The Indoor Tennis Court
From Lacey Green History
The current Wimbledon stars played here as guests of Mr and Mrs Harold Carter of 'Grymsdyke' before WW2
Research by Joan West to 1946, continued by Miles Marshall. Also a report by Winnie Wood (Mrs Stan Rixon) and a letter from Liz Lewin of Hambe Close in 2021
THE INDOOR TENNIS COURT was a unique building to find in a small rural village
THE SITE. The land upon which the Reverend William Robson’s indoor tennis court was built had been allotted in the Enclosures of Princes Risborough in 1823 to Joseph Floyd. It was already an old freehold enclosure
31st December 1901. Conveyance. The Reverend William Robson purchased from Mary Grace, an orchard, previously part of the land belonging to Joseph Floyd.
INDOOR TENNIS COURT. William Robson cleared the land and erected an indoor tennis court, for the personal use of him and his wife. Measuring 35.5 metres by 61 metres, it was constructed in brick with skylights in the roof. The wooden floor was ‘sprung’ made of narrow boards to a very high standard and painted green with a special non-slip surface. Due to their poor health it became unused and fell into disrepair.
The Tennis Court was purchased from William Robson by Harold Carter. Click Harold Edward & Eliza Carter for more
The Carters lavishly restored the tennis court. They entertained the current Wimbledon stars, many playing on the court.
CONVERTED in WW2. During WW2 Harold Carter transferred his business, Carters Merchants Ltd, an import and export company, from the City of London to the tennis court in Lacey Green.
REPORT by WINNIE WOOD, later Mrs STAN RIXON (click Stan & Winnie Rixon for their own life story.) My sister had worked for Carters Merchants Ltd, in the City of London, an import and export company. The Carter family had bought Grymsdyke House some years before. They also owned the indoor tennis court built by ex-vicar William Robson in Church Lane. Mr Carter, the chairman of the company, decided to transfer the business to Lacey Green for the duration of the war. He converted the tennis court into staff accommodation and offices.
Dormitories either end for single men and single women, and offices in the middle, also a kitchen and dining room. It was the end of the building’s prestigious life as a tennis court.
JOB ACCEPTED. Phyllis Adams (click Bill & Phyllis Dell) also worked there and when I came to visit my sister, accommodation was found for me with Phyllis`s parents, Min & Fred Adams, who were very friendly people and made me very welcome. I stayed there several weeks. At this time it was difficult for companies to get staff and I was offered a job with Carters. I decided to accept, never thinking that I would still be in Bucks 70 years later.
A FALSE CEILING. As you can imagine the tennis court had a very high roof. The source of heat was mainly electric and paraffin oil heaters so most of that rose and went out through the roof. A false ceiling was eventually put in and things improved a great deal.
OTHER ACCOMODATION. The few married couples rented houses in the village or rooms in peoples’ houses and the rest of us shared a cottage at the end of the drive. Every room was a bedroom and we still had our food cooked in the tennis court kitchen. Being the junior I was allocated the last room left which was originally a walk-in pantry, just room for a camp bed and it was quite damp. One of the older girls left soon after and I was able to share a room with my sister
1939 CENSUS
The Tennis Court, c/o H E Carter, 26 employees
Garden Cottage 2, later 5 employees. (This was not Court Cottage)
MILES MARSHALL TAKES UP THE STORY
PRE WW2 TENNIS
Eric Boorman (click Eric & Jessie Boorman) whose father Charles Boorman was Head Gardener to Carter at Grymsdyke and lived in the gardener’s cottage, remembers the court well as a splendid place to play tennis. It was very well appointed with both ladies’ and gentlemen’s washing and changing facilities, but had a tiresome echo. He was allowed to play himself when the family were not using the court. Mrs Church, who until her marriage lived with her parents, the Brown’s, at The Crown, clearly remembers this echo which could be heard inside the Inn. She has helped me with much detail in this story… The Carters often held tennis parties and would entertain the current Wimbledon stars such as Hellen Jacobs.
WORLD WAR 2
It was of course the last war that put a stop to all the tennis when Mr Carter evacuated his staff from the City of London to Lacey Green. He built an air raid shelter for the staff near Court Cottage. Mrs Winnie Rixon, wife of Stan Rixon writes about working there very clearly (see above). cli
TELEGRAM DELIVERY
It was some time before Mr Carter could get the telephone laid on to the Court and old Mr Ridgley, the Post Master from Speen, with his long white beard, could be seen daily walking to Lacey Green with the firm’s telegrams.
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After the war Carters Merchants returned to the City and once again the Court fell silent.
JOHN’s,THE BAKERS The old Tennis Court was purchased by John’s the bakers in High Wycombe, but still lay vacant.
PREMISES WANTED. click Austin Hoy Ltd to continue the story of the indoor tennis court by Miles Marshall
Following Austin Hoy Ltd, Gyproc of Rochester, and Palmer and Harvey Ltd took the premises before it was eventually replaced by houses