Bewdley Tennis Club Celebrates 100 Years
- Centenary Tournament and Afternoon Tea
- Attended by the Mayor and Mayoress of Bewdley
Nearly 200 current and past members of Bewdley Tennis Club gathered to mark 100 Years of the Club on Saturday 15th June 2024.
The typical British weather couldn’t dampen spirits and there was a centenary tournament and afternoon tea followed by a group photo to mirror those that had been taken during significant years throughout the club’s history.
To officially mark the occasion the Mayor of Bewdley joined the Clubs President and Chair along with the LTA Lifetime Achievement Award winner Dr Jenny Frow who was awarded a British Empire Medal in the New Years Honours list earlier this year, to cut a celebration cake which was created by one of the clubs members.
A Brief History...
The Club was founded in 1924, and on Saturday 14th June that year it was officially opened.
The club was initially set up on a 2 acre site donated by Alderman HN Frost, who was one of the driving forces in the creation of the club, founding President and Mayor of Bewdley in 1927.
The original entrance was from the river end of the club, but by purchasing some extra land along the road side from Mr Clarke a new entrance was created, an extra court was laid (making 5 in total) and the gate was installed; this is the one we still see today.
A few interesting facts and figures:
- All the courts were originally grass
- The fifth court was laid for £13.2s 6d
- There were 159 members in the first year
- The first Club Captain was Mr F E Mountford
- The first groundsman was Mr Edwin Astell (3 days a week, 6 shillings /day!)
- A ladies committee was started at this time too
1929: Children were admitted
1931: The 2 grass courts by the road were changed to hard courts, at cost of £120/ court, laid by the members
Play only happened in the summer
1937: First Ladies team to enter Worcestershire LTA League (they were very successful in their 2nd season)
1939: The hard courts were replaced by En Tout Cas
Subscriptions:
- Full members: £1.15s.0d
- Juniors: 15s.0d
During the war normal operations were suspended, although people did play and special offers were made to service personnel.
1963: A new pavilion was built (the one still in use today) at a cost of £2600
1970: Subscriptions:
- Full member: £4.14s.6d
- Family: £10.10s.6d
- Junior: £2.0s.6d
1991: The middle grass courts were replaced with hard courts
1992: First floodlights were installed on top hard courts
1992: The 3 shale courts nearest the river were replaced with Quick Dry American Clay, this was resurfaced in 2003
2011: The Club had a membership of 310
2011: Floodlights were installed on the clay courts
2016: The middle hard courts were replaced with “astro turf” (artificial grass & sand) and the clubhouse was upgraded
2021: The clay courts were replaced with artificial grass & put down by Chiltern Sports at a cost of £125,000
2023: Membership: 347
Bewdley Tennis Club continues to develop and thrive, there are now seven floodlit courts allowing members to play all year round as well as a clubhouse to socialise in.
The club continues to field many teams in the Hereford and Worcester leagues and the Junior section is expanding and competing successfully across the County.
The values that the club was built on – a love for tennis and a camaraderie amongst members certainly remains the same 100 years later and let’s hope that continues for another 100 years and beyond.