talk report - november 2007
21 November: A History of Ormskirk Tennis Club - Martin Trengow
Mr Trengove began by giving us a brief history of Tennis beginning with a French game of the 12th Century called "Paume" where a hand was used to play the ball. In the 16l Century racket were invented in Italy and the game was now called "Jeu de Paume". Real Tennis is said to have been introduced by Henry VIII in 1530 and was played at Hampton Court Palace. During the 17th Century, Real Tennis was played by the aristocracy both in England and France. It is played in a special indoor court and the ball is bounced of obstacles and the walls. Lawn Tennis began in 1873 when Major Walter Wingfield invented a game called "Sphairistike" (from the Greek for "playing ball"). It was played on an hour-glass shaped court by the wealthy.
In 1874 Lawn Tennis was developed from Real Tennis as an outdoor pastime and the game became known as Tennis. In 1875 Henry Cavendish Jones convinced the All England Croquet Club to construct a rectangular shaped tennis court. In 1884 women were allowed to play at Wimbledon and in 1899 the All England Croquet Club became the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. The David Cup competition began in 1900 and the Aughton Tennis Club was also started that year. In 1905 Ormskirk Tennis Club was founded on a site on Southport Road with 2 courts. In 1911 it moved to Greetby Hill, to a site behind and leased from Bath Springs Brewery. Here it had 6 courts and a pavilion and remained there until 1969. Playing at the Club was suspended during World War Two when the courts were dug up to provide land for vegetable growing. The Club reopened in 1946.
In 1953-54 three grass courts were replaced by a shale surface. Towards the end of the 1960s it became apparent that the lease, which was due for renewal in 1973, was not going to be renewed so a search began for a new ground. This was eventually found at County Road and efforts were made to raise money to fund the new courts and facilities which had to be constructed from scratch. They moved to the new site in 1973. For the 2006-7 season it had 300 members, 180 junior and 120 senior, and 5 courts. Mr Trengove also showed photographs and past members and events of the Club which added to our knowledge of the history of Ormskirk. Altogether a very interesting and informative evening.