Lost Clubs - Nether Edge
This article appeared in the Sheffield Evening Telegraph in Dec. 1911. Henry
Matthews, 70, was a timber merchant living in 40 Ashland Rd, the large house still
in 2015 adjacent to the piece of land referred to. James Matthews was his eldest
son, 30, described as an accountant, probably for the family firm and still single and
living at home in 1911. One can imagine James being the instigator of using this
piece of land for both profitable and sporting reasons, three hard and five grass
courts being laid. The club didn’t survive WWII but was very successful in the
1930’s, holding our annual S&D tournament for some years; entrants had to reside
within 25 miles of Sheffield Town Hall as now but without the current alternative
qualification of being a member of a club within that distance, but it’s unlikely
anybody would check. They won the Men’s Div. 1 eight times between the two
wars, five on successive occasions and, twice, both Div. 1 and 2 in the same year. In
1939 they were joint winners of Div. 1 with Mexborough but no other divisions
were completed that year, maybe an interesting story in itself. Their Ladies too
won successive Div. 1 titles in 1932 and 1933. Dances were held in the Tennis Club
Hall, see this advert of 1913, and it seems this building became known as the
Nether Edge Hall from at least after the demise of the club after WWII and survived
until at least 1969. Both these cuttings supplied by Andy Lusis.
The location at the junction of Byron Rd and Nether Edge Rd is shown on this modern view. I’ll bet many a thirst was quenched at the Byron.
One of the best Sheffield players before and after WWII was Reg Peacock of Hallamshire who features in the two following illustrations of the
‘S&D’ tournament held at Nether Edge both of which were supplied by his grandson Sam Salt a current member of the Hallamshire Tennis
Academy. Peacock first came to prominence having won the Sheffield Telegraph singles tournament in 1932, its third year, a competition
played throughout the season at times and places mutually agreed between the competitors and still running in 1950. Also cartooned is one of
the great servants of the ‘S&D’, Ernest Hampson, Secretary from 1911 to 1927, and again from 1944 to 1945, President in 1948 & 1951,
Yorkshire President in 1951. He was a member of the Rustlings team that won Div 1 in 1914. We hope to provide a dedicated account of his
involvement in the future.