Loton Park Tennis Club

Statement of Significance

Loton Park Tennis Club Pavilion is a fine example of the Interwar Arts and Craft style, to the design of Eales & Cohen, foremost exponents of the style. The pavilion is raised in its setting to overlook the tennis courts and Perth Oval. The tennis club has been the focus of social and competitive tennis since the club’s formation in 1916. It has association with William Loton because it formed part of the Perth Oval/Loton Park site which he sold to the City of Perth.

Physical Description

The pavilion has a gable roof with a gable facing south (over the tennis courts), and a crippled verandah. The timber framed building is set into the bank so that it sits above the tennis courts. The wide verandah has timber posts with a simple timber valance, and a simple rail that allows spectators to watch games. The original cladding has been replaced with fibro cement sheeting. The roof is slate, with terracotta ridge capping and finials. The building incorporates male and female change rooms and toilets, and a central room with kitchen facilities. Timber stairs lead from each end of the verandah to the courts. Underneath the building is used for storage. The building faces south with the rear elevation facing Bulwer Street. The embankment behind the building was landscaped around the time the building was constructed, and there are many exotic species including several mature palm trees. 1932 extension

History

Loton Park, an area of land at Location 114, was originally owned by William Thorley Loton, Mayor of Perth (1901-2), MLC and well-known pastoralist. Loton, who was knighted in 1923, had his home 'Dilhorn' across the road at No. 2 Bulwer Street. The 1897 City of Perth & Suburbs PWD sewerage plants indicated a shed or small building near the tennis club site and four more on the north-western side of what later became Perth Oval. It is believed the land was used for farming and market garden purposes and it was known initially as 'Loton's Paddock'. Loton offered the land to the Perth City Council on 12 September 1904 for the sum of ₤8,500 with the stipulation that it be used for public recreation and named Loton Park. Residential subdivisons were being carried out on the northern side of Perth at the time and it is possible that one of the reasons for the sale was the low lying nature of the ground which meant it would have required very expensive filling to make it suitable for residential purposes. By the time of the sale the land that became Loton Park Tennis Club had been excised and was no longer part of Loton's Paddock. By 1910 the recreation area was known as Perth Oval. Among the recreation facilities provided by the City were four tennis courts, constructed in 1913-14. Lawn tennis was first played in Western Australia at Government House and Sir John Forrest's house were early courts were constructed. Lady Forrest was a keen player and was often involved in the competitions held at Government House. The first club formed was the Perth Tennis Club in 1896 with courts on the Perth Esplanade, adjacent to the Perth Bowling Club. Others soon followed and the Loton Park Tennis Club was established in 1916 after City of Perth agreed to allow a private group, whose spokesman was Mr Hatfield, to use three of the courts. The club held its inaugural meeting on 4 December 1916 where the Hon. R.J. Robinson was elected as the inaugural president and J. Broadway as secretary. It chose blue and white as its official colours and adopted the South Perth Tennis Club's rules. (These changed over the years to purple and green in the 1920s and then stripes were added.) The official opening of the club's courts was held on 16 December 1916. In 1917 it was granted the use of two more courts and in 1919, it joined the Western Australian Lawn Tennis Association. This had been inaugurated in 1899, reformed in 1902, and finally established in 1903 with seven founding clubs as members. The club applied twice for permission to build a pavilion. This was granted in 1920, and the City of Perth advanced ₤100 towards it (the total cost was ₤120). It was erected in 1922, to one of two designs proposed by architects Eales & Cohen, and consisted of two rooms and a wide verandah to accommodate spectators. Exotic planting along the bank at the rear was carried out at this time and the pavilion was officially opened on 5 June, with a mixed doubles tournament being held in celebration. In 1932, the pavilion was extended to provide extra changing facilities. New wire fences were erected in 1937, again with assistance from the City of Perth. In 1939 it was connected to the sewer and toilets and showers installed in 1953. Details appeared on the 1953 revised MWSS & DD plans for the area. A ti-tree hedge, first planted in 1939, was extended in 1955 to complete the area's division from Perth Oval. In 1995 a Conservation Management Plan was commissioned with the aid of Lotteries money for repairs. Renovations were carried out with the aid of a Lotteries Commission heritage grant of $26,425, included restumping, re-roofing and re-wiring and the replacement of a number of exterior wooden features. The ti-tree hedge, which was on the Town of Vincent's Trees of Significance Register, was replaced in 2006 at a cost of $1,200. New fencing and a retaining wall were also erected at a cost of $14,000. In more recent times members of the Polish community played there regularly and donated the Polish Cup. More recently again, many of the clubs members have been from Perth's gay and lesbian communities, and a search on the world wide web for 'Loton Park Tennis Club' brings up a link to 'Out in Perth', a gay and lesbian website.

Integrity/Authenticity

Intact

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.