broadstairs_ltc@hotmail.co.uk                                                                                     Broadstairs & St Peters Lawn Tennis Club

BRIEF HISTORY OF BROADSTAIRS AND ST PETER’S LAWN TENNIS CLUB
 

Broadstairs and St Peter’s Lawn Tennis Club was formed on 9^th June 1939 with its inaugural meeting held at 34 Osborne Road in Broadstairs, Kent. Some twenty members were present. Mr Ovenden was in the chair and Mr Webb was elected the first captain of the Club. Three grass courts were rented from the local council at St Peter’s recreation ground in Callis Court Road. ‘Privilege’ was extended ‘to change these courts if and when they became worn’. No mention was made of members’ subscriptions at this time but it was agreed that friends of members could play as visitors on payment of 1 shilling per session, 5 shillings per week and £1 for half the season.

Three months later, World War II was declared on 3^rd September 1939 and it is believed that no play took place during the war years until 1945 when happily it restarted with a nucleus of stalwart members.
 

It was recorded that summer subscriptions in 1954 were £2.7s.6d.
 

A new, small pavilion was built in 1964 at a cost of £425.
 

By the 1970’s the Club had grown to around one hundred and twenty members who were now playing on nine grass courts, two of which were reserved for junior members. There were a further four grass courts hired out by the Council for public use. Tennis balls were supplied by the Club at considerable expense until losses became too excessive. The balls were regularly given a new lease of life in a member’s washing machine and tumble dryer and eventually they were handed down to the junior section!
 

Children have always been encouraged to join and to take advantage of the coaching that was offered. In the early days the starting age was eleven or over, somewhat old for nowadays. The junior section had been formed by 1957 and by the 1970’s it was kept to a maximum of seventy children so that the Club could cope with the organised coaching once a week. At that time a separate Chairman and committee ran and organised the junior section.
 

In the 1950’s matches were being played against Margate, Walmer, Whitstable, Herne Bay, Canterbury, Ash and the Police. Since that time matches have extended further afield and are now played throughout the county.

In November 1957 the committee proposed to hold its first American Tournament and this was so successful that American Tournaments have become a regular feature in the Club’s calendar together with the Handicap and Open Tournaments.
 

The social amenities have always been popular and annual dinner dances have been held since at least the 1950’s.

For over thirty years members have enjoyed a full weekly programme of play: Monday -Set Fours; Tuesday - Club Night; Wednesday - Coaching; Thursday - Club Night; Friday -Set Fours; Saturday and Sunday - matches and general play.
 

In 1969 electricity was installed in the pavilion and in 1973 an extension was built which added a further four or five feet along the front of the building at a cost of £506.70. There were at this time two changing rooms, three sinks, three cold water taps and a small kitchen area from which tea and refreshments were sold to members. There was no telephone. A small toilet block offered facilities for both ladies and gentlemen respectively.
 

Great emphasis has always been placed upon members’ clothing and successive committees have for many years discussed this issue at length. The all-white dress code was modified internationally to be predominantly white and the Club adopted this change ‘with regret’ after an extended committee meeting. The code has since progressed to include sportswear.
 

Footwear has also been an ongoing issue. In 1962 it was recorded that ‘Miss Postlethwaite continued to play in bare feet’ and ‘the Ladies Captain was asked, once more, to draw her attention to the Club’s ruling for proper attire’!
 

A major improvement came in 1991 when three grass courts were converted to all-weather surface along with floodlighting, at a cost of £43,000, with loans from the LTA and Kent Playing Fields Association together with a grant from Thanet District Council. This enabled members to play all the year round instead of five months only in the summer which ran from April, weather permitting, until September. The Club signed an LTA agreement in which it promised to promote community tennis open to all members of the public with no restrictions and the traditional playing-in rule was therefore abolished. The all-weather courts proved to be so popular with members that they were quickly followed by three more porous, tarmacadam courts in two-tone green together with floodlighting.
 

During this time the grass courts for public use were deemed unprofitable so the responsibility for their upkeep was passed to the Club by Thanet District Council. The maintenance of all the remaining grass courts has imposed a financial burden on the Club. It was since established that the former courts 10,11,12 and 13 are not leased by the club and have reverted to Council care.
 

22.9.2003: We extended our activities to include further play on Monday and Friday mornings, more social tournaments and events, and more matches. The Club had a professional coach and two assistant coaches who provided training for both adults and juniors. Dress rules were relaxed completely apart from shoes at the request of the LTA, so that there was no discrimination. Kitchen cabinets and a cooker were given to the club and installed. A monthly email newsletter to members was started and web sites were set up giving details and pictures of our location, activities and much more.
 

Now in 2005 we have over 200 members and a complex scheme of subscriptions including family groups, students, country members, coaches and social members. The single adult membership fee is now £123.00 per annum, with a reduction for early payment. Members now have to provide their own tennis balls.  We have four social tennis mornings: on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and the very popular Sunday morning “Must-Go” tennis. Tuesday and Thursday evenings are club nights. Set fours play on Monday and Friday nights as well as other times in the week. and team practice is held on Wednesday eveinings. The junior section is very active, with coaching for younger players on Friday evening, for older juniors on Saturday morning and for Squads on Monday evening and at other times decided by the Head Coach. The club has 15 adult teams playing in the East Kent and Kent leagues, and 5 junior teams

A programme of refurbishment was started since there was insufficient income to fund a loan for new courts. Facilities such as the changing room, toilet block and clubhouse itself were repaired and painted, courts 1, 2 and 3 were resurfaced and new posts for the fencing were erected. A storage shed was installed for new equipment: a gas barbecue which proved very popular, a new “Lobster” ball machine and a grass cutter. After more than sixty years we are still flourishing!