Bristol South Cycling Club was formed in 1893 and the following year members of the club gave track racing a try at Wells, during a Whit Monday touring holiday. To their surprise, one club member Bobby Alden won the half mile race and club members started to race seriously. The club started to promote sports meetings at St John's Lane in association with Bristol Harriers.
The first bicycle race at St John's was at the Bristol Harriers sports meeting on 29th August 1896 at which there was a three miles bicycle race to win the Sam Justin Cup for the Championship of Bristol South CC, the race was won by Bobby Alden in 10 min 14 sec.
Bristol City FC held their first annual sports on 12th August 1899 and bicycle races were included. The half and one mile bicycle handicap races were both won by L Sargent. The star event was a five miles scratch race for the Nimrod Charity Vase, there were several spills in the race, which was won by H Maggs of Bristol Catford in 15 min 24 sec.
The Bristol AC and Richmond CC held their third annual meeting on 23rd June 1900, with open handicap bicycle races over one and two miles and club races over one and three miles. E Brain won the Richmond CC three miles club race for the third time, making the Silver Challenge Cup his own property.
Bristol City FC merged with Bedminster FC in 1901 and moved from St John's to Bedminster's old ground, Ashton Gate in 1904.
After Bristol City left St Johns, it was used as an athletics ground for several decades and it was known as Robinson's** Athletic ground from the 1920's. It was used for athletics, football and cricket, the local fire service held their sports at St John's in 1939 and Victoria Athletics AFC played there in the 1950s. St John's is now the home ground of Broad Plane Rugby Football Club.
** ES & A Robinson were a very large printing company with a colour printing factory in Bedminster, Bristol. Robinsons merged with John Dickinson Stationery to form one of the world's largest stationery and packaging companies, their products included Sellotape and Basildon Bond.