three miles open handicap races. For the first time no intoxicated drinks were sold at the gala, this seemed to be the death knoll for the gala, because it was not held again.
The Cambridgeshire and Isle Ely Agricultural Society annual show was held at the Manor Park in 1902 and 1908 and some bicycle races were included with the sports. This was the last time that there was any bicycle racing at the Park.
The Manor house still exists and Manor Park is now known as Wenny Meadow where three houses have been built in the grounds.
** The circuit was probably around Park Street, West Park Street, Wood Street and East Park Street. The circuit was about a mile around, the open and local races were two laps and the boy's race one lap.
^^ Wilderspins had been building bicycles in Station Street, Chatteris since 1869, they sold cycles and then motor cycles before selling Morris cars in 1926. Wilderspin's is now a garage for servicing motor vehicles.
++ Cortis would go on to set a world record in 1882, being the first person to ride over twenty miles in an hour, Cortis was also considered to be the Amateur Champion of the World.
