Bromford Bridge Racecourse was a racecourse

Race track

A race track is a purpose-built facility for racing of animals , automobiles, motorcycles or athletes. A race track may also feature grandstands or concourses. Some motorsport tracks are called speedways.A racetrack is a permanent facility or building...

 in the Bromford

Bromford

Bromford is an industrial area of Birmingham, situated between Ward End and Erdington.- Toponomy :In Old English, "Bromford" means "broom ford", signifying abundance of broom shrubs and a location to cross the River Tame....

 area of Birmingham

Birmingham

Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...

, England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

.

History

The racecourse was opened in 1894 by brothers John and Stanley Ford. The lease of the land (measuring 42 acres (17 ha)) was supported by a company owned by the Earl of Aylesford

Earl of Aylesford

Earl of Aylesford, in the County of Kent, is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1714 for the lawyer and politician Heneage Finch, 1st Baron Guernsey. He had already been created Baron Guernsey in the Peerage of England in 1703...

. The first recorded meeting was on 14 June 1895. In May 1914, the grandstand

Grandstand

A grandstand is a large and normally permanent structure for seating spectators, most often at a racetrack. This includes both auto racing and horse racing. The grandstand is in essence like a single section of a stadium, but differs from a stadium in that it does not wrap all or most of the way...

 was burnt down by members of the suffragette

Suffragette

"Suffragette" is a term coined by the Daily Mail newspaper as a derogatory label for members of the late 19th and early 20th century movement for women's suffrage in the United Kingdom, in particular members of the Women's Social and Political Union...

 movement. Following this, the course was requisitioned by the military. During the Second World War, the racecourse was used as an anti-aircraft station

Anti-Aircraft Command

Anti-Aircraft Command was a British Army command of the Second World War that controlled the anti-aircraft artillery units of the British Isles.-History:...

 and as a depot.

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

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

Redevelopment

In the 1960s, the Birmingham Corporation bought the land on which the racecourse stood for £1.25 million. The final meeting was held on 21 June 1965; Lester Piggott

Lester Piggott

Lester Keith Piggott is a retired English professional jockey, popularly known as "The Long Fellow". With 4,493 career wins, including nine Epsom Derby victories, he is one of the most well-known English flat racing jockeys of all time....

 rode a double. 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.

The racecourse was demolished and the Castle Bromwich

Castle Bromwich

Castle Bromwich is a suburb situated within the northern part of the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the English county of West Midlands. It is bordered by the rest of the borough to the south east, North Warwickshire to the east and north east; also Shard End to the south west, Castle Vale,...

 settlement was extended. The roads in the redevelopment were given names related to racing, including references to Newmarket

Newmarket Racecourse

The town of Newmarket, in Suffolk, England, is the headquarters of British horseracing, home to the largest cluster of training yards in the country and many key horse racing organisations. Newmarket Racecourse has two courses - the Rowley Mile Course and the July Course. Both are wide, galloping...

, Reynoldstown

Reynoldstown Novices' Chase

The Reynoldstown Novices' Chase is a Grade 2 National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of about 3 miles , and during its running there are twenty fences to be jumped...

, Haydock

Haydock Park Racecourse

Haydock Park Racecourse is a racecourse in Haydock, Merseyside, England. The track is a mostly flat left-handed oval of around 1 mile 5 furlongs with a very slight rise on the run-in. There are courses for flat racing and National Hunt racing...

, and Thirsk

Thirsk Racecourse

Thirsk Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, England. The course is a left handed oval of about 1m2f with a 3f finishing straight and a 6f chute...

. The winning post was reseated next to a playground

Playground

A playground or play area is a place with a specific design for children be able to play there. It may be indoors but is typically outdoors...

 on Bromford Drive.

The course

The total distance covered by the course was 11 furlongs (2.2 km). The course featured a 5-furlong straight

Straight (racing)

In many forms of racing, the straight is that part of the race track in which the competitors travel in a straight line, as opposed to a bend. The term is used in horse racing, motor racing and track and field athletics....

, and a mile-long section of raceway suitable for flat racing

Flat racing

Flat racing is a form of Thoroughbred horse racing which is run over a level track at a predetermined distance. It differs from steeplechase racing which is run over hurdles...

. The course also hosted steeplechase

Steeplechase

Steeplechase may refer to:* Steeplechase, an event in horse racing* SteepleChase, a Danish jazz label* Steeplechase , a 1975 arcade game released by Atari...

events.