From: The Racketeer 8, July 1994
The Story of Mapperley Park Tennis Club
Part 4 - Victoria and Victory
by Chris Weir
Chris Weir continues his account of the immediate post-war years.
CLUB TENNIS in Nottinghamshire received a major boost with the re-formation of the County Leagues in 1947. Indeed the first secretary of the re-formed leagues was our very own Jack Britton. The Nottinghamshire League dated back to 1924, when a league, for men's teams, was established, followed by a ladies' league in 1926. (The mixed league only started in 1961). Another boost for Mapperley Park was the integration of MPTC with the Victoria Tennis Club, which had four or even five courts and a croquet lawn, just off Victoria Road in Sherwood. Jack himself was a member of Victoria just before the war.
At the time of the League's re-formation in 1947, Victoria had a men's team in Division 3 and a ladies' team in Division 2. The men's team was promoted to Division 2 in 1947 and to Division 1 in 1949. However, it appears that Victoria may have closed down in 1947, playing its matches at Mapperley Park, though continuing to play under the name of Victoria. It appears that Victoria's courts were probably ploughed up for cultivation as part of the local 'dig for victory' campaign during the war. But by 1950 Victoria seems to have officially closed down, as its name disappeared from the Leagues.
MPTC's amalgamation with Victoria had an immediate impact on match results. At the end of the 1949 season the men's first team (under the name Victoria) was promoted to Division 1 after winning all six of its matches. The following year the men's first team (now playing as Mapperley Park) came third in division 1, narrowly missing out on second place. In 1951 the team was fourth, then in 1952 was runner-up, winning five out of six matches. Among the leading players of these halcyon days of MPTC's history were Len Ferneyhough (who came from Victoria), Jack Britton, Alan Willis, Albert Soles, Sid Adams and Harry Shalson, who represented the county on many occasions.
The Club's earliest surviving membership card (1950) comes from that same era. The card records that the president was Mr. S.J. Browne, with Mr. and Mrs. C.E. Cullen, J.L.N. Cutts, A.E. Dickins, Mr. and Mrs. G.T. Littlefair, Mrs. M. Mellors and A. Watson as vice presidents. The Hon. Secretary was Mr. R.D. Pullman; Hon. Treasurer, G.E.C. Trounce; Ladies' Match Secretary, Mrs. D. Price; Men's Match Secretary, Mr. L. Ferneyhough; Asst. Hon. Secretary, J.P. Mountain; and committee members: S. Adams, Miss M. Domleo and Mrs. J. Henson.
The programme officially started on the 5 May, with the Filey Handicap Tournament and ended on the 30 September. Among the summer tournaments was the ladies' doubles, for the Mellors Rose Bowl, and the men's doubles, for the Todd Cup. Full membership in that year was £3 3s. (less 3s. 'for prompt payment'), or £1 15s. for those under 21 years. Juniors paid £l, 'walking members' paid l0s., and visitors paid 1s. 6d. on weekdays and 2s. 6d. at weekends and on Bank Holidays. Among the teams MPTC played in the fixture lists were Boots A, Newark, Rushcliffe, Vyella, Basford Hall, West Bridgford British Legion, Park, Newcastle and Home Brewery.
In 1951 the Club's minute book records considerable success for the ladies, who came first in Division 3 and won promotion to Division 2.
But for all its success in the league the social basis of the Club was still recognised. In discussing the Club's progress, in the 1951 minutes, it is recorded that: 'We can also offer, I think, a pleasant atmosphere, perhaps the most treasured asset of any club, and one which I am sure we shall all strive to cultivate and extend during the coming seasons.'