From: The Racketeer 7, May 1994
The Story of Mapperley Park Tennis Club
Part 3 - Crisis by Gaslight
by Chris Weir
Chris Weir describes the club's immediate post-war development.
In 1947 the vexed question of 'rules' became an issue in the club. As, up until that time, there had been no set of rules, it was decided that the matter be investigated, with the aim of formulating a draft set of rules. A set was duly produced and approved in the club's July 1948 minutes. The rules begin by confirming the club's official title as 'Mapperley Park Tennis Club', then go on to outline the committee structure, membership and subscription arrangements. One rule required that 'full members are expected to wear white; and tennis shoes without heels must be worn by all members on the courts'.
In the 1949 minutes there is the first mention of 'silver cups'. For the Ladies' Doubles, cups were presented to Mrs. Henson and Miss Bosworth, for the Men's Doubles to Mr. Pullman and Mr. Willis, and for the Mixed Doubles to Mrs. Price and Mr. Willis. Mrs. Henson was congratulated on winning the Ladies' Singles tournament. For some reason, perhaps bad weather, the Men's Singles was not completed.
1949 was a year of mixed fortunes for the club. The minutes state with some satisfaction that a profit of £6 7s 10d had been made over the year, but membership was not healthy: there were 50 summer members and 16 winter members. There were long discussions on how the club could reach a wider membership, and the possibility of advertising in the local press was considered.
Another problem was the lack of light in the men's changing rooms. It was noted that Mr. Willis 'asked for gas lights to be supplied', and the chairman 'said he would endeavour to get gas lights fixed in the main pavilion and in the men's changing room'.
However, the light problem paled into insignificance when Mr. Shipstone (of Shipstone's Brewery in Basford), who owned the club's land, decided that he needed to sell the land. The sum involved was £1,500, a hefty amount in those days. The club was immediately thrown into crisis. A special meeting was held on the 30th November at the Nottingham Mechanics Institute, with all kinds of ideas raised to save the club's future. Following the meeting a circular letter went out to members, but only £45 was raised, and further efforts still only secured another 135.
Then Mr. S.J. Browne, the club's president, came to the rescue. In 1950 Mr. Browne negotiated a more realistic sum of £1,250 for the land, along with a mortgage raised through the club's deeds. He himself offered the club an interest free loan of £250. Mr. Browne had saved the day. It seems, from the minutes, that Mr. Shipstone had been reluctant to plunge the club into such a difficult position Indeed the minutes record that: 'Before we consider the future, I should like to record our gratitude to Mr. Shipstone for the generous way he has dealt with us over the last 10 years.'
A new decade was dawning and Mapperley Park Tennis Club was looking to a bright new future with confidence. There was a mood for looking at new ideas: Mr. Willis proposed and Mr. J. Britton seconded that there should be a mixed American Tournament on the first Saturday of each month, an idea that soon became one of the club's most popular features. And to crown this new mood of optimism the Men's first team was promoted to Division 1, after winning all six of its matches. The story behind this somewhat unexpected rise will be told in the next issue of The Racketeer.
From: The Racketeer 8, July 1994
Letter from Robert Pullman (Vice President):
Dear Sir,
I was very interested in the latest article on the history of the Club.
I should just like to record that Mr. Shipstone did not charge the Club any rent from the beginning of the war until the ground was purchased from him.