Centenary 1905 - 2005

In 1905, an American, Charles Tuller Garland, built a Real Tennis Court at Moreton Morrell in Warwickshire.

Surprisingly, it was completed four years before the construction of Moreton Hall, his mock 17th Century mansion. The Court was masterminded by Joseph Bickley who was responsible for a number of other courts at the turn of the century. Garland installed Ted Johnson, one of the finest players and coaches as his resident professional.

Garland and Bickley's court design was revolutionary but sadly some of the materials they used did not stand the test of time. Maintaining the building's fabric has been a constant drain on resources. To help guarantee the future of such a wonderful building and the unsurpassed game that it houses, we hoped very much that Moreton Morrell members and afficionados of the game worldwide would contribute to the Club's Centenary Appeal Fund by pledging a donation or an item for the Auction of Promises at the Centenary Dinner.

During the main period of celebration, from June 17th - 26th, there were opportunities to play in The Lodders Handicap tournaments and to watch the Vetcell World Doubles and Singles Tournaments.

Rob Fahey the current World Champion, was amongst eight of the highest ranked players in the world, who competed in two tournaments generously sponsored by Vetcell, a company at the forefront of equine stem cell research.

The Committee was honoured to welcome Real Tennis players and afficionados from all over the world. Visitors were able to play on one of the finest courts in the world and at the same time enjoy watching the world's best players competing in a rankings tournament.

Our Sponsors during the Centenary