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Article: Is Whitburn the home of tennis?
- Article from:
- Shields Gazette (South Shields, England)
- Article date:
- January 4, 2008
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2008 Johnston Publishing Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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THE picturesque coastal village of Whitburn is well known for its connections with Alice in Wonderland author Lewis Carroll.
But, according to a new book compiled by local historian Sybil Reeder, it could have an even greater claim to fame.
"There is a rather unlikely, but persistent, legend that lawn tennis was invented here," she reveals in Memories of Whitburn.
"The story is that, in 1873, guests arrived at Whitburn Hall expecting to play tennis, but there was no indoor court.
"So their host had an experimental grass court set up for them, and lawn tennis was born on the lawns of Whitburn Hall!"
Whatever the truth of that ...