Barnard Castle Tennis Club
Mary Hanson Memorial Salver
ON a warm and sunny Sunday, 14 ladies who were friends and members of Barnard Castle Lawn Tennis Club, took part in a handicap competition in memory of their friend and former member Mary Hanson, who died last year.
Mary was a stalwart member of the club encouraging juniors, new members and also held the office of chairperson for a number of years.
She was still a committee member when she died. One of her last projects was to oversee resurfacing of the courts during which she helped negotiate the final deal.
The salver was donated to the club by her son, who came across it when going through the family home and thought the club could do something with it as she had won it in a ladies competition when living abroad.
Secretary Di Peat said a few words and we raised our glasses at the lunch time break.
Ms Peat said: “Mary would have loved the heat, the fact that so many people were on the court playing tennis and the camaraderie and I’m sure she’s with us in spirit.”
In the semi-finals Sue Hudson and Jennie White faced Clare Trevett and Karen Tomlinson while Marilyn Ross and Lucy Brenkley took on Michelle Longman and Christine Heseltine.
Both games were contested vigorously as they played for a place in the final. It came down to Clare and Karen against Lucy and Marilyn.
Lucy and Marilyn had a good start, went 5-2 up and looked as if they would be victorious, but Clare and Karen fought back to made it 6-6 and a tie break which they then went on to win.
We couldn’t have picked a better day to remember our friend and former member. As one lady remarked “Mary would have loved it.”
Mixed doubles
ON a hot, sultry evening the Barnard Castle mixed team travelled to New Blackwell, at Darlington.
The first pair of Jonathan Kirk and Clare Trevett played two long sets against their opposite number which culminated in two tie breaks. Both were extremely close but Blackwell took them to win 7-6, 7-6.
Their set against the opposition’s second pair was another very close match, but Blackwell persevered to take both sets 7-5, 7-5.
Don Everett and Di Peat played as the other pair and had enjoyed good rallies and gained plenty of points but were unable to hold their own against the stronger opposition.
It was a clear win for Blackwell but a great evening of tennis.
The first of the club tournaments took place on a humid evening during which ten competitors made five pairs playing a round-robin event.
There were some superb shots and exciting rallies and after the scores were tallied up Di Peat and Steve Saddington were in last place, followed in a joint third by Marie Jenkins with Ian Ross and Sue Hudson with David Peat.
Second place went to Karen Tomlinson partnered by Alan Coulthard and with just one point in it Barbara Willis and Andy Dolby were the winners.
Barbara Willis
