We celebrated 100 years of Dorward Place Tennis Courts and Pavilion, now known as Montrose Tennis Club, on Sunday 22 June 2025 with members and former members, past Presidents, Club Champions and members of the public. One of our juniors Duncan, has created a video of the day, giving a new perspective on the club and showing the vibrant, active community that we have. Watch it here https://youtu.be/feKUJHwk5Rs

The Speeches

President Allie Henderson: Welcome everyone and thank you for being here today. This is a special occasion for all of us, and we’re thrilled that you’ve come together in celebration.

Today isn’t just about marking a date on the calendar — it’s about sharing the journey of our club. We want to take this time to reflect on our history, to celebrate the milestones we’ve achieved, and most importantly, to recognise the incredible individuals who have helped shape the club into what it is today.

Tennis has had a long and memorable history in Montrose, with newspaper reports of matches dating back as far as 1883, when games were played on courts at The Mall. This year, 2025, marks a significant milestone: 100 years since the opening of the Dorward Place Tennis Courts and Pavilion, now known as Montrose Tennis Club.

Originally intended to be a modest three-court venue, Montrose Town Council recognised the growing popularity of tennis among both residents and tourists. They opted to build six public courts instead, anticipating that the cost would be recovered within 15 years through court revenues.

At the time, Dorward Place was one of several tennis locations in Montrose. It was in addition to the private courts at Links Avenue, then home to Montrose Tennis Club, and the public East Links courts on Traill Drive near the golf course. The East Links courts closed in 1932, and in 1971, the Tennis Club relocated here when Links Avenue was redeveloped for housing.

Montrose owes much to the benevolence of Sir James Howard Warrack, born in the town in December 1855. After working in his father’s firm, he joined his uncle’s steamship business, John Warrack & Co., in Leith. Despite his business commitments, Sir James took a keen interest in the welfare of Montrose.

His philanthropic efforts extended to Montrose Academy, the local Infirmary, the Horticultural Society and the Montrose branch of the RNLI. Sir James donated £750 (equivalent to around £58,000 today) towards the construction of the Dorward Place Tennis Courts and Pavilion. In recognition of his generosity, the Pavilion bears his name, and the street behind the courts was named Warrack Terrace in his honour. He was awarded the Freedom of the Burgh of Montrose in 1924.

In 1926, Sir James donated a mixed doubles championship trophy to the Dorward Place Tennis Club. Now known as the Stevenson Cup, the trophy is still awarded each year at Montrose Tennis Club’s end-of-season tournament. Sir James died in London at age 71, just a year after the courts opened.

Montrose Museum currently has an exhibition case featuring Sir James’ certificate for the freedom of the Burgh, the wooden freedom casket that he was presented with and the mixed doubles trophy, as well as some artefacts from the club's history. We’d like to encourage you all to visit the museum and see this special display which is in honour of the club’s centenary.  

These courts, the Dorward Place Tennis Courts, officially opened in July 1925 and became a significant venue for the sport. The Montrose Lawn Tennis Association was formed to organise the Montrose Open Tennis Tournament, held annually here. In 1952, the tournament was elevated to championship status, becoming the North Angus Championship Tournament and attracting players from across the globe.

Among its notable champions is Judith Erskine of Dunblane, better known today as Judy Murray. In 1976, as a seventeen-year-old, she won four titles at the tournament: the women’s open, the under-21 singles, the under-18 singles, and the open mixed doubles (partnering with Alistair McNab from Ayr).

In 1963, the courts hosted an international match between Scotland and England, won 6-2 by England and televised by the BBC’s Grandstand. The English team featured 17-year-old Virginia Wade, who would go on to win Wimbledon in 1977. Our own Lyn Kearney was a ball girl at the event and can be spotted in one of the photos on our history panels.

In July 1969, the courts hosted the first-ever Scottish Inter-County Weekend Tournament, with teams from North, South, East, and West Scotland. For the occasion, nine extra grass courts were prepared beside Dorward Place by the Council to accommodate the competition.

The courts continued to be operated by Angus Council until 1990 when Montrose Tennis Club took over its management, making the facility available all year round instead of just five months. Today, Montrose Tennis Club continues to be volunteer-led and it is thriving as a community hub for sport and inclusion. The club has received several accolades, including three awards from Tennis Scotland: the Place to Play award in 2013, the coveted Club of the Year award in 2022 and the Tennis for All award in 2024. Having ceased in the late nineties due to lack of numbers, the North Angus Tournament was revived in 2014 and continues to be a highlight of the local tennis calendar and is now included in Tennis Scotland’s Challenger Tour.

Researching and editing 100 years of the club’s history has been a challenge and I’d like to thank Kara McGeachy for all the work she has done on this, thanks to Jean Stevenson for her contributions and to Neil Werninck, who has created these wonderful panels depicting the club’s highlights. Since the panels have been here at the club, they’ve been much admired and appreciated, although some of the clothing choices and hairstyles in the photos have not!

Neil is one of our longest standing members and served on the committee for many years. He will also be celebrating a milestone birthday on 26 June, although he’s not quite as old as the club! Rhona is going to say a few words now about Neil.

Rhona: My name is Rhona Alston, and I am currently President of Tennis Scotland. I thank you, Allie for inviting me to say a few words. 

It is a special day when someone or an event turns 100, which is why we are all here. However, it is also a great day when one of our own members turns 80 this week. Neil Werninck, as we know you, the man behind the lens who creates magical memories

The gentleman you are, the honorary member you richly deserved, a family man, husband to Eleanor, dad to Simon and Paul, and adored grandad and brother.  As a dedicated volunteer you gave up so much of your own time to help our juniors, encourage your sons in short tennis and playing tennis, even creating social events, a ceilidh at Hillside Hall comes to mind, where you showed off your dancing skills and in earlier years car treasure hunts around Montrose for the old North Angus!

Your photography talent is a testament to your creative character.  It really must not go without saying; thanks to your pictorial presentations in our newspapers and on the social media screens, your pictures have showcased the club. Capturing every occasion and the fabulous tennis spirit here at Montrose.

You have made a great many friends here who are super proud to share this moment       ……..     and as  …….. we let our thoughts stray for a moment, we remember those who are not present but still held dearly in our hearts today.

A little History. Many of you will know that Neil served in the RAF, travelling the world in Kenya & Nairobi to name a few countries. Before returning to Montrose to join the family business.  This was when you took up tennis to keep fit and socialise.

In 1968, Neil and his friend John Stevenson attended a full Montrose Town Council meeting held in the Town House, persuading the Council to allow the tennis club to use the Warrack Tennis courts, thereby launching Montrose Tennis Club as we now know it.

Neil, over many years, you have been a stalwart of the Club with a “can do” approach, with kindness, loyalty, and humility.  You are a community man, a well-known face at the club, and within all Tennis Tayside clubs, or the “old” Midlands as we knew the geographical area, and beyond. Driving countless miles to chase a little yellow ball as we do!  While capturing tennis players, events, and creating these gorgeous history boards, nothing is too big an ask, and you always come up trumps.  

Another little moment in history that you like to share in your storytelling is when you were playing with your great friend Colin Baxter via some up-and-coming young players.  They looked at the pairing of you and, as you recall, “it became apparent, they would play, or take on” the older man, Colin. Of course, to your amusement, Colin played his ace game as always and stunned the younger men.  Winning without conceding a game.

Being one of the first to sign up to play in the re-erected North Angus Tournament in 2014 you have played faithfully in it.    

You were heard to say when you came off after a match with David, "our combined ages are 135, and our opponents are a combined age of 35!" But you did participate. Along with John Stevenson, you instituted a Tuesday morning rota for retirees to play tennis.

For your 60th birthday, you had your first trip to Wimbledon with Eleanor. For your 65th you took Simon to Wimbledon. For your 70th, you played the North Angus with your dear friend David McArthur, your tennis associate of 40 years. For you 80th – spending it with us to celebrate our 100th.

Neil ---  your story is still being written, and we’re all lucky to be part of it. Wishing you a very Happy 80th birthday.

Neil was then presented with an 80th birthday cake and everyone sang happy birthday. He thanked everybody and reminded them that "tennis is a sport for life".

Allie: Another celebration now. We invited businesses in Montrose to join in our centenary celebrations through a window display competition and the results are in. I’d like to ask two of our judges, Rhona Alston and Joe Wishart, to announce the winner and runner-up.

Joe talked about how hard it was to judge such a creative and competitive array of window displays and joked about being offered burgers and  (unnecessary) haircuts. Rhona opened the envelope and announced Bel’s Butchers as the runner-up and Joe opened the envelope to reveal hair salon 3Sixty as the winner.  

Allie: We are a community club and have reached out to our local community to get involved in our centenary. The Montrose Playhouse has created Love-All, a programme of tennis and sports-themed films with something for everyone to appreciate over the next few weeks. The next film is romantic comedy Wimbledon on Sunday 29 June. Please support this exciting collaboration and you’ll enjoy some very entertaining films. The Playhouse is also hosting our In Conversation, Q&A and book signing with Judy Murray for her new novel Game, Set and Murder on Thursday 24 July. We knew it would be a popular event but we weren’t expecting tickets to sell out in nine hours, which is a Playhouse record!

This club relies on people to make it work. From management and admin to finances, fundraising, safeguarding, assistant coaching, gardening, club and grounds upkeep, court maintenance, competition organisation, and team captaincy - our volunteers do it all and more. There are so many people involved in the club’s success but we must acknowledge the contributions made by Rhona Alston, who has served on the committee for many, many years and has done all the jobs just mentioned in that time. Rhona is passionate about the club and encouraging people to play, enjoy and compete in tennis. She is currently President of Tennis Scotland and will undoubtedly achieve this and more in the role. Thank you, Rhona, for all that you’ve done for the club.

I wish that we could acknowledge each and every one of you but I imagine you’d all like to go home at some point today. Please know that we will be forever grateful for what our members, volunteers, supporters, funders and sponsors have done for the club.

I’d now like to introduce some of the past presidents who, ably supported by a host of other volunteers, have made the club the success that it is.

From 2022-2024 Maggie Hodges 

From 2020-2022 Wendy Sanger

From 2016-2019 Andy Baxter

From 2012-2014 John Stirling

From 2010 and 2011 Jen Richardson

From 1993 and 1994 Bill Duff

From 1990 and 1991 Harry Faulkner

From 1983 and 1984 Sandra Johnson

From 1971, 1973 and 1974 and from 2007-2009 Jean Stevenson. Jean’s late husband John, was also President in the eighties. Jean has told the story of how she and John met here at the club, that they did their ‘courting’ here at the courts and that theirs was a love match! John passed away in 2021 and he is very much missed.

In 1964 and 1965 Ally Hogg

(Applause was given for each of the Presidents when announced)

I’d also like to acknowledge some of our men’s and women’s singles club champions who are here today.

2019-2021 Cameron Fryer

2018 Robin Kerr

2016 and 2017 Patrick Young

2014 and 2015 Andy Moffat

2010-2013 Graeme Walker

Reigning champion and in 2021 and 2022 Orla McLeod

2012 - 2015 Marta Krauze

2009-2011 Linda Cuthill

1999, 2002 and 2008 Caroline Stewart

In 1972 and 1973 as Jean Roberts and in 1998, 2000 and 2001 as Jean Stevenson

1995-1997 Ans Ninteman

(Cheers were given for each of the Champions when announced)

When we talk of champions, we must mention the club’s most successful member to date, Colin, or CV, Baxter, who passed away in March this year at the age of 94. A distinguished player, Colin earned international caps and competed in numerous championship events throughout his career. Among his many accomplishments were winning the Scottish Singles title three times and the Doubles title four times.

As a junior, Colin competed at Wimbledon between 1946 and 1948, winning both the junior boys’ and mixed doubles titles in 1948. He returned to Wimbledon at the senior level between 1953 and 1963. In the 1950s and 1960s, he was a frequent competitor at The North Angus Championships, securing several titles and he was our men’s singles club champion many times throughout the seventies and eighties.  

In recognition of his outstanding sporting achievements and staunch support for the club, Colin was made an honorary member of Montrose Tennis Club. Today, his legacy lives on through trophies named in his honour for both junior and adult events at the Club Championships and we are very proud to have Colin’s family, David, Gordon and Caryn, here with us today as well.

If the committee and volunteers provide the brains and the brawn needed to run the club, then coach Graeme Walker is it’s beating heart. 2025 also marks fifteen years since Graeme joined us as our full-time coach. He’s deservedly earned multiple awards, including Sportscotland’s Community Coach of the Year for Tayside and Fife three years in a row, and Tennis Scotland’s Development Coach of the Year in 2024. Graeme’s unwavering dedication and love for his home club are immeasurable and we are so very lucky to have him. Please raise your glasses to Graeme! (Everybody toasted Graeme)

As a token of our appreciation, we have a "small" gift to give Graeme.

David Baxter brought out a giant wooden tennis racket that belonged to CV Baxter and presented it to Graeme. Graeme thanked everyone and talked about how much he loved the club and his job. 

Allie: Please take this opportunity to share your stories of the club with each other, to catch up with old friends and to make some new ones. I’m sure Jean would love to tell you about the unorthodox method that was used to teach her how to volley! We are fortunate to have some of North of Scotland County team with us today for a demonstration match, which will start very shortly – knowing Cameron and Patrick as we do this will be high quality tennis and very entertaining.

And so to finish, thank you to the Montrose town council of 1924 and to Sir James Howard Warrack. Here’s to Montrose Tennis Club and the next 100 years!