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A word from the President for our 120th year (continued from front page)
One of the founders of Grace Park Lawn Tennis Club, in 1889, was Henry
(Harry) Stillman. A member of his family, Thomas Stillman, was the first Club
Secretary. Together, they created a Tennis Club to bring people to the new (at
the time) Grace Park Subdivision, and the club has been here ever since.
Harry Stillman’s Grand-daughter, Mrs. Pat Hocking, attended our 120 years
celebration, and did us the honour of cutting the 120th Anniversary Cake at the
Club Championships dinner.
Anniversary Cake
Mrs. Pat Hocking
Grace Park has survived through recessions, the Great
Depression, two World Wars and countless downturns of one kind or another. We
were helped through some of these when Australia’s longest serving Prime
Minister, Sir Robert Menzies, was the Club President for a time.
We’ve had, as members, many eccentric characters over the years, and one in
particular was a certain Pancho Craven. Pancho competed in a Country tournament
one year, and held match point over an A Grade pennant player. This would have
been his finest win. Always a crowd pleaser, and feeling ultra confident, Pancho
had a ‘sitter’ on Match Point. He volleyed a winner into the open court!
Unfortunately, he did this with his head, and not his racquet. He went on to
memorably lose the match.
In closing, I quote the final sentence from our Club “History” book ‘Amazing
Grace’
“Some of the happiest days of my life have been spent at Grace Park’
I can certainly relate to this statement, and I’m sure many of our members also
agree.
I hope all of you will Enjoy the Club’s 120th year.
Terry Stone
President
Gallery of photos of attendees at the Club Championships dinner -
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