ALBANY TENNIS NEWS by Pat Sharp 11/03/2020
Final reminder to those entering a team on Quiz Nite, 21 March – supper orders must be with Kirsten no later than Thursday (19th) at 2pm. You can e-mail her kirstenolsen123@gmail.com. The visiting team from Todmorden T C have entered 3 teams and are apparently quite competitive!! Also please let Club Coach, Ian Watson know if you are available for selection to play the visitors on Saturday the morning phone him on 496293 or e-mail ianwatsonpts@manx.net.
Please note all coaching for the 21/22 March is cancelled as we need the back up of the indoor court if the weather is not good.
A further piece of Manx tennis history – Albany has a beautiful glass trophy The Bamber Rose Bowl, presented to the club in 1927, which used to be played for by the Friday Morning Ladies as a team competition. I’ve often wondered who Bamber was and his connection with the club. Whilst sorting through a lot of old tennis papers I found some info that I had gleaned from the Manx Museum in 2013. Harry Bamber was the local rep for Jacobs (ie cream crackers) who bought a house in Albany Road in 1920. In 1928 he was Chairman of the club’s committee. He was the youngest son of Septimus James Bamber, organist at S George’s. One of the founders of Albany LTC was James Kermode, who was appointed as Director of the Sefton Hotel in 1938. This all points to Albany being formed in the early 1920’s but I can’t find original minute books. Billy Long from the nurseries in Alexander Drive, told us some years ago that there is still a grass court net post base in the original site of the club. The Mona’s Herald reported in April 1928 the AGM of ALTC and at that time Harry Bamber was President. The Club Captain was J L Bregazzi and when we joined Albany in 1962 two very nice ladies Edith Gallagher(nee Bregazzi) and her sister Emily made us very welcome. Other names mentioned are: misses M Gell, D M Kneen, G Maden, E Kewley plus B Cubbon, G A Dean. I can’t help wondering if the families of any of these people have any old items left by their Ancestors which would throw more light on Albany’s history. Can anyone help? OR do we have a member who would like to write a book about the club?