Membership 1929 to 1985
November 23, 2025
On 22nd November, 1929 at a meeting of residents of the Mayfield Estate, Rondebosch, held at the home of Mr and Mrs Anderson, Sondela, Milner Road, it was resolved to form a tennis club to be known as the Mayfield Tennis Club.
Those present were Mr and Mrs Anderson, Dr Mary Broome, Mrs Linder, Mrs Turner, Mrs Gabbett and Miss Gumming. A Committee under the Chairmanship of Mrs Anderson was elected and the first committee meeting was held a week later.
It was decided to ask Mr Watt, whose property on the Estate already had a gravel court, to be Honorary President, as he had already agreed to make the court available to the Club. Mr Watt continued to occupy this office until his death in 1935.
An initial subscription of one guinea payable in advance was agreed and play commenced almost immediately.
The foundation membership consisted of 9 ladies, 8 gentlemen and 1 junior, all residents on the Estate. There was also one “unofficial” junior, Roderick, son of Mr and Mrs Anderson, who was later elected chairman of the Club from 1953 to 1955 and he was made an honorary life member from 1969.
Two ladies were required to provide tea on Saturday afternoons and it is said that in those early and Utopian days, tea was served by maids from silver tea services.
The first Annual General Meeting was held at Sondela on 4th September, 1930.