Since 1884 s tennis has been a community activity in Redcliffs. Initially tennis was played on privately owned courts were lent to the community. It is written that Hon J Barr had one court near where our volley board is. The entrance was from Estuary Rd /Beachville Road. Mr A Beaven had a court at the entrance to Balmoral Lane.
On 1 November 1917 there was a public meeting to formally form the Redcliffs Tennis
Club on these courts. In 1918 it was decided to charge the informal tennis club 6 pound rent per year for
the use of the courts. About that time Mr Barr decided to lay a second court on his land alongside the
existing one and to make an entrance from Main Road. The court at Balmoral Lane was still also used. In December 1920 the Redcliffs school children were permitted to play and learn tennis on the courts, and in 1921 the Redcliffs Tennis Club became a member of the Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association.
In 1924 the Club decided to buy land and made plans for a pavilion to be included. This project was completed within the year. The purchase of strips of land from various neighbours allowed the courts to be turned from north south to east west making room for a third court and for the pavilion on the Main Road site. The money to pay for the land and pavilion was raised by having fairs and later by regular card evenings. On 1 July 1924 Redcliffs Tennis Club was registered as an Incorporated Society. Opening day dances in the pavilion were a great community feature. Minute books show that in 1935 the Club Administration moved to have a Junior Membership so that the children could become members and continue to play tennis into adult years thus ensuring the future of the Club. It was not common for clubs to have children members. Many Christchurch Clubs still do not have children members. By 2017 we had around 160 children members.
Redcliffs players have competed in Wimbledon and there have been several
Provincial and New Zealand Champions.
1931 Records show that the Club held tournament to raise funds to help Clubs in
Hawkes Bay re-establish their courts after the Napier earthquake.
War Times
During the war there were tournaments held for the staff at the Redcliffs Field Hospital which was in Redcliffs School. The Club had to acquire special ration coupons to be able to purchase tea and sugar for the afternoon tea.
The sad times show that interclub teams had defaulted as the men had been conscripted to the war effort. The opening dances couldn’t be held as so many men had been called up. There is no record of members who died just references that some ‘women members needed support in their loss at the moment’.
The pavilion (an old war building) was the home of the Redcliffs Kindergarten for many years, post war.
Post Earthquake
The courts were badly damaged.
The Redcliffs Library used the hall, until their new building was rebuilt.
Following the earthquake damage Calcon Asphalt was contracted to reconstruct the 3 damaged courts at a cost of around $200,000. Largely funded by Community Grants and donations, coordinated by Dianne France.
The courts reopened on a temporary surface in May 2013. The midweek ladies group formed the core of returning Club Players. Mid week interclub commenced on the fully resurfaced courts in January 2014. Junior coaching and Interclub restarted in the 2014/15 season.
In March 2015 around 80 people who attended Club Prize giving agreed that Redcliffs Tennis Club was out of earthquake recovery mode and back in to tennis development and community participation. This would require fund raising activities and lots of social activity alongside our junior and senior tennis programmes. It is exciting. And we are proud to continue in the traditions set by the early residents of Redcliffs.