Club History

Press Reports before the opening of the Club in May 1912

The article continues:-

With enterprise deserving of success a Bristol Lawn Tennis Club has been formed with a fine-set of courts adjoining Redland Green. As the records show, Bristol is a strong centre for this popular pastime and there are numerous clubs in the neighbourhood, but up to the present there has been no central representative organisation, and the Bristol Club should supply the want. Ample and excellent provision has been made, and the management is in the right hands to ensure success. The Trustees and Messrs. F.N.Cowlin, J.Hart, Brigstocke Hitchings, and Dr. Percy White, to whom the lease of the courts have been granted. Mr Henry L. Riseley is the president, Mr A.J.Gardner the hon, treasurer, and Mr. James Hart the hon. secretary, and there are no fewer than thirty-two life members, the limit being thirty-five. Since Mr. Riseley generously offered a cup for the ladies' championship, another gentleman, Mr.A.J.Veale, one of the councillors for the district, has kindly offered one for the gentleman, and the coveted possession of the trophies should tend to strengthen the standard of play. There is need of outstanding players to uphold the traditions of the county, for some have retired, and other vacancies must arise from time to time in the Gloucestershire County team.

ALL-THE-YEAR- ROUND SPORT.
Great interest has been taken by the public as well as tennis enthusiasts in the progress of the work during the past three or four months. The site lies behind the vicarage, which faces the main road, and is bordered at the side by Redland Green. The entrance to the ground is by the broad path, on one side of which rambling roses have been planted, the tennis courts lying to the right. Midway along the path is a commodious pavilion, painted a soft green, and with rustic arches in the vicinity, and with the prospect, next season at any rate, of a background of roses, the sourroundings should be pleasing in effect. At the ends of the pavilion are respectively the gentleman's and lady's changing rooms, with every necessary accommodation, including a shower bath in each. In the central position are a servery, with gas and water laid on, so that refreshments may be obtained; a secretarial room, and telephone box. The club colours - brown, green, and purple- are carried out in the tea china. Provision has been made for a possible extension of the tea-room in front. There are eleven courts, vis., seven grass double, two grass single, and two hard courts, the last-named being made of burnt clay and are quite new to Bristol. In the opinion of Mr. A Hay, the Gloucestershire champion, and other prominent players, the surface is excellent. With water laid on, and a roller for each, these courts are easily kept in good condition, and they are all ready proving popular. At the one inclusive subscription members have the opportunity of playing all the year round. The summer season opens on May 10th. A groundsman is always in attendance, and a portion of the courts may be reserved for booking.

News Cuttings

LTA Magazine

Scharenguivel (left) and Drobny, 1950

 

Amritraj and Laconte, 1986

Ron Savage of Bristol Lawn Tennis and Squash Centre, reminds readers of the place his Club holds in British tennis, and the subsequent importance of the Club in the area, culminating this year with two international events being played there "back to back"

The combination of the Bristol Trophy and a Davies Cup-tie at Redland Road, over a 10 day period this June is unusual, but the staging of international tennis at the Bristol Club, in fact, goes back to the 1920's.

1988 is only the third year that the Bristol Trophy has been staged. Previously, the pre-Wimbledon Tournament was known as the West of England Championships and the name was changed in 1986 to align the tournament more closely with the City of Bristol.

In 1986 and 1987 the star attraction was the elegant and flamboyant Frenchman, Henri Leconte, but in neither year was he the eventual winner. In 1986 the equally elegant but older Vijay Amritraj from India rolled back the years and won in three sets. In 1987 Leconte fell to Michiel Schapers of the Netherlands but the winner of the tournament eventually turned out to be Kelly Evernden of New Zealand who a few years previously had miraculously suvived an horrific car crash.

The pre-Winbledon tournament in Bristol, has, of course, reflected the changes which have affected tennis throughout the world since the end of the Second World War. Immediately after the war the tournament was a mixed event and local players of county standard were able to compete against the stars. Outstanding winners in this period were Maria Bueno, Doris Hart, Jaroslav Drobny and Vic Seixas. A particular highlight in 1950 was the achievement of Douglas Scharenguivel, a Bristol Club member, in winning the Men's Doubles partnered by M. Matous of Czechoslovakia. Scharenguivel was, in fact, a truly world-class performer playing in the Davis Cup for his native Ceylon and being an automatic acceptance for Wimbledon.

With tournament sponsorship and particularly the advent of open tennis in 1968 the West of England Championships underwent considerable changes but paticulaly as a result of the generous support of W.D and H.O Wills, the tourament continued to attract world-class fields. Winners of the singles in this period included Margeret Court, Betty Stove, Arthur Ashe, Johan Kreik and Ken Rosewall.

Davis Cup-ties have been played at regular intervals over the post-war period with interesting and colourful oppersition provided, amongest others, by France, Spain and Chile. The last Davis Cup-tie was in 1980 against Rumania when the Great Britain team of Buster Mottram, John Feaver plus David and John Lloyd only lost narrowly 3 rubbers to 2. The result of the tie hung on the final rubber between John Feaver and Ilie Nastase which was only resolved in Nastase's favour in the fifth set. His poor behaviour in this tie resulted in a lengthy suspension for Nastase from Davis Cup competition.

There can be no doubt that the regular apperance of world class players in Bristol has had a benificial effect on tennis in the area. Gloucestershire, Somerset and Avon are all strong tennis counties. Gloucestershire men and women and Somerset men have all played in Group 1 of the Inter-County Championships on grass. Since its formation in 1976 Avon County Lawn Tennis Association has seen steady rise in its fortunes. By 1987 Avon Ladies has reached Group 2 and the Men Group 3 of the Prudential Inter-County Grass Court Championships.

The area has also spawned a crop of leading British players, Jo Durie is a Bristol girl and, until serious illness intervened, Sue McCarthy was a leading UK junior. Don Shears is the current UK veteran's champion while Paul Hutchins, who earlier this year relinqished the British Davis Cup captiancy, started his tennis at the Bristol Club. James Turner of Bath, the current Avon No.1, is only just outside the British top 10, after a period of injury.

The Bristol Club itself, founded in 1912, has traditionally been a focal point for tennis in the area. Currently, with a tennis membership of 400 it is in a very healthy state and winning many local trophies. On the national stage the men's team reached the semi-final stage of the Puma National Club Championships losing eventually to Edgbaston Priory. In addition to Don Shears the team also included the following other Avon County players - Steve Collar, Richard Jones, James Mercer and Martin Venning.

The Davis Cup-tie against Finland (from June 9th to 11th) and the Bristol Trophy (from June 13th to 18th) will provide the "shop window" of international tennis which the tennis public in the West of England and South Wales has come to expect in Bristol. The Davis Cup-tie will have the added regional interest that Andrew Castle of Taunton will almost certainly be in the Great Britain team.