History of Palmerston
28 August 2008
Palmerston tennis club now situated in Elm Hall Drive was, as the title suggests, raised at the Palmerston Road (opposite Mossley Hill station).The founders were the late Messrs T.K.Richardson, J.C.Kent, E.D.Davies and W. Jackson, and due to their devoted interest the club survived the war years 1939-1945.
The Liverpool and district group was formed in 1949 and Palmerston entered two men's and two ladies teams.
In 1954 the ground which had been leased to the club was to be sold by the British Railway. The club could not afford to buy the land so were forced to find a new site. The new site turned out to be Elm Hall Drive.
The site was with weeds and old roots where the present courts 1 - 4 exist. On the other part (courts 5 and 6 ), allotments were cultivated by local residents. 4 shale courts were ready in time for the 1954 season.
In 1962 the club purchased the allotments and built courts 5 & 6. The club now had 6 shale courts.
During 1965 the old pavillion was knocked down and a new one (now our function room)was built. The members continued to get changed in two sheds (male & female) until 1968 when the pavillion was extended to provide changing rooms, showers, kitchen and a lounge / bar. The bar was opened in 1969. In 1976 we changed 3 shale courts to 3 all weather (courts 1-3) and in 1984 we changed the remaining 3 shale to all weather courts.
During 1976 the club changed 3 of the shale courts to the all weather surface (courts 1-3). In 1984 the 3 remaining shale courts were converted to all weather courts. In 1990 the committee voted to change the surface on courts 1-3 to a new astro turf surface. The astro has since been renewed in 1999.
