From: The Racketeer 64, January 2007
Patrick James Darlaston (1927-2006)
by Andy Lusis
PAT DARLASTON, a long-standing and prominent member of the club, and former GP, died on the 14th December 2006, aged 79. Although he died suddenly he was fit and active to the end; the photo below shows him playing tennis in Tenerife last November.
With his wife Shirley, Pat joined the club in 1964, soon becoming a familiar figure at club events and matches. Living for many years in the family home just across Esher Grove, Pat, Shirley, sons Lance and Clive, daughters Caroline and Rebecca, were ideally situated for tennis, having what was virtually a tennis club in their back garden.
Playing regularly for the men’s and mixed teams, Pat became one of the players who helped, after a long struggle, to lift the Men’s first – and for many years, only – team out of the doldrums of the late fifties to early seventies. He was mixed captain from 1985-6, but more notable was his reign as men’s captain (1982-7), when the first team was promoted twice in the summer and three times in the winter – each time as champions – and, in a glorious run from 1982-5, played 38 matches, winning 30, drawing one and losing only seven. From the late eighties he wound down his match play, making his last appearance in March 1994 for the Men’s A team at Attenborough. He was also a respected figure on the wider county scene and was Notts LTA League chairman in 1985.
Pat’s regular partner from the mid-70s was Paul Levin, whose flamboyant style seemed to complement the doctor’s more formal, elegant yet solid approach. As well as playing together in many matches the pair won the Men’s Doubles title in the club championships five times (1975, 1978-9, 1981-2). However, before that renowned partnership, Pat had already won the title several times: twice with Robin Gibbons (1969-70), with Jack Britton (1971) and with Chris Rose (1972 and 1974). In the Mixed Doubles he and Shirley were champions in 1978 and 1979; he also teamed up with Kay Brindle to win in 1986. Our records are incomplete, so there are undoubtedly some titles we’ve missed.
With a keen interest in the running of the club, Pat served on the committee for many years. He was membership secretary 1973-4, club secretary 1974-7, club captain 1987-90, president 1990-93 and later a trustee. Even in recent years, as a social member, he was more assiduous in attending the AGM than most current members. His final appearance at the club was Finals Day in September 2006, when, traditionalist to the last, he had a gentle dig at the sloppiness of some players in their choice of tennis clothing.