The Liverpool and District Group 
of 
The Lancashire County Lawn Tennis Association.   

Competitive Lawn tennis was one of the minor casualties of the Second World War. For the first few months of the conflict it had looked as if it might be possible to carry on regardless.  With the War proving far less destructive than had been expected and with the Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain,  insisting that Hitler had 'missed the bus;, the trappings of peacetime life persisted.  The Annual General Meeting of the Sefton Park and District Lawn Tennis Association was held as usual on 20 March 1940 at the Sefton Park Conservative Club. The President of the Association, Alderman Mabel Fletcher, said that she was pleased to see that the Association was hoping to carry on 'to the best of our ability in difficult times'. This was, she thought, the 'right way', for while work of national importance had to be done, 'this could only be properly executed if the people were fit and healthy', Optimistically, arrangements were made for League competitions for the coming season and a tournament date fixed for 20 May.
But the 'phoney War' Came to a sudden and dramatic end when Hitler's armies tuned west in May 1940 and made rapid progress at the expense of the Anglo-French forces. Within weeks the British army had had to be evacuated from the beaches of Dunkirk, after which France soon capitulated. This was now war for real and organised competitive tennis, in Britain at least', was finished for the duration of hostilities. 
After the war, Britain soon saw how much she had slipped in the international game as her men lost 5-o to France in the Davis Cup , while the women suffered a 7-o drubbing at the hands of the Americans in the Wightman Cup.   But at a provincial level it was generally l947 before organised competition resumed.   This was certainly the case in both Manchester and Liverpool.   Tentatively, the Sefton Park and District Lawn Tennis Association held a committee meeting in December l9946 to "review the prospects of future activities of the Association".  The meeting noted that it was difficult to assess the number of clubs which were now functioning and it was realised that considerable difficulties were being experienced because of the cost and scarcity of equipment.   Nonetheless, the decision was taken to hold a General Meeting the following January.
That meeting duly took place in the Grenville Cafe on 29 January l947 with W. R.  Thomas in the chair.  After a lengthy discussion it was agreed that a league be organised consisting of two teams of six men and six women each. Thirteen clubs signified their willingness to support this proposal.  But as many of the clubs disappeared, it was seen to be necessary to extend the scope of the Association.   Accordingly, the decision was taken to assume the name of the Liverpool Association of Lawn Tennis Clubs.  Later in the year, after discussions with the County LTA, it was agreed that this should be amended to the Liverpool and District Group of the Lancashire County Lawn Tennis Association.   The founder members of the new body were East Wavertree, Bohemians, Leyfield, Fairlawn, Woodlands, Liverpool Electric Supply, Palmerston, Wavertree Community Centre, Highfield, Old Xaverians, Mossley Hill, Clair Gardens and Holm Hey.  At the end of the season W. T. Thomas resigned as chairman and was succeeded by  Mr. E. Evans.   A full committee was elected which included R. S. Brockbank as Secretary and a  representative from Bohemians L.T.C., Mr. Harold Glover.
                                                                                                                                                                                                           It
BOHEMIANS  March 20th 1949
Sunday morning working party  
From left to right: Ken Walker, Bill Longcake, Stan Draper, Peter Rowlands, Ken Carney,  Harold Glover and Tony Brien, seated on roller. Harold Glover (far right) later became President of The Liverpool & District Group of the Lancashire County Lawn Tennis Association.

was inauspicious year in which to begin operations.  After an unprecedentedly harsh winter which saw the country grind to an industrial standstill, the sun shone generously that summer.   It was the year in which the Middlesex duo, Compton and Edrich, carried all before them on the cricket field.  On the tennis courts, A. T. England and Mrs Molly James, two stars from the pre-war era, led the game in Lancashire, Britain`s top players were Tony Mottram and Mrs. Jean Bostock, while the Wimbledon titles fell to two Americans, Jack Kramer and Margaret Osborne, the future Mrs. Dupont.   In the wider world Britain`s Labour government, headed by Clement Attlee,  nationalised the coal mines, the cabinet decided to manufacture a British atomic bomb, India became independent within the Commonwealth and the Americans launched Marshall Aid.   But what did all this matter?   The Liverpool and District Group was now up and running. The rest, as they say, is history.

With Kind permission of David Dutton.  Vice-Chairman.