Fremantle Tennis Club Opening Day. Photograph courtesy of the Fremantle City Library Local History Photographic Collection: 1475B. In 1921 St John's Tennis Club was a one court social affair. Members applied to the Fremantle Council for a grant of land to build six lawn courts in Fremantle Park. The courts were opened in December 1922. (The text is from the Library entry. The photo shows Opening Day 1922, but Tennis Club courts had been on Fremantle Park since before the end of the previous century: see below for documentation.)
Fremantle Lawn Tennis Club History
1895 – Formed in early 1895 the thirty or so members of the club were restricted by the facilities available, but the emergent financial community of the time used tennis as a much needed social activity. Some of the influential founding members included: H.F. Brandon (Fremantle manager of the Bank of Australasia), W.R Hodge (Chief accountant for the WA ………) James Bassett (a Fremantle Broker), and R.M.Walker (Principal of one of Perths most important accounting firms).
1896 – The Municipal Council, at their monthly meeting, supported a deputation that the newly formed tennis club be provided with two asphalt tennis courts on the park at a cost of 150 pounds. The club with a promise of some 70-80 members would then build a pavilion, establish grass courts, and carry out other works in connection with the ground. The Inquirer and Commercial News Fri 6 Nov 1896
1896 - Fremantle Park Tennis Club under the direction of Mr James Bassett the club secretary announced that in the grounds of St John’s Rectory, one asphalt court, netted, lined and skirted out with tan from North Fremantle Tannery, was ready for use. The Daily News (Thu 24 Dec 1896)
1897 – The formal opening of the Fremantle Park Lawn tennis Club - Some six months later the energetic committee, composed of influential, professional Fremantle identities including…. had developed an impressive membership, had added another asphalt court, and had laid down the first grass court on the corner of Fremantle Park opposite the Park Hotel. The West Australian (Mon 1 Feb 1897)
1897 - The first Championship Tournament to be held by any recognized tennis club in Western Australia was held at Fremantle Park Lawn tennis club, in recognition of the record 60 year reign of Queen Victoria. Prizes in the form of generously donated trophies were available for seven men’s and ladies events. Representation was requested from the then current tennis bodies in the colony: Perth, Fremantle, Cottesloe, Coolgardie, Geraldton, York, Bunbury, Northam, and Newcastle. The tournament was held over one week, but the club did not make any financial gain from the public viewing, as access to the Fremantle Park was free, due to the leasing arrangement with the Municipal Council. The Inquirer and Commercial News Fri 18 Jun 1897
1900 - The club continued to grow in membership, and improvements made to the facilities under the direction of the then president C.Y. O’Connor. At the AGM that year, a motion was proposed that a special meeting be called, to alter the name of the club from Fremantle Park Tennis Club to Fremantle Lawn Tennis Club. The West Australian (Fri 26 Jan 1900)
1904 – The Western Mail reported that the Fremantle Tennis Club Annual dance, held at the Victoria Hall, was a huge success and went in to great detail describing the individual dresses worn by the ladies on the night. Western Mail (Sat 14 May 1904)
1914 – 1918 The club continued to function, though diminished in numbers and activities, as conscripts were signed up. A sense of guilt associated with sport during the war was eluded to in an article published locally “Port Pickings” War and Sport, Port Pickings (Sat 30 Oct 1915)
1923 – The addition of six lawn courts had been made to the club, and the recently formed Fremantle and Districts Lawn Tennis Association commenced operations. This was an attempt to further the game of tennis at the Port, and generate healthy gentlemen’s pennants competition between the six clubs involved. The West Australian (Wed 3 Jan 1923)
Reminiscences:
Colleen and Charles Johnson (both life members) remember having to be sponsored by a current club member, and being watched by three members to ensure their standard of play was adequate before joining. Colleen was 13 when she joined in 1946, and very quickly earned respect as a player. In those days there was no junior play, and only players over fourteen years of age were allowed to join in social play. At the age of 16 Colleen (then Miss C Cooper) was asked to play in the ladies club championships by Margaret Chalwell, an event they won in 1949. It is noteworthy that in those days all members played in the club championships.
The original layout of the tennis club was as Colleen remembers – the Fremantle Bowling club, occupying the corner of Ellen and Parry Street, and using the Pavilion closest to their greens. The central pavilion then being an open hall area used for dances and functions, and the pavilion further up Ellen Street being the tennis club’s member’s area – housing changing rooms and toilets. During the 1950’s and 60’s Friday nights would see good turnouts to dances held at the club – a three-piece orchestra (often made up of talented members within the club), would provide the music to The Gaye Gordon, the Boston Two Steps and the Circular Waltz, amongst other dances, and members would enjoy socializing.
In later years the clubhouses separated, and the Fremantle Bowling club moved to the site it currently occupies, and then later still around 1966, the current clubhouse was built for the tennis club.
The courts were always closed for the winter season, and players often moved to other sports e.g. hockey, football, and netball. But during summer, the courts were well used for social play, coaching, and pennant competitions.
Noel Gugeri, who owned a sports shop in Atwell Arcade in Fremantle, coached a squad of six or so young girl players, increasing their skills, and improving their techniques, never taking payment for his services. Collen and Charlie’s daughters Susan and Joanne, both went on to become State junior players. Christine Dorey (nee Matison), another of Noel’s talented tennis juniors, represented the State as a junior between 1966 and 1969 and then as a senior between 1979 and 1982. She was an integral part of the ladies team that won the division one pennant flag for Fremantle Tennis Club for 13 consecutive seasons.
Christine was ranked the number one State Ladies player in 1970 and 1972 and again between 1979 and 1981. In 1975, an era when all the top Australian and international players came to Perth, she won the WA Open Ladies Doubles Championship with Lesley Bowrey. She played at Wimbledon five times, and played in the ladies doubles quarter finals in the French and US Opens in 1977, and the semi-final of the doubles in the 1977 Australian Open. In singles, Christine played in the quarter finals of the Australian Open in 1975 and 1976 and then in the semi-final of the 1978 Australian Open.
Christine’s achievements are now recognised by the City of Fremantle Sporting Hall of Fame and the City of Cockburn Sporting Hall of Fame. The tennis club has now honoured her by naming an annual medal tournament after her and her previous coach. (The Gugeri-Dorey Cup)
During the 1970s and 1980’s the City of Fremantle Challenge Cup became a prestigious tournament to enter. The juniors played during the week, and the senior competition was held over the weekend. Tiered seating allowed the crowds to enjoy the action, and television cameras transmitted the event. When trophies were supplemented with $500 in prize money, the tournament became known as the Fremantle $500. As always the committee of the time worked tirelessly to stage the event, often taking the week off work to volunteer their services. Bob Gordon recalls that elite players were invited to play, including Frank Sedgman, Bob Giltinan, Dave Fromholtz, Christine Dorey, Pauline Ferguson, Rob Casey, Barry McMillan, Frank Harris, Syd Ball, Chris Johnston, Russell Seymour, Wayne Pascoe, Trevor Little, Geoff Sara, John Gordon, Cliff Letcher, Rod Frawley, and Peter McNamara.
Tennis continues to thrive at Fremantle Tennis Club, with social and pennant play during the summer and winter months. In February 2020 our new home was completed and named the Fremantle Park Sport and Community Centre (F.P.S.C.C.). The club now shares a double – storey, modern facility with the Fremantle Bowling and the Fremantle Workers Clubs, and having access to 10 grass (during summer) and 5 flood-lit hard courts, as well as a ground floor bar, 1st floor restaurant and multiple function rooms with ample parking for up to 80 vehicles. This new facility will continue the long history of tennis memories at Fremantle Park well into the future.
Caroline Hayward (May 2021)
