The History of Tennis in Haverhill

Tennis became very popular in Haverhill during the 1930’s with the foundation of the Haverhill Churches Tennis League. This was of great interest in the town causing much friendly rivalry and promoting many friendships in the community. The weekend tennis parties being very popular and also the chief means of socialising. The West End and St Mary’s churches had their courts and club huts along “Fibre Lane”. The Old Independent Church (now United Reform) had theirs in “Smarts Meadow” (now Elmhurst Close) and the Methodist Church played originally on “Greenfields” (now Clements Estate) and then sharing the St Mary’s Church facilities.

The Town Tennis Club which had also been in existence for some years played on the site of the present Fire Station and had the two best courts in the town. It also enjoyed the highest standard of play and one of the highlights of the season was the invitation extended to the Church Clubs for a representative tournament at the Town Club.

After the 1939-45 war, perhaps due to age and various social reasons all the Church Clubs disappeared and interest in tennis appeared to completely dwindle in some areas. However the keener members of the former Church Clubs then joined together to reform the Town Club and after a lot of hard work managed to get the courts into a playable state. These efforts proved very worthwhile and by 1949 the membership was over-subscribed and had to be confined to residents of Haverhill only.

The Club joined the West Suffolk Tennis League and over a number of years on this site had many successful seasons both playing and socializing. Throughout these years the Club built up a useful bank balance and eventually purchased the ground for the sum of £200 and a nissen hut from the council which had been used for accommodation on Hamlet Croft, for use as a club house and changing rooms.

Haverhill Lawn Tennis Club as it was now known then moved to a new site situated in Reeds Lane, just behind the fire station in and in 1985 the Mayor and Mayoress of St Edmundsbury officially opened three new floodlit courts on the site. The club remained there until 2004 when the Council purchased the site and leased some land to the club next to the Haverhill Leisure Centre alongside the astro football pitch. This enabled four new floodlit courts to be constructed which were officially opened that year by the deputy mayor and the Suffolk county development officer for the Lawn Tennis Association and it’s where the club remains today.

In 2009 the club commenced the construction of a brick built clubhouse on the site which included changing and toilet facilities plus a meeting room. During 2010 with the aid of a grant from Havebury Housing the building was fitted out internally, including a kitchen area and officially opened in Spring 2011 by the Chairman of Suffolk LTA and the mayor of Haverhill.