Manchester
Tennis & Racquet Club
This rather inconspicuous
Victorian building on Blackfriars Road has been home
to the Manchester Tennis and Racquet Club since
1880. It was designed by the architect George
T Redmayne and is a Grade II Listed building.
English Heritage describe it as, "Brick with
terracotta dressings, slate and part-glazed
roof. Irregularly grouped as T-plan, with main
courts buildings ranged parallel to street and
set back from it with central wing advanced
towards street, housing entrance, and flanking
buildings filling in the angles each
side." They added that the
interior was, "substantially
unaltered, with racquets court retaining
original surfaces and complete real tennis court
together with other principal reception rooms
and staircase." The Lancashire
Pevsner says of the interior that it is, "
... a delight, with a grand entrance and
staircase hall, club rooms, dining room,
changing rooms etc. as well as extensive wine
cellars. The double-height tennis court
has a gallery on one side."
The Club started life at a venue
in Miller Street in 1876. At that time they
offered two 'rackets' courts but no tennis court,
and it was known as The Manchester Racquet
Club. When they moved to this building they
had only one 'racket' court but now they had a real
tennis court. In 1925 they added a squash
court.
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