Origins of Priory Park Tennis courts

 

 

Friends of Priory Park have been ferreting around in the Council Archives in Bruce Castle Museum and Hornsey Library's local history collection to find out more about our tennis courts. 

 

Our Hornsey councillors in the 1910s and 1920s were clearly both sporty and farsighted. Three cheers for Alderman Jenkinson, without whose enthusiasm the then Hornsey Council would not have bought the eight acres Lewcock's Field to join onto the existing Middle Lane Pleasure Grounds. It wasn't an easy process. Alderman Jenkinson had raised the possibility of buying the land back in 1912, when there were already road and drainage plans in place for a number of houses on the site. Only the start of World War 1 in 1914 stopped the progress of this development. Three years later the Council took over the area under the Cultivation of Lands Act and turned it into allotments. The work was carried out mostly by unemployed local labour. 

 

After the end of the war, when the plan to build houses came up again, Hornsey stepped in and began negotiations to buy the land, culminating in the purchase in 1923. The area was re-laid to a design by the Borough Engineer, with footpaths, drainage, six tennis courts and two putting greens - all for a cost of  5,480 - and all delivered on budget. But not without problems... The ground was dug and prepared for the turf and tennis courts foundations, but 1924 was an exceptionally wet summer and all the old allotment produce from mustard and cress to giant sunflowers reappeared, with a vengeance. The entire area had to be cleared again, by hand, raked into heaps and then burnt and the ground left to settle.

 

Opening in 1925 was cancelled and scheduled instead for 1926. The tennis courts were built by 'Norbrec' Hard Courts of Accrington, with the wrought iron fencing done by T W Palmer of Merton Abbey Works.

 

Saturday, April 3rd 1926 was the big day. The Mayor of Hornsey, Alderman W G Barrenger, JP, arrived at 11am to formally open the newly designated Priory Park and The Hornsey Journal reporter was there to record it all. There was a long procession of dignitaries, a marquee and lots of speeches. The Mayor was keen to point out that Hornsey was a 'sanely progressive borough' (cries of hear, hear from his audience) and that 'he was one of those who believed it was the vital duty of every local authority to provide open spaces' (hear, hear). He went on to say that 'he trusted it would be a real live centre of the district and that long after those present had passed away, the inhabitants of Hornsey, who went there to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine, would be grateful that their forbears had the foresight to make such provision for their health and enjoyment' (Applause). And indeed, we ARE very grateful - thank you, Hornsey Council (Applause from us). 

 

The hard courts, announced the Mayor, would be the finest in North London and available throughout the year, but more importantly would provide more space for the 'little kiddies' (Applause). After some exhibition games organised by the leading players of the Trevescan Club, the Mayor toddled off for a photo opportunity with the admiring 'little kiddies' and a go on the new putting green.

 

There were rules! To start with, if you were playing singles, your maximum time was half an hour, with an hour for playing doubles, but it looks as if this time limit was soon increased. You had to pay - singles were one shilling and doubles, well, double that. (It's always hard to compare past prices with today, but one shilling then was worth at least 2.50 today). Prices went up, but times were hard in the depression of the 1930s, so costs were reduced in 1932 to 9d for singles and 1s 6d for doubles per hour. The local schoolchildren had special privileges - they were allowed the use of three of the courts one day a week in the winter and Wednesday afternoons between May and September, except for the school holidays. But no play at all on the Sabbath...

 

The Hornsey Labour Party passed a resolution in 1927 requesting that people be allowed to use the courts and putting greens on Sundays, but this was rejected. The Council eventually agreed in 1932, just for Priory Park, using it as a test case to gauge how many people would want to play. They ran a survey from October to May, counting the court time used and the amount of rain - even including Christmas Day (4 hours of play, no rain). Based on these results, the Council opened up the putting green and other local courts for Sunday play, but only from 2 o'clock... mornings were for church. 

 

We have not been able to find out why the Council chose a company as far away as Accrington to build the new courts. Whatever the reason, it turned out not to be a good move. By 1931, the Council had agreed to the replacement of three Norbrec courts by tarmacadam ones, because they were impossible to play on in the winter - due to the frost and rain. Three years later, extensive repairs, at a cost of £105, substantially more than originally anticipated, were made to the other courts - the reasons cited as 'probably owing to drought and other circumstances'. In 1938, proposals to replace the three tennis courts made 'of rubble' and requiring 'a good deal of attention' were accepted, but deferred until 1939 because of the cost.

 

However, instead, with the start of war, the park was taken over for public air raid shelters, allotments and a barrage balloon. It wasn't until 1950 these three courts were resurfaced. In the seventies, the courts were used by the Middlesex County LTA for their Open Tennis Centre Scheme, when they took over three courts for a six week block of evening coaching. 

 

And that's the story of the courts that we have today.