| On 13 September 1882 a group of enthusiasts got
together to form The Lansdown Private Lawn Tennis Club with a limit
of fifty members. A lease was negotiated with Charlecombe Church and
a local farmer for land between Richmond Road and Lansdown Road which
included an unused Racquets court which has been there for many years.
Within a few years, demand for membership was so great that it was
agreed to make the club open to any members. At that time Croquet
was also played at the club.
Many improvements were made to the facilities and playing surfaces
and between 1923 and 1925 the club purchased its present land from
the church and also land from a local builder for a consideration
of £1,250. In 1970 negotiations took place to amalgamate with
Lansdown Squash Club which owned land in St Stephens Road. This land
was sold to Bath University and the proceeds funded the construction
of four new courts behind the existing clubhouse and changing rooms.
In 1979 the club took its first steps towards converting the hallowed
grass tennis courts to a synthetic surface. After much deliberation
it was agreed to convert two courts to an Astroturf surface and over
the next fifteen years all of the grass courts were replaced in this
way, with the retention of three tarmac courts on the lower part
of the grounds.
Extensive work was also undertaken to convert space occupied by
one of the grass courts to a second croquet lawn which allowed the
croquet section of the club to grow.
The Astroturf courts transformed the tennis section of the Club
and membership numbers grew steadily. Floodlighting was also introduced
in the 1970’s and improved in 1989 and again in 2003. The Clubhouse
was extensively redeveloped in 1997.
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