Some History

1916 – First tennis court built next to Ranfurly Hall.

1926 – Kaipara Flats was one of the biggest clubs in the area – and rich too, with £58 in the bank!

1931 – A decline. “The tennis club is dead, nobody being willing to act as office bearers. It is a pity as a number are keen on playing and a lot of money has been spent on the courts….The few hitherto willing horses are tired this year.”

1934 – Disaster narrowly averted! During an exciting tussle with the Warkworth B team the copper fire was allowed to get away, and very nearly resulted in the total loss of the hall. Tennis was dropped and the roof above the fire was torn off, tins containing cakes were emptied and filled with water, and thrown on the fire… another five minutes and it would have been too late. The cost of the damage was £5.

1942-44 – US Army used the courts to stack ammunition.

1960 – New schoolmaster joined with locals to resurface courts and build a pavilion.

1983-84 – Resealed the two existing courts and built a third. Fundraising included Pig in the Barrow and members donating a vegetable each. However a bad job led to the tar seal lifting.

1991-92 – Courts resealed again with hot mix asphalt.

1996-97 – Lights installed.

2005-06 – Finally an end to tar seal problems, all three courts Astro turfed.

2012 – New pavilion built.

2013 – Flooding caused major damage to the courts, lifting the astro turf.

2016 – 100th anniversary weekend.