April 1882,  the club was formed.  The original site was at the Derby end of the village, near Yates farm, no pavillion or dressing rooms.  Subscription was 5 shillings (25p) per year; a new net was 15 shillings (75p);  racquets were provided, 28 shillings for 4, average 7 shillings (35p) per racquet. Only 4 were needed as there was only 1 court. No lady members were allowed on the Committee. Duffield was one of the first tennis clubs in the country.

 

1884,  Duffield LTC moved to new ground on Derby side of Ecclesbourne Avenue. Balls were 75p for 2 dozen & lasted a season. 2 new rules : (a) Any member losing a ball was to pay for half its cost, (b) "It is desirable that players should wear tennis shoes".

 

1903,   the Club became affiliated to the Lawn Tennis Association. Club colours were navy blue & white.

 

 

 

August 1914,   war was declared. On the railway on the first Saturday while members played, long trains laden with heavy guns moved slowly past the courts.

 

1915,   no matches were to be played until Peace was declared. Many Duffield players were in the Armed Forces. In 1916, soldiers from the Duffield Hospital were allowed to play on the courts. 

 

1925, The new pavillion was opened. No shower was built in the ladies dressing room as this was deemed "unseemly".

 

 

1933, The opening of Derby and County Lawn Tennis Club at Duffield, clubhouse becomes headquarters of Derby LTA.

 

1937 Squash court was erected. 

 

1943 A group of local business men bought the present site. In 1945, work was completed and the club moved to its' new site.

 

1951,   Peter Cross wins RAF Singles Championship

 

 

1957  J. I. Tattersall, Duffield 1st team player, wins both Wimbledon Junior Singles and Doubles titles. In the Singles final he beats I. Ribero of Brazil 6-2 6-1. 

 

1960,   Squash and tennis sections combined to obtain the freehold property. It was purchased from Paragon Ltd. for £3,000 and some members loaned the club £100 in return for free membership until the loans were repaid.

 

1968, the River Ecclesbourne had regularly flooded the courts leaving thick layers of black sludge which had to be cleared. Derek Povah, Bruce Sephton & others built the present wall on the river bank which involved 3 ft long steel pipes being driven through Stanley blocks, then cemented. Since then (touch wood) there have been no more flooding problems from the river.

 

1971,   Ladies teams went through the season unbeaten. Ladies 1st team won Div. 1and Ladies 2nd. team were 2nd (also) in Div. 1, Ladies 3rd team won Div. 4

 

1972,   New (present) Clubhouse was erected, together with Squash courts.

 

!977,   (Viginia Wade wins Wimbledon during the Queen's Jubilee year.)

 

1979,   Duffield share the Men's Division 1 title with Littleover, the last time they will win Div.1 in the 20c.

 

1982, Club centenery celebrations saw Duffield players dressed up in attire remeniscent of that worn 100 years previously. The event was shown by the BBC on Midlands Today.

 

1983,   New floodlights switched on with Nick Fullwood, Nick Brown, Jeremy Bates and Steven Shaw playing an exhibition match. Umpire was Ray Bailey.

 

1985,   Regular aeriation problems eventually led to three lawn tennis courts being dug up and replaced by carpet. This followed a working party visiting other clubs with different surfaces including one club which had recently laid artificial grass courts in North London, and the working party played on them. This experience, together with Wimbledon's recommendation, led to the present courts being laid.

 

1998,    Top 2 courts re-surfaced and new floodlights installed on courts 1, 2 & 7.

 

2006,   Men's 1st team wins Div. 1 title for the first time since 1979. Men's 2nd team wins Div. 2 and Men's 3rd team win Div. 3.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leonard West & GF Fletcher,   county players.        Norman Marshall, county player.   Charles Holloway,        Miss Mabel Smith,        

Jack Peacock,         J.G. Clayton,    

Main rivals were Repton School. 

 

Margaret Robinson,   played for county 95 times 

 

Other county players & trophy-winners,     Miss C. Durose,       Miss P. Goodall,       Mrs. J. Haynes,       Mrs. J. Marsden,      Mrs. R Graves,       Mrs. J Thompson,       Helen Frankland,     Carol Winfield,   Catherine Harvey,   Sally Baker.

                         Mrs. J Haynes                                           Mrs. J. Marsden