Bromford Bridge Racecourse

Bromford Bridge Racecourse was a racecourse in the Bromford area of Birmingham, England.

Bromford Bridge
The Birmingham Racecourse Company logo
LocationBromford, Birmingham, England
Owned byBirmingham Racecourse Company
Date opened1895 (1895)
Date closed1965 (1965)
Notable racesThe City of Birmingham Cup

History

A racecourse was operating in the Birmingham area from at least 1840. [1]

The Bromford Bridge racecourse was opened in 1894 by brothers John and Stanley Ford.[2][3] The lease of the land (measuring 42 acres (17 ha)) was supported by a company owned by the Earl of Aylesford.[3] The first recorded meeting was on 14 June 1895. In May 1914, the grandstand was burnt down by members of the suffragette movement. Following this, the course was requisitioned by the military. During the Second World War, the racecourse was used as an anti-aircraft station and as a depot.[2]

In 1949, the course was bought as freehold by the Birmingham Racecourse Company for £85,000.[4]

The course was redeveloped in 1958.[5] The same year, the course hosted its most valuable event – a 2.5 miles (20 furlongs) handicap with a first prize of approximately £2,500.[4]

Redevelopment

By 1965, Birmingham Corporation had bought the land on which the racecourse stood for £1.25 million, with the intention of building a new housing estate on its site to rehouse people from inner city slum clearances.[4] The final meeting was held on 21 June 1965; Lester Piggott rode a double.[5] The last race was the Farewell Maiden Plate, the losing horse (and thus the last horse to cross the finish line at Bromford Bridge) was named Plantation Inn.[3]

The racecourse was demolished and the Castle Bromwich settlement was extended. The roads in the redevelopment were given names related to racing, including references to Newmarket, Reynoldstown, Haydock, and Thirsk. The winning post was resited next to a playground on Bromford Drive. The area used as the parade ring is still recognisable today although all railings and other furnishings are long gone.

The course
The location of the racecourse

The total distance covered by the course was 11 furlongs (2.2 km). The course featured a 5-furlong straight, and a mile-long section of raceway suitable for flat racing.[5] The course also hosted steeplechase events.[3]

References
  1. Whyte, James Christie (1840). History of the British turf, from the earliest period to the present day, Volume I. London: H. Colburn. OL 6544990M.
  2. "Remembering race day trips for Black Country punters". Black Country Bugle. 8 April 2010.
  3. Upton, Chris (22 January 2010). "Off to the races - at Bromford Bridge in Birmingham". Birmingham Post. p. 1.
  4. Upton, Chris (22 January 2010). "Off to the races - at Bromford Bridge in Birmingham". Birmingham Post. p. 2.
  5. "Birmingham". Greyhound Derby. Retrieved 8 May 2010.

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