Cambridge & District TTL 1953-1954

Les Constable's report on the season

This season again saw Newnham Institute successful and the same team of John Cornwell, John Thurston and Ron Nunn were too much for the opposition. In Division 2 St Georges were successful and so would operate in Division 1 in 1954/55 - a good performance. In Division 3 Fire & Ambulance took the honours and in Division 4 RAF Duxford finished in top position.

This season saw a friendly match between Cambridge and Wisbech which was played at Wisbech and with Cambridge being successful by seven games to three. The Cambridge team was John Cornwell, John Thurston, Keith Chapman, Noel Duke and Margaret Bruce. This was Noel Duke's first representative match and although he played well he did not succeed in winning any of his games. The Wisbech team was Cyril Shar (later to become Mayor of Wisbech), Les Sleight, J.Le Grise, J.Horspole and Pauline Sleight. The match was played on February 12th 1954.

Another match which involved a Fenland team was when RAF Hospital (Ely) played Wesley (Cambridge) at Ely. The RAF team included a former Notts player called Lindsay who won all his games. Jeff Watkins of Wesley won both his singles matches and Beryl Blackwell was successful in the Ladies Singles. The Author and Miss Blackwell were successful in the Mixed Doubles but Jack Baughan and Jeff Watkins were beaten in the Mens Doubles. The match was played on February 2nd 1954.

At the Annual General Meeting of the League it was revealed that the finances were in good shape after the previous season's deficit and the League had run very smoothly.