Year 1924
Subject: First non private Tennis Court
After the demolition of the first schoolroom in 1916, on 5th February 1924 an ashphalt tennis court was established on the empty site.
Source: Nin Gordon (nee Jones)
Year 1929
Subject: Photo after Tennis
A photo exists of a gathering at the Dick residence after a game of tennis. Present were William Dick, Mary Ellen Dick, Tim Udy, Florence Udy, Gordon Udy, Bob Dick, Bert Udy, Eliza Dick and Eddie Dick.
Source: Wainuiomata Those Passing Years J M & B M Kenneally
Year 1934
Subject: Relaying of initial Courts
In 1934 a new concrete court was put in place of the old ashphalt court in the Wainuiomata School grounds. Thats where the Wainuiomata tennis club first played. We played D Grade Interclub.
Source: Nin Gordan (nee Jones)
Year 1924-1939
Subject: No tennis to be played on Sundays, Good Friday or Anzac Days
Many would be players worked 5 and a half to 6 days a week. Sunday was their day off, and that was when they wanted to play. Unhappily for them the School Committee was strongly Methodist and did not condone such recreational activities on Sundays. The matter of tennis not being permitted on the school court on Sundays and other religious holidays persists throughout the School Committee minutes.
21st November 1933
Agreed that the committee adhere to its previous decision not to allow Sunday tennis on the school court [WOM SCM,ATL]
20th March 1934
Agreed that the committee opposes play on the tennis courts on Good Friday. Wainuiomata tennis club to be written to and told that Volleying against the school wall to be discontinued and the window broken by club member between 16 and 19 inst. be paid for by Club.
Reported that five windows broken, account to be sent to Education Board[WOM SCM, ATL]
4th Dec. 1934
Agreed that [tennis] parties not be allowed on school courts on Sundays, Good Friday and Anzac Day
1st October 1936
Moved and seconded that Sunday tennis be allowed on the school court. Lost
9th September 1937
Deputation from Tennis Club present at School Committee meeting. Request for tennis on Sundays turned down
Year 1939
Subject: Sunday Tennis Approved
The [school Hall] hall used to run on Aladdin lamps too. The Hall Trust ran the Hall. Those on the Trust were also on the School Committee and were a bible banging lot. We werent allowed to play on the school grounds or on the tennis courts on Sundays. Keith Scholes and I agreed that at the next school committee meeting we would try and vote them off the committee to get a bit of strength. We told everyone that they were wanted at a special meeting on a special night so that we could change the committee to get tennis on Sundays. Never told the Woods in Moores Valley or the Coast Road people. Everyone was astounded at the turnout. Got our new committee and at the same meeting passed a motion that that the tennis courts be cleaned up and redone and that play be permitted on a Sunday. The tennis courts were then next to the school.
Source Claude & Freda Williams rems , 1981-2]
26th April 1939
Motion that the Tennis Club be allowed on the courts on Sunday was carried[WOM SCM,ATL]
Year 1934 & 1939
Subject: Early Wainuiomata tennis club Socials
In 1934 we had a Youth Committee which ran the dances and evenings that year for the Tennis Club. There were three of us involved, myself, the boy White, and Keith Scholes. I was working for my uncle up Moores Valley and he would never let me off for tennis - I was allowed off twice that year. We used to run free buses from Wellington over to Wainuiomata, passengers paid so much which allowed them into the hall. We had trouble with one or two with drink. This got back to my grandfather, James Wood, who was a Trustee for the Hall. He told me to see that this trouble ceased, or the hall use would be finished. Well, there were three Scandinavians working for Fred Prouse. These boys volunteered for fixing things up and next dance when I was MC, one of the Wellington boys came up and swore. I stopped the band and asked him to desist. Started the band again and the swearing continued so the band stopped and the three Scandinavians grabbed him and threw him out by the seat of his pants. He was taken away by his mates. I think the Scandinavians used to be doormen.
Source Keith Wood rems 1980s
From 1939to early 1940s Ran dances once a fortnight to pay for the improvements. Ran two free trucks [with canopies] from Lower Hutt to Wainuiomata for the dances. Had over 50 on each truck from Lower Hutt. Not only made enough money to do up the courts, but to start up the new courts behind the village.
When we used to have dances at the hall, we would decorate it, fill the lamps, trim the wicks, boil the copper, collect and chop wood, clean the floors etc. On a set Saturday night I would tell everyone to turn up with 50p and we would arrange the beer. Freda would get the sugar, biscuits, tea etc., and I would get the stools and so on, but it took everyone to make it work. People used to bring kids and all, had tugs of war. Mrs Mick Morris would do sword dances, old time dancing, Duke of York, Oranges and Lemons, and one of the girls would do a highland dance. There was a Tug-O-War regularly staged between the women and the men in the old hall on social evenings. Invariably the men won but one particular night when they could not move the women. Wally Carlyle called out Heave - the men heaved and the ladies and the ladies toilet came sailing into the hall. That cost £24 to repair!
Source Claude & Freda Williams rems, 1981-2
Typical dance Band of the time comprised:
Bill Dunn = Drums
Martha Jamieson = Piano
Hughie McKerrall = Violin
Wally Carlyle = Piano Accordian
Charlie Morris = Piano Accordian
Year1930s
Subject Interclub success
In 1936 Mr Sydney G Still (Local headmaster of Wainuiomata School) revived an interest in an adult Tennis Club and was Club Captain.
Photographic evidence proves that during the 1930s Wainuiomata did field a team in the Hutt Valley Interclub competition and won the D Grade Championship
The team comprised of:
W.Haste; Jack White; Syd Still; Keith Scholes; Adam Clark; M.Still; Nin Gordon; Alma Prouse; Mollie White; Ethel Scholes
Practice was on the concrete court at the old School and we played every Saturday through the Summer.- If we couldnt hitch a ride in Syd Stills or Jack whites car then it would be over to the Hutt by horseback. We were pretty enthusiastic players
They played invitation games here and away. They played Championship games, didnt always have cups but had prizes.
Source: Photo & Info believed to have been provided by Nin Gordon.
Year 1936
Subject; First Life Member
Mr & Mrs Claude Williams took over the Post Office and General Store located in Moores Valley Road. To recognize Mr Williams work for the Tennis Club, he was made a Life Member.
NB: Eds Note: Still trying to find source of this quote and ascertain if indeed Claude Williams was the first Life Member of the Old School Tennis Club.
Year 1940
Subject: First Recorded Minutes
The first recorded minutes (found) of the Wainuiomata Tennis Club are those of the Annual General Meeting dated 5;9.1940.
Office bearers are recorded as:
President: S Henry
Vice President: C Williams
Secretary: K Stevens
Club Captain: K Jackson
Treasurer: J Henry
Subscriptions were raised to 7/6 for the season.
The club initially used the Wainuiomata School tennis court, and the Headmasters wife (Mrs Rishworth) was given 2 bags of coal per season for providing hot water during the season for members to make tea.
Socials and balls have always played an essential part of the Tennis Club life from the time of inception up until the present day.
1941 minutes note that a dance was held on 14th June in the Village Hall and two buses were run from Petone and Lower Hutt free to the public to attend the dance. Door admission was: Ladies 2/-, Gentlemen 2/6d.
A raffle was run for ½ cord of manuka (donated by Mr K Ryder) for 3d per ticket to be drawn at the dance.
Year 1947
Subject: Move to new site in Village
On 6th December, 1947 the Club moved from the concrete tennis court located at the Wainuiomata Primary School to three new asphalt courts in the Village, which were obtained after negotiations with the Wainuiomata Domain Board.
Jerry Skinner, of the Domain Board, donated 500 for the Tennis Courts.
At the time the new Tennis Courts were built, everything was in very short supply. Millie Sanfords husband (Norm) knew where they could get Camouflage nets from Work Surplus Supplies. Mr Sandford was on the Domain Board at that time. Charlie Hawken and Carl Hair spent all their annual leave one year working on the domain. (in preparation for the courts).
Source: Millie Sandford rems 1983
Netting: Poles (old Boiler Tubes) were erected by club members. Later on wire mesh and iron poles replaced the old fencing arrangement. Refer to extract from minutes to the opening ceremony by Mr Michael Moohan M.P.
These courts were rented to the Wainuiomata Tennis Club for an annual rental of 50.
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