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Harrow Lawn Tennis Club

Almost certainly founded in 1880, three years after the first championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, we are, as Club tradition has it, amongst the world's six oldest tennis clubs.

We have three hundred members, many of whom are social members. Many more are regular players. Before play commences
Before play commences To satisfy their needs, we enter teams into the Middlesex League and have done so since 1970. Then, we entered only two teams. Now we enter ten. We have other teams as well in floodlit, women's and mixed leagues. But we consider ourselves more than just a tennis club. We enjoy ourselves off- as well as on-court and make our social diary as active as we can. We have Open Days and barbecues, and quiz evenings and Pimm's parties, and more besides.

Browse this site to learn more or, better still, come along for a game. We reside in the beautiful grounds of Harrow School. You can reach us via Garlands Lane, Harrow-on-the-Hill. (See map.)

Harrow School has redeveloped its sports facilities. The School leases its courts and a small pavilion to us. And in September 2004, we celebrated the inauguration of twelve acrylic courts with an exhibition match by Club coaches. The moustachioed gentlemen players, with their wooden rackets, the ball girls and the umpire all wore traditional Victorian dress to echo our early years. Six of the courts are performance standard porous.

Wendy Driver
Harrow LTC President (appointed 2009)

Juniors

We aim to develop players in the long-term and encourage all our juniors to take professional instruction. Like the Lawn Tennis Association we maintain that correct technique and sound understanding of the game require competent coaching. With this in mind, we are pleased that on Saturday mornings Elaina Forland (tel. 07789 961142) is coaching our juniors. (See Saturday morning coaching times). Read more.

Coaching

We welcome members and non-members alike to adult beginner/improver coaching with Elaina Forland (tel. 077899 61142). You will learn techniques and tactics in fun-packed sessions that include drills and competitive yet friendly matches. Read more.

Pete Rutland, a respected coach and county player, coaches our teams and runs a group-coaching session for adults (Saturdays 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.). Pete also offers personal tuition (tel. 07940 888909). Read more.

Middlesex League

We have five Ladies' teams (in divisions 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5) and five Gentlemen's teams (in divisions 2, 5, 6, 8 and 9) in the Slazenger Middlesex North-West League. Fixtures and results are available on-line.

Tournament 2010 (members only)

Sunday July 11 is Finals Day. The tournament is a knockout competition with every finalist playing for the honour of being a club champion. Events include Ladies' Singles, Gentlemen's Singles, Ladies' Doubles, Gentlemen's Doubles and Mixed Doubles, the draws of which are available on-line.

Spectators, who are encouraged to give the players their full support, usually bring picnics, but drinks can be bought from a cash bar. A barbeque and a presentation of the trophies to the winners will follow the matches. Members can read more.

TC Blau-Weiß Kassel e.V. at Harrow, 2009

See Ralph Watson's photographs of TC Blau-Weiß's visit to Harrow. They TC Blau-Weiß and Harrow LTC
TC Blau-Weiß and Harrow LTC, 2009 include photos of the drinks party in the Old Speech Room Gallery; the Challenge Cup match; the guided walk through central London and along the South Bank; the dinner at Pinner Hill Golf Club, where the guests treated their host families to an excellent dinner, and the final-night party at Quainton School.

Harrow LTC versus Harrow School

On June 6, 2009, the Club played Harrow School. Our squad of eighteen pairs included twelve juniors. The School organised the match, and everyone had a good time.

The tennis was excellent, and we intend to make this event a permanent calendar fixture.

Harrow end the long wait for Cup triumph

Harrow Lawn Tennis Club men's team has won the prestigious Middlesex Cup for the first time in over thirty years.

After winning through four rounds in this fiercely fought knockout competition, Harrow triumphed Colin Stone, James Kavanagh, Alex Bolotov, Yura Bolotov & Mark Wass
Colin Stone, James Kavanagh, Alex Bolotov, Yura Bolotov & Mark Wass by beating favourites Hatch End in a thrilling final, winning by five rubbers to four.

The win was particularly sweet as Harrow men's first team play in Division Three of the Slazenger Middlesex League; Hatch End's first team play in Division One.

Harrow had already caused a shock in the semi-finals by beating Harrow Weald, who play in Division Two.

The triumphant Harrow team was Colin Stone, James Kavanagh, Alex Bolotov, Yura Bolotov, Mark Wass, Stephen Bloom and Mathew Everatt.

Georgie Housley
Harrow Observer, Thurs July 26, 2007

The Beckwith Courts

In 2002, a multi-million-pound redevelopment of the Harrow School playing fields began on both sides of the Hill. By 2005, much of the work was done. A Tartan® athletics track had replaced the School's cinder oval and a showcase rugby/soccer pitch called Sunley Field had been laid at the centre of the new track. The School drill square and five tennis courts used to be where Sunley Field now is, but by 2005, the square had moved to the foot of Garlands Lane, and the courts moved also. Twelve new acrylic courts had replaced the School's old all-weather ones and the new courts named the Beckwith Courts after Peter Beckwith OBE (Elmfield 1958) and Sir John Beckwith CBE (Druries 1960), who jointly funded them. Peter and Sir John are two Old Harrovians, brothers who enjoy their tennis.

Members' Area

Members require a username and password (see a committee member) to access the Members' Area.

Calendar

Our committee organises many tournaments and social events.

The Club calendar is kindly maintained by Enid Silverstone, Club Secretary.

  • Sun 9 May Winter Handicap Final 11.00 a.m. - 12.30 p.m.
  • Sat 29 May Harrow School Speech Day NO PLAY until 5.00 p.m.
  • Sun 30 May Charity Tournament 10.00 a.m. - 12.30 p.m.
  • Sun 6 Jun Lack Cup Junior Tournament 3.00 p.m. - 6.00 p.m. (barbeque and juniors disco from 6 p.m.)
  • Sat 19 Jun HLTC v. Harrow School 2.00 p.m.
  • Sun 11 Jul Finals Day 9.30 a.m. - 6.00 p.m.
  • Sun 18 Jul Save the Children Tournament at Harrow 10.00 a.m. - 3.00 p.m. (final at Roehampton in September)
  • Sun 29 Aug Social Tennis 2.30 p.m. start & Captains Tea 4.30 p.m.
  • Sun 19 Sep Veteran's Tournament 10.00am - 12.30pm & President's Pimm's 12.00 p.m. - 2.00 p.m.

A Social Tennis Tournament is on the last Sunday of every month (except Aug and Dec) from 10 a.m. (prompt) till noon. The entry fee is £1.

Committee

Committee members are elected at Harrow LTC's AGM. Except for the President, whose term is five years, all hold office for three years.

In September of 2009, the Club Committee appointed Wendy Driver to the position of President. Ratification was by unanimous vote. The outgoing President was Roger Frais, who gave to the Club ten years of outstanding service.

Also to resign office in 2009 was Patti Axten. Patti had been Honorary Secretary for several terms of office. We thank Patti for her hard work and for her grace and charm. Our new Secretary is Enid Silverstone.

Membership

To join the Club, come along to the courts on a weekend morning, when you can play a game or two and talk to a member of the Committee. A membership form is available on-line (fees are listed). Send it, a cheque made payable to "Harrow Lawn Tennis Club" and a stamped self-addressed envelope to our membership secretary, Ralph Watson.

Download a membership form (MS Word). The application form for new members includes a breakdown of Club fees:

Playing Times

During term, members share the courts with the Harrow schoolboys and may play in the mornings and evenings. The School reserves the courts in the late afternoons.

Harrow School Term-time Playing Times
 a.m.tillp.m.from
British Summer Time (BST) starts on the last Sunday in March and ends on the last Sunday in October at 1 a.m. Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). In 2010 BST begins Mar 28 and ends Oct 31, in 2011 BST begins Mar 27 and ends Oct 30, and in 2012 BST begins Mar 25 and ends Oct 28.
Monday (BST)16:0018:30
Monday (GMT)14:0016:30
Tuesday14.0018:30
Wednesday (BST)16:0018:30
Wednesday (GMT)14:0016:30
Thursday14.0018:30
Friday (BST)16:0018:30
Friday (GMT)14:0016:30
Saturday14:0018:30
Sunday14:0017:00

Check Harrow School term dates (half terms and exeats incl.).

Download Playing Times (MS Word) for a comprehensive listing of term-time and holiday playing times:

TC Blau-Weiß Kassel e.V.

Harrow LTC has a special bond with TC Blau-Weiß Kassel e.V.. Our two clubs enjoy each other's competition and friendship. We alternate visits; in '09, TC Blau-Weiß visited us (Thur 16 July - Sun 19 July).

Photograph Album

Our Club photographer is Ralph Watson. Ralph's images beautifully capture the Club and its surroundings.

New: President's Pimm's, 2009. Photos by Vicky de Lacy Egan.

Ralph's photos of TC Blau-Weiß at Harrow 2009 and Finals Day 2009. Carole Bellringer's photos of Lack Cup 2009.

Ralph's and Carole's photos of Finals Day 2008. Finals Day 2007 and Kassel 2007.

Doubles Ladder (July 13 to October 31, 2009)

Matches are two tiebreak sets and when necessary a third-set championship decider. Play is restricted to evenings and weekends (9 a.m. - 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. - 2 p.m.) unless courts are empty.

Download an application form (MS Word) and register with Carole Bellringer at any time:

Winter Intra-club Tournament (2009 - 2010)

The Winter Tournament has priority on weekends on Nos. 1, 2 and 3 Courts. See Isa Korn, the tournament director, for details. Download Winter Intra-club Tournament (MS Word) for the rules, a schedule and details of the teams:

Clothing

Harrow LTC-branded clothing is in stock. Sharp dressers should see Corinne Cooke for tennis clothing bearing our proud logo.