Joint Club Meetings 1923

Just over a century ago in 1923 a series of meetings were held by delegates of ‘London & Provincial’ Clubs.

They included RAC, Queens, MCC, Liverpool Racquet, Bath Club, Yorkshire Rocks.

They took place five years before the SRA (governing body) was formed in 1928 and were historically pivotal.

The meetings determined ball specifications after testing, court dimension standardisation (including a ‘serving square’), playing rules agreement and the initiation of the British Amateur championships.

With thanks to Chris Orriss, RAC historian, for providing them).

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Meetings of Delegates of the London & Provincial Clubs

(Provided by RAC historian Chris Orriss)

Meeting 1

A meeting of delegates from the London and Provincial Clubs interested in Squash Racquets took place at the R.A.C. on Monday, 29th January, 1923, at 6 o’clock, when there were present:

- Lord Wodehouse and Capt. McCormick, representing the R.A.C.

- Dr. A. Malcolm Simpson and Mr. W.H. Patterson, representing the M.C.C.

- Mr. P. Le Gros and Mr. E.H. Noel, representing Queen’s Club

- Mr. T. Harrison Hughes, representing Liverpool Racquet Club

- Dr. T. Drysdale and Col. R.E.B. Crompton, C.B., representing the Royal Automobile Club

- Capt. S. Elliott, representing the R.A.F.

- Mr. S.M. Toyne, representing Yorkshire Rocks

The meeting was called for the purpose of nominating representatives on the Tennis and Rackets Association and, if possible, to arrange for an Amateur Squash Racquets Championship.

On the motion of Mr. Toyne, seconded by Mr. Le Gros, Lord Wodehouse took the chair.

1. Lord Wodehouse and Capt. Weigall were proposed to represent Squash Racquets on the Tennis and Rackets Association. The motion was carried.

2. On the question of an Amateur Squash Racquets Championship:

a. It was agreed nem. con. that such a Championship was desirable.

b. The Chairman proposed and it was duly seconded and resolved:

That each of the London and Provincial Clubs represented should be entitled to enter not more than five names and each owner of a private court one name.

c. It was proposed by Dr. Drysdale, seconded by Col. Crompton, and resolved:

That the matches be played off between the 9th and 14th April, 1923.

d. It was proposed by Dr. Drysdale, seconded by the Chairman, and resolved:

That the court for 1923 should be the small squash court belonging to the M.C.C. at Lord’s Cricket Ground.

e. It was proposed by Capt. McCormick, seconded by Dr. Drysdale, and resolved:

That in order to discuss details such as the ball to be used and possibly the standardisation of the dimensions of the court for future years, a Committee consisting of six delegates, one from each of the six London Clubs, should meet again at the R.A.C. on Friday, 2nd February, at 6 p.m.

That the delegates should bring to this meeting samples of the balls they are now playing with. Col. Crompton undertook to provide means of weighing, measuring, and comparing the bounce of balls.

After a vote of thanks to the Chairman, and to the R.A.C. for the use of the room, the meeting rose. 

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Meeting 2

MEETING OF SQUASH RACQUETS REPRESENTATIVES

A meeting of the Sub-Committee of the Delegates representing the London and Country Clubs owning squash racquet courts was held at the Royal Automobile Club on Friday, 2nd February 1923, at 5 p.m., when there were present:

The Rt. Hon. Lord Wodehouse in the chair, Capt. G.J.V. Weigall, Tennis and Rackets Association, Col. R.E.B. Crompton, C.B., Royal Automobile Club, Capt. J.E. Tomkinson, Royal Air Force Club, Col. A. Kearsey, Queen's Club, Dr. A. M. Simpson, M.C.C., Capt. MacCormick, Bath Club.

The minutes of the meeting of Delegates held at the Royal Automobile Club on the 29th January, and which appointed this Sub-Committee, were read and confirmed.

The Sub-Committee then discussed the question of the choice of balls to be used for the Amateur Championship matches which were arranged for at the meeting on the 29th January.

After some discussion, in which Col. Crompton gave the history of the work carried out by Col. H.M. Leaf and himself on the standardisation of squash racquet balls, he explained the difficulties experienced in obtaining them of exactly equal quality, especially as regards weight, diameter and percentage of bounce.

Four patterns of balls were shown and their merits discussed:

1. The standard ball used by the R.A.C.

2. A large and heavy perforated ball used by the Bath Club and marked 'Black all through.'

3. An alternative used by the Bath Club and marked 'J. Wisden’s Royal.'

4. Gradidge ball used by the Queen’s Club.

It was decided that of these the first three should be tested in actual play by Dr. Drysdale, Capt. Weigall, Mr. Bennett, Col. Kearsey and Capt. Jamieson in the small squash court belonging to the M.C.C. at Lord’s in which the match is to be played.

Capt. Weigall undertook to arrange for the time at which the testing game should be played and was requested to furnish to the Sub-Committee a report on the balls in time so that a decision might be arrived at a meeting to be held at the Royal Automobile Club at 6 o’clock on Friday, 16th February.

After some discussion on the question of standardising the size of squash racquet courts it was decided to defer this to a later meeting and to ask Col. Crompton and others to supply more precise information as to the sizes of existing courts, their comparative cost and the effect of size on play, on lighting and other matters.

The Committee then adjourned and witnessed in No. 2 R.A.C. court the testing of the four types of balls which were before the meeting. It was shown that of all the balls tested the standard of the R.A.C. had a smaller percentage of bounce than the others.

Col. Crompton undertook to prepare and circulate to the Committee a table showing the comparative weights, sizes and percentage of bounce of the four specimen balls and the meeting then closed.

Table of Weights, Measurements, Bounce Tests of Squash Balls

Where W = Weight

D = Diameter

B = % of bounce

F = Force required at Racquet

F = WD2/B

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Meeting 3

SQUASH RACQUETS REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEE

A meeting of the Squash Racquets Representatives Committee was held at the Royal Automobile Club on Friday, 23rd February 1923, at 6 p.m., when there were present:

Col. R.E.B. Crompton, C.B., Capt. G.J.V. Weigall, Capt. A. Kearsey, Capt. J.E. Tomkinson, Dr. A. Simpson, Mr. W.H. Patterson and Mr. J. Hegerty. Col. Crompton was elected to take the Chair.

Dr. Drysdale reported that he had consented to act as the secretary of this Committee. He then read a letter from General Taylor informing the Committee what the Tennis & Rackets Association require from them.

Capt. Weigall raised several points relating to the marking of courts. First, that there should be a serving square in every court and that the rule should be that the server should always have both feet inside this square when serving.

Also a suggestion that the height of the back wall should be reduced to 7' 6", and other points regarding the marking of existing courts.

Mr. Patterson moved, and Dr. Drysdale seconded, that a Sub-Committee should be formed to deal with this question of marking courts and that similar questions should be referred to it.

The Committee to consist of: Capt. Weigall ex officio for the Tennis & Rackets Association, Col. Kearsey representing Queen’s Club, Capt. Tomkinson representing the Bath Club, Dr. Simpson representing the M.C.C. for the courts at Lords, Mr. J. Jamieson for the courts at Prince’s, Mr. J. Hegerty for the R.A.F. courts, Dr. Drysdale for the Royal Automobile Club. This was carried.

The date of the Amateur Championship games was fixed from the 9th to the 14th April.

The Secretary of the Tennis & Rackets Association to be written to and asked when and where the entries for the Amateur Championship are to be sent in. Also what entrance fees are to be paid.

Capt. Weigall reported that after trials in the Lords Court it was decided unanimously to use the present R.A.C. standard ball for the Amateur Championship matches.

Col. Crompton was asked to make arrangements for the supply to the M.C.C. for the use in the Lords Court of a sufficient number of balls. He informed the Committee that the makers are the Indiarubber G.P. & Telegraph Company, works at Silvertown, Offices at 100 Cannon Street. In order to save time he undertook the correspondence, telling them that the ball had been chosen as the standard ball for the present and that he would try to arrange for a supply to the other Clubs and to the dealers.

Col. Crompton raised the point of standardising the size of courts. He explained that it was a difficult matter to deal with and that sufficient time should be given to enable facts to be put forward before this Committee and which would then be forwarded to the Tennis & Rackets Association, which would give the latest data and knowledge available on the costs of maintenance of courts and how far these costs are affected by the size.

The Committee then rose.

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Meeting 4

MEETING OF SQUASH RACQUETS REPRESENTATIVES

A meeting of Delegates of London and Provincial Clubs owning Squash Racquet Courts was held at the Royal Automobile Club on Wednesday March 7th at 6 p.m.

Present:

G. Weigall M.C.C. and representing Tennis & Racquets Assoc. W.H. Patterson M.C.C. A.M. Simpson M.C.C. A. Kearsey Queens Club, P.W. Le Gros Queens Club, Col. R.E. Crompton R.A.C. Colonel Crompton was invited to take the Chair.

A message was received from Dr. Drysdale saying that he had been suddenly called away but forwarded certain papers that he had received from the Tennis & Racquets Association, these were handed in.

1. Amongst these papers were recommendations for the

dimensions of standard Squash Racquet Courts as follows.

- Length 32 ft. by breadth 21 ft.

- Height of Board 19 ins.

- Height of Service line 6 ft.

- The line on floor 15 ft. from back.

- Service box 5 ft. 3 in.

- Height of front wall 15 ft.

- Height of back wall 7 ft. 6 in.

These were discussed and considered sufficiently satisfactory, the Tennis & Racquet Association to be informed.

After discussion it was proposed that recommendations should be made as follows.

- Front walls in all cases to be cement or composition.

- Side and back walls to be cement, composition or wood.

- Floors of covered courts to be of white wood, floors of open courts cement.

- All walls to be coloured white, all lines red.

- The board itself from the 19” line down to the floor to be covered with thin sheet metal.

2. A letter from Guy Westray, Secretary of the Esher Club was read and it was agreed that a reply should be sent informing the Esher Club that they can join the Associated Clubs and send a representative to the next meeting when such meeting is called.

3. General Taylor’s letter, in reply to certain questions put to him at the last meeting, was read and it

was decided that his letter should be entered on the minutes, that no action could be taken until after the meeting of the Tennis & Racquets Association to be held this week.

7th March 1923

Tennis & Racquets Association

197 Knightsbridge

Feb. 25, 23

Dear Drysdale,

Many thanks for your letter of the 23rd Inst.

With regard to the Squash Championship taking place at Lords, could you let me know how the matter stands, have you asked permission from the M.C.C. for this Championship to take place there and has the sanction been given?

If this has not been done already, it would be best for the Association to write and ask the M.C.C.

With regard to other points in your letter, I will bring them up at the next meeting of the Association which will take place about the middle of March.

The usual custom is, that the entries:

1. Are sent to the Secretary of the Club where the competition takes place, who also arranges all details concerning the matches.

2. Entries are sent in 7 days previous.

3. As a rule no entrance fee, but this may be necessary to provide for balls, markers etc.

4. I can arrange for the announcement to be published in the Sporting papers.

Yours sincerely,

(signed) A.H. Taylor

4. Various points were discussed in which it was considered that Squash Racquet rules should vary from Hard Racquet rules.

a. It was moved and agreed that should the ball after being played and missed, then touch the striker’s opponent the referee may then concede a let if in his opinion the ball could have been returned.

b. If a ball bursts during a rally the ball is dead and the rally ceases.

c. Two services are still to be retained for Squash Racquets.

d. The return by hitting the ball against the back wall was discussed and it was decided to defer this important question for further discussion.

e. In reply to a question put by the Chairman it was unanimously decided that if the server’s ball hits the side wall before it reaches the front wall, his hand is out.

The Chairman then stated that following instructions given at the last meeting he had arranged for half a gross of the R.A.C. standard balls to be forwarded to the M.C.C. for use by players practising for the Amateur Championship but that they had not been duly received or acknowledged by the M.C.C. up to the present. Mr. Weigall undertook to explain and settle this matter.

The Chairman explained that the I.R.G.P. Company after sending their Manager to interview him had

written stating that they could fulfil his somewhat severe conditions of regularity of this standard ball at the following prices.

- To users 2/- per ball

- To Clubs and retailed sports dealers 18/- per dozen

That these prices would include a royalty on all balls sold to anyone and that he would submit the question of the disposal of this royalty to the R.A.C. Squash Racquets Committee on Friday next and communicate the results to the delegates present and to the Tennis and Racquets Association.

After a vote of thanks to the R.A.C. for their hospitality it was decided that for the present it would be necessary to hold these meetings approximately monthly until matters were further settled.

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