Our story · Est. 1919
The History of Middleton Tennis
Opened by the Mayor of Middleton at 2 p.m on 4 May 1919, and still playing on Towncroft Avenue a century later. Here is how the club came to be.
1919
The year was 1919, the date was May 4th and the time was 2 p.m.
In 1919 the club was officially opened by the Mayor of Middleton and the 'Middleton Cricket and Tennis Club (Tennis Section)' was born on Towncroft Avenue, where it is still sited to this day. The members threw themselves into this new activity with gusto. The club's first ever tennis match took place on 31 May 1919 against Stretford Tennis Club, and the result was a win for Middleton! The club did not have to wait long for its second victory: it came one month later on the 28th June against Tyldesley Tennis Club. It was a further two years before the club started real competitive tennis rather than friendlies; at this point membership totalled 70 gentlemen members and 76 lady members.
1920s
On 24 April 1924, at one of the monthly club meetings, a proposal was put forward to turn the existing 4 courts round to admit more members. The club minutes note that the club had both hard and grass courts in use, with the hard courts to open on the first Saturday in April and the grass courts on the first Saturday in May. By the 12th May the following year the club had 6 courts (4 grass and 2 shale), of which 4 were used for matches; a 7th court was introduced 3 years later. These were quaint times: the minutes mention applications to buy new curtains for the windows and to keep the clubhouse open until 11 p.m. During one meeting a power failure meant it had to be completed by candlelight!
1930s
On the 10th of May 1934 a special general meeting was called and from it Middleton Tennis Club was formed, formerly known as Middleton Cricket and Tennis Club (Tennis Section). Six days later work started on a new wooden pavilion, completed just 14 days after that. It served the club well until it was demolished in 2004 to make way for the current clubhouse. On 23 June the new pavilion was officially opened by Mr H A Clapp, who became a Life Member; Mr and Mrs Clapp donated the 'Towncroft Cup' for club competitions. Club member Mr Temperley was elected 'Variety Producer' for the winter session and 'Organiser of Concerts', simpler and different times indeed.
1950s
At the 1951 AGM it was decided to enter teams in the Manchester and District League for the 1953 season. This proved to be a very good move: both the men's and women's teams won their respective leagues in their debut season.
2010s
It took the club until 2011 to reach the pinnacle of the Manchester and District League, when the men's team won the 1st division title for the first time in their history, finishing the season undefeated. Buoyed by this success, the club continued its partnership with Rochdale Link4Life to provide weekly junior tennis coaching on Tuesdays throughout the summer months.
On this day
A Potted History of Events
- 4 May - club officially opened by the Mayor of Middleton at 2 p.m.
- 31 May - first ever friendly match played against Stretford Tennis Club. A first win for Middleton.
- 28 June - second ever friendly match, against Tyldesley. A second win for Middleton.
- Club membership was 70 men and 76 women.
- 24 April - proposal to turn the existing 4 courts round to admit more members.
- 29 July - club minutes note both hard and grass courts in use; hard courts to open the first Saturday in April, grass courts the first Saturday in May.
- 12 May - 4 of the courts to be used for matches, of the 4 grass and 2 shale.
- 5 Oct - the minutes record a 7th court being introduced.
- 10 May - a special general meeting forms Middleton Tennis Club, formerly Middleton Cricket and Tennis Club (Tennis Section).
- 16 - 30 May - erection of a new wooden pavilion.
- 23 June - official opening of the pavilion by Mr H A Clapp, who became a Life Member. Mr and Mrs Clapp donated the 'Towncroft Cup'. Mr Temperley elected 'Variety Producer' and 'Organiser of Concerts'. The first Towncroft Cup winner was crowned (not named in the minutes).
- AGM decides to enter both a gents and womens team in the Manchester and District League for the 1953 season.
- Poplar trees planted alongside the courts.
- The men's and women's teams both win their respective leagues in their debut season.
- 15 May - club agrees a club badge and a coat of arms.
- The existing 3 shale courts were replaced by 3 new all-weather courts.
- The wooden pavilion demolished and replaced by the current concrete clubhouse.
- The club wins the Division 1 title of the Manchester and District League after 58 years of trying.
- 4 May - the club celebrated 100 years of tennis in Middleton.
From the archive
1921 Season Results
A century old, straight from the club minutes. Match score reads Win : Draw : Loss.
| Club | Result | Match (W:D:L) | Sets | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heywood | Lost | 05:00:13 | 15 - 26 | 168 - 230 |
| Royton | Won | 07:00:05 | 36 - 04 | 232 - 84 |
| Rhodes | Won | 09:00:03 | 21 - 03 | 135 - 77 |
| Bowling & Tennis | Lost | 04:07:07 | 14 - 21 | 131 - 168 |
| Moorside | Won | 17:00:01 | 33 - 03 | 212 - 66 |
| Royton | Won | 16:00:02 | 33 - 08 | 224 - 117 |
| Littleborough | Won | 16:00:02 | 32 - 09 | 171 - 100 |
| Heywood | Won | 07:05:06 | 20 - 17 | 169 - 146 |