Lonsdale Park
 | |
| Location | Black Path, Workington, Cumberland, England |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 54°38′52″N 3°32′55″W / 54.64778°N 3.54861°W |
| Opened | 10 September 1892 |
| Closed | 1999 |
Lonsdale Park also known as West Cumberland Stadium was a stadium, now demolished, used for greyhound racing, football and for motorcycle racing in Workington, Cumberland.
Origins
[edit]Lonsdale Park was constructed as a rugby football ground in an area known as Cloffocks on the south bank of the River Derwent and on the north side of Black Path.[1]
The ground officially opened on 10 September 1892, when Workington RFC moved from their Valentine Ground[2] to a newly built enclosure on the Cloffocks, which they named Lonsdale Park.[3]
Association football
[edit]Lonsdale Park was also used by Workington A.F.C. from 1909, when the team moved from their Ashfield Ground.[4] In May 1937, Workington A.F.C. were forced to move because the stadium was leased to a Scottish greyhound and speedway company.[5] They moved to their new Borough Park ground built next door on the west side of Lonsdale Park.
Greyhound racing
[edit]Greyhound racing first started at Lonsdale Park on 27 May 1933.[6] However in October 1933, the White City Sports Stadium Preston Ltd who had taken out the lease on Lonsdale Park and started to build a track and kennels, suspended operations due to financial difficulties.[7] Shortly afterwards a new company called Lonsdale Park Greyhound Racing Stadium Ltd, led by Directors Arthur Crosby, Frank Marsh and William Smith, took over. Smith had also been involved with the previous company.[8] A new grand opening resulted during February 1934.
The stadium came under new management again in 1942.[9] The racing was independent (unaffiliated to a governing body).
In the 1960s racing was on Monday and Saturday nights at 7.00pm over distances of 320 and 500 yards. The track circumference was a large 440 yards and an 'Inside Sumner' hare system was used. The principal race was the Workington Derby and amenities included a members club and snack bar.[9]
By the late 1980s the distances were 320, 530 and 760 yards, there were kennels on site for 50 greyhounds and a car park for 200 vehicles. Facilities included three bars and a covered stand.[10]
Speedway
[edit]Speedway took place at the stadium 1931-1932 and again from 1937-1938.[11]
Closure
[edit]The greyhound racing ended in 1999 when Cumbrian engineer Ernie Little pulled out of the track, having spent £38,000 in just two years in an attempt to keep the venue going. His wife Jan would apply for a trainer's license elsewhere.[12] The site was later demolished.
Future
[edit]On 30 October 2018, the former Lonsdale Park site was sold to Allerdale Borough Council for £210,000.[13] The council acquired the site to build the proposed new Workington Community Stadium.[14]
References
[edit]- ^ "OS County Series Cumberland 1925". old-maps.co.uk. Archived from the original on 27 May 2012. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
- ^ "History". Workington RFC. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
- ^ "Football Notes". Workington Star. 9 September 1892. Retrieved 24 December 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Workington Association Football CLub". Workington Star. 5 August 1910. Retrieved 24 December 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Workington Football Ground". Lancashire Evening Post. 5 May 1937. Retrieved 24 December 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Workington". Greyhound Racing Times. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
- ^ "Greyhound Venture Sequel". Lancashire Evening Post. 7 October 1933. Retrieved 24 December 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Lonsdale Park Greyhound Racing Stadium Ltd". Liverpool Daily Post. 27 October 1933. Retrieved 24 December 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ a b Furby, R (1968). Independent Greyhound Racing. New Dominion House.
- ^ Barnes, Julia (1988). Daily Mirror Greyhound Fact File. Ringpress Books. p. 309. ISBN 0-948955-15-5.
- ^ "Workington Speedway". Defunct Speedway Tracks. Archived from the original on 22 December 2016. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
- ^ "Monthly Greyhound Star (Remember When 1999) February edition". Greyhound Star. 2012.
- ^ Title Number CU173622, HM Land Registry
- ^ "Vision for new multi-million pound sports stadium for Workington unveiled". News and Star. 12 October 2018. Archived from the original on 12 November 2018. Retrieved 12 November 2018.