Club History

Linkside Lawn Tennis Club came into being in 1913. The space we now occupy had been an archery field for the Cricket Club, where ‘very few of the wealthier families were not represented’! It was felt that ‘wives and daughters of the cricket members’ needed a sport of their own so two ‘indifferent’ grass tennis courts were introduced. There was no clubhouse at this stage, the ladies shared the Cricket Pavillion.

After WWI ‘Linkside Lawn Tennis Club ‘ was created and a small tin hut introduced for changing.

It continued to thrive until WWII when a stop was put to competitive sport, but after the war produced several Wimbledon class players on it’s, by now, clay courts. Amongst them were :

Leonie Brighton (nee Thorn) who played from 1949 to 1961 at Wimbledon. In singles, and both ladies and mixed doubles. Among her successes she reached the 3rd round of the ladies singles in 1952, the second round of the mixed doubles in 1949 and 3rd in 1950, partnered  with a Leslie Cater.

John Horn who won the Wimbledon Junior Boys singles in 1950, having reached the final and lost the year before. He won 23 amateur trophies in singles and doubles and  less glamorously, but impressive still, he won Linkside’s Senior tournament at the age of just 15!

In 1996, tragedy struck and the wooden Pavillion was subjected to an arson attack and burnt down. The Clubhouse was re-built under the guidance of Alan Weatherley (17 years Chairman) and John Satow, who was not only a member, but also an architect. Funding from The National Lottery and an LTA loan largely funded the project.