The History of Medstead Lawn Tennis Club

1987 - 2003

It was back in 1987 that the then chairman of the Village Fete Committee, Tony Chivers, chaired a public meeting to assess local interest in tennis, there being Fete money available from projects that had not materialised. Sufficient interest was shown for a second meeting to be held at which a steering committee was appointed, from which emerged The Medstead Lawn Tennis Club. With nothing but hope to offer, the subscriptions were set at £2.50 for adults and £1.00 for juniors, this included a small amount to cover the LTA affiliation fee which was then £9.50 per club.

The first meeting of the Club was on the 2^nd February 1988 to elect officers and adopt a constitution. A further public meeting in early 1988 gave this their blessing and allocated £2,000 towards the project with a time limit for progress to be made. At this time the membership stood at 91, including 32 juniors. The committee’s first actions were to look at possible sites for courts. The purchase or leasing of land was the preferred option and the club had been fortunate in that Mrs Mary Cray and Mr John Cray of Roedowns Farm had made a very generous offer of land adjacent to the school on a 28 year lease at a nominal rental. The steering committee recommended this option. It was intended that 2 courts be provided at a cost of £16,700. Fund raising and grant applications then started in earnest and planning permission for two courts, a practice wall, clubhouse and car park was obtained in July 1988. During this time tennis was played by members on an occasional basis on two courts in the village kindly loaned by AVM Lees and Mr. Brooks (Hattingley).

The first AGM was held on the 27^th October. Subscriptions were increased to £5 for seniors and £2 for juniors. So by January 1989 the membership had grown to 126 with 28 juniors. Work commenced on our courts in February 1989,

and they were finished in mid May, with an official opening on the 28^th May with Mrs M Cray hitting the first ball on what are now the Sam Cray Memorial Courts, in memory of her husband, and in appreciation of all the Cray family had done for the village.

In July 1989 a HCC temporary classroom attached to the old school in Wield Road became available, and was purchased for £500.

By the AGM the base to the clubhouse had been laid, and the erection of the building started on the 27^th December, and was completed by the early spring. Essential services were all installed by May 1991, this work being carried out entirely by our members.

 The subscription for 1990/1991 ranged from £34 for seniors to £16.50 for juniors.

Our membership level was 184 in 1995, necessitating the laying down of a third court, which was substantially financed by a gift from one of our members.

In 1997 the two original courts were floodlit, after battling with the planning authorities which necessitated going to appeal. The tar macadam car park was laid down and further work carried out on the clubhouse, including an expenditure of £6,000 on double glazing the extensive window area.

In the autumn of 1999 our original courts were resurfaced, and re-sprayed in the spring of 2000. With our membership at that time approaching 300, planning permission for a 4^th court and for floodlighting this and the existing 3rd court was obtained.

It was then that the disastrous fire of October 2000 struck, destroying the Clubhouse, trophies and all.

So the Club again embarked on a new era of plans, and fund raising, but that’s another story which can be viewed if you click on <clubhouse rebuild>.

This is a summary of an article produced by Tony Chivers, to see that full article click here.