From: The Racketeer 9, September 1994
The Story of Mapperley Park Tennis Club
Part 5 - Court Orders
by Chris Weir
Chris Weir rounds off his account of the 1950s with a look at the club's growth.
The 1950s were a period of consolidation for the club. While the teams all put in creditable performances in the leagues, the committee continued to increase the club's membership and to improve the courts. In 1954 the club's President, Mr. Browne, purchased a private tennis court on Esher Grove and then offered it to the club on a low rental. The offer was accepted immediately. At the same time an invitation was made to the Clumber Tennis Club on Clumber Avenue, Sherwood Rise, which was closing down, to join MPTC - 28 Clumber members decided to join - swelling the number of MPT C members to 88. During the winter of 1953/4 it was agreed to hold a Club Dance, an event that soon became a highlight of the club's social calendar. The March 1954 minutes recorded that the dance had raised a total of £10 12s 6d, describing the event as 'a wonderful success.'
By 1955 MPTC's membership had risen to 91. The committee consisted of Mr. R. Pullman, Hon. Secretary; Mr. P. Cullen, Hon. Treasurer; Mr. A. Ricks, Hon. Auditor; Miss M. Domleo, Ladies' Match Secretary; and Mr. S. Hopkins, Men's Match Secretary. Meetings were held at St. John's parish rooms on Watcombe Circus. In view of the club's increased membership, the committee looked into the possibility of extending the changing rooms. However, the estimates of £43 and £63 were considered too high. In the meantime the committee sought to raise the sum of £1,600 to improve the club's facilities and pay off a number of outstanding loans. This was eventually done through loans from club members, enabling the club to pay off Mr. Browne's interest-free loan and therefore buy the freehold on the new Esher Grove bottom court. In addition the club managed to secure a grant of £350 from the National Playing Fields Association towards the cost of a new hard court, which was laid out be En-Tout-Cas Ltd. in 1957/8. At the same time the improvement in the club's financial position had made it possible to buy a fourth tennis court.
In 1959 full membership of MPTC cost £4 7s 6d (less 3s 6d for 'prompt payment'). Under 21s paid £2 15s; temporary members £1 for four weeks; walking members 10s; with visitors' fees set at 1s 6d on weekdays and 2s 6d at weekends and bank holidays. Among the teams' fixtures were matches against Magdala, Musters, Sherwood Rise, Basford Hall, Stapleford Wotan, Eastwood, Wollaton, Kelham Theological College (near Newark; a friendly), NALGO (National Association of Local Government Officers), Rolls Royce, Players, Co-op Western and Ericsson (later Plessey, now GPT).
The 1959 minutes recorded the sad death of the club's long serving President, Mr. S. J. Browne. He had served as president since 1947 and had been a key figure in the club's development. In his place the committee elected George Wilford, one of the club's vice presidents and a club trustee, who took MPTC into a new decade of the club's history.