The Ipswich and West Moreton Tennis Association was formed on the 21st of March 1906 as the Ipswich Lawn Tennis Association in the interests of the town. The people of Ipswich enjoyed outdoor sports including tennis and it existed as a social activity rather than a competitive competition, until the early 1920’s when fixtures started. Up until this point Ipswich had gone without a public tennis court as many matches were played on private courts. So, in 1928 it was put forward to the Alderman and the Local Council by the Association that several courts and a permanent headquarters be erected at the five ways on Chermside Road.
It was not until 1929 that work on four courts began with help from several local builders including C.W.B. Shenton, E.N. Kruger and C.A. Greenway. In 1934 after 5 years of hard work, the new courts were officially open by the president of the club Clarrie Shenton on the 7th of July at cost of 400 pounds. The tennis pavilion or club house was built shortly afterwards and named “Shenton House” in honour of the past President Clarrie Shenton and memorial gates were erected as a mark of respect for Alderman Tom E. Woodford a long serving member of the Association.
In the early 1940’s times were tough for the Association as they struggled to find ways to meet the financial commitments as many Ipswich residents and players enlisted in the fight for their countryin the first world war. The decrease in the production of rubber also caused a drop in the numbers of tennis players as many companies producing tennis balls and sand shoes closed down. It was not until the late 1940’s that business picked up once again and growing interest and numbers in the sport called for the construction of a further four courts.
In the 1950’s the Ipswich and West Moreton Tennis Association was the largest sporting organisation in the district and country and in 1953 Council approved the construction of a further four courts for the Association. A fund was set up to help pay for the courts and fundraisers such as raffles, street stalls and exhibition matches were run to assist. The 1960’s saw Tennis once again become a popular past time as record numbers signed up to be apart of a team. Many of the tennis events were advertised in the Queensland Times, at the Wintergarden Theatre, and on the local 4IP radio station.
As other clubs and courts were built within the Ipswich area tensions rose and conflict erupted between the Ipswich and West Moreton Tennis Association and the new George Alder Tennis Centre as courts at the old centre continued to be used over those at the new centre. This prompted the introduction of a regulation that stated “Courts other than those at the Alder Tennis Centre, when such courts are required for fixture play, shall be rostered on a rotational basis”. The introduction of this regulation may have also caused or prompted the closure and relocation of the Ipswich and West Moreton Tennis Associations Memorial courts to the new Alder Tennis Centre in 1980. Today the courts are still being thoroughly used by the Ipswich Junior Tennis Association, and tennis is still a popular game for people of all ages in Ipswich.
Information taken from “History of Ipswich and West Moreton Tennis Association – Golden Jubilee 1934-1984” and “Tennis – for the love of the game”
Tennis Association Championships being held at the Chermside Road courts, 1950-1951 – Image courtesy of Picture Ipswich