A historic Ipswich sports club that began before the Second World War is still serving its purpose nine decades after it first opened.

St John’s Tennis Club in Westbury Road welcomed its members and their friends for a celebration of the club’s almost-centenary.

When the club was formed in 1934, Britain had not yet been ravaged by the Second World War; women had only been able to vote for six years; and Ipswich Town was only an amateur side, as it would not turn professional for another two years.

The tennis club was founded as part of a sports club for St John’s Congregational Church.

This was thanks to the vision of the then Minister, the Reverend HJS Guntrip, who brought the club to life with a donation of £50, a mortgage of £250 to cover the costs of four grass tennis courts, and a bowling green on vacant land in Westbury Road.

The estimate for the four tennis courts was £43 and a further £47 and 10 shillings for the bowling green, with the final total cost being £107.

The grounds were officially opened on May 26 1934 by the Mayor of Ipswich.

On Saturday, the club welcomed its membership of over 150 players, which includes an active junior coaching section run by Martyn Bullingham.  

The club celebrated the occasion with a friendly mixed doubles tournament followed by a barbeque with friends and members.

David Wilson, Honorary President of the Tennis Club, gave a short speech at the end of the afternoon thanking the many committees and volunteers over the years for their hard work to enable the club to still be running successfully.

As a member himself for over 57 years he recalled some of the major changes that the club has gone through in the past 90 years.