The Competition, organised by the Feltmakers, was held once again at Queen’s Club on Thursday 13th September and, as last year, the weather gods smiled upon us and we enjoyed glorious sunshine all day.
Unfortunately one or two of our regular teams were unable to play but 22 pairs competed from 13 Liveries and we enjoyed hosting a pair from the Turners’ Company for the first time.
Competition was once again pretty fierce, and last year’s winners, the Salters, together with the Drapers, the Tallow Chandlers, the Carpenters, the Horners, both World Traders pairs and our own Feltmakers team of Bruce Fraser and his playing partner Sarah Ward, battled through to the Quarter finals of the Main Competition. The Semi-Finals were contested between the Drapers’ team of Matt Bell and Sara Needham and the Salters’ Emily & Fraser Wright and the Horners’ Robert & Clare Hunt and the returning Tallow Chandlers’ pairing of Alexandra & Christopher Kurkjian. Both matches were exciting and close, with the final eventually decided between the Drapers and the Tallow Chandlers. The Drapers fought valiantly but the battle was won by the Tallow Chandlers 6-3, so normal service is resumed!
The Plate Competition was equally hard fought with the remaining teams entering the knockout competition where all matches are the best of 7 games. The first round and quarter finals progressed in good spirits with the first semi-finals being played between the Barber Surgeons, Nicholas Goddard & Barbara Snapes, the Grocers, Stephen Goodhart and his daughter Catherine, and the second between the Horners’ other brother & sister pairing, Trevor & Cynthia Hunt, and our own Feltmakers’ team of Past Master Geoffrey Farr & his partner for the tournament, Margaret Harris. The first match was a close 4-3 win for the Barber Surgeons, taking them to a place in the final where they were joined after an easier 4-0 win by the Feltmakers. Unfortunately for the host Company, Geoffrey & Margaret could not withstand the consistent tennis played by the Barber Surgeons, who won 6-1.
Drinks in the bar were followed by an excellent dinner in the President’s Room where 75 players, helpers and guests enjoyed a lovely 3 course meal and wine followed by the Prize Presentation by our Master, Eda Rose-Lawson, who spoke most eloquently to round off the day.
I would like to thank Bruce Fraser for all his help and support, especially in the organising of the tennis itself. Thankyou to my father, Geoffrey Farr, for agreeing to play once again at fairly short notice. Special thanks too to those who helped me on the day, Assistants Simon Wood, Simon Millar & Gilly Yarrow together with my long-suffering husband, Rob and my mother Catherine Farr, without whom the day would not have run so smoothly.
The tournament next year will be held on either 12th or 19th September, (I am waiting for confirmation from Queen’s at Christmas), so please clear these dates in your diaries.
Sarah McLeod
