The Indoor Tennis Court

Church Lane, Lacey Green

In 1888, a new Vicar arrived to serve the parish of Lacy Green. The Reverend William Robson and his wife were from Cheltenham. They were both keen tennis players, so in 1890, the Vicar ordered the erection of an indoor tennis court, measuring 118 feet by 20 feet., on the site in Church Lane which is now Hambye Close. The building was intended solely for their use.

Although he and his wife owned property in Cheltenham, the Vicar must have
been a very wealthy man to have contemplated such an extravagance. The
building, of brick construction, with skylights in the roof, was probably unique
in its day. The "sprung" wooden floor was made to a very high standard by a
local builder. It was constructed of narrow boards "secret nailed", and painted
green with a special non slip surface. The Vicar and his wife enjoyed the use
of the Court for some years. It is not recorded what the parishioners, who
were very poor, thought of such an extravagance.

The Vicar's story, however, is a very sad one. Due to an accident of some
kind he lost his health. His wife then left him to return to Cheltenham, and he
was left alone in the rambling vicarage. The tennis court fell into disrepair,
and apart for a brief use by the army in the First World War, was to remain
silent until the Vicar's death in 1922.

Mr Harold Carter, head of Carter's of Broad Street, Merchant Shippers in the
City of London, purchased the Tennis Court, following the death of Revd.
Robson. The Carters resided at Grimsdyke, in Lacy Green, living in some
Style, and employing many servants, gardeners and grooms.

The derelict tennis court was lavishly restored, to include ladies and
gentlemen's washing and changing facilities. The Carters often held tennis
parties, entertaining the current Wimbledon stars of the day, many of whom
played on the court.

However, with the outbreak of the Second World War, Mr. Carter transferred
his business from London to Lacey Green, using the Tennis Court as offices
and accommodation for his staff. The building was divided into three sections
with ladies living accommodation at one end, gents at the other, and offices in
the middle. Married couples were found accommodation within the village. It
is understood from people who lived and worked there at the time, that it was
an extremely cold building, due to the height of the roof. Small freestanding
oil stoves supplied the only heating. Eventually, a suspended ceiling was
installed to make the building warmer.

Immediately after the War, Carter's vacated the premises, and the firm of
Austin Hoy, manufacturers of coal mining equipment moved in. Coal chains,
used for cutting coal, were produced here, and despatched to mines
throughout Great Britain. There was also a good export trade to Canada,
Ireland, France, India and Australia. The company employed a large number
of local people. A photograph bearing the names of all the employees at this
time still survives.

After Austin Hoy moved to Saunderton, the building was used as a
warehouse, firstly for a builders merchants, and latterly by a sweet
manufacturer, Palmer and Harvey. For some years the bulding again fell into
disrepair, until after almost a century of service, in 1991, it was demolished
to make way for Hambye Close.