This section provides a history of Lexden Rackets Fitness Club (LSC) from conception to present day. To understand this, we must first revue briefly the history of the Holmwood House site, where our club is situated.
What is now the main school building was commissioned and built in 1870 by local Lawyer and business man, Henry Jones. At this time the estate was called Shrublands.
The Jones family lived in Shrublands until 1922 when it was purchased by Mr and Mrs Duggen, founders of the Holmwood House prep school for boys in the same year, with the strap line “to develop the individuality and abilities of each boy, to make himself reliable and adaptable and help him face reality”.
The School thrived until 1939 when World War II forced pupils to be evacuated. Holmwood House was used as a temporary barracks. Follow this link for a wartime account of life at Holmwood.
At the end of the war lessons recommenced at Holmwood once more under the control of the Duggens. In circa 1950 responsibility for the school was handed over to the Duggens’ son Stuart and his business partner, Jeremy Lucas, both former pupils at Holmwood. Both Jeremy and Stuart taught academically at the school but placed a strong emphasis on sport and leisure, a tradition which still lives on at Holmwood today. It was this love for sport and a fortuitous financial situation that gave birth to the squash club.
Historically Holmwood’s playing fields extended past what is now the A12 to the gatehouse which can be seen opposite King Cole road, marking its southern-most boundary. In the late 1960s this land was to be subject to compulsory purchase to build the A12. The council offered £3000 compensation and would drain and fill a pond and swamp land which would later house the cricket nets and adventure playground. This was duly done with earth excavated from the Mercury Theatre site, which was being constructed at the time.
Financed with the £3000, Jeremy looked into building a single squash court. It was a growing sport at that time and would offer further sporting opportunity for school pupils. So he took a trip to the Squash Racquets Association to make enquires into how to go about building a squash court. By the time he came, the then SRA had convinced him that he should build 2 and start a club! In consequence, plans were drawn up for two courts, a bar area and changing facilities.
£3000 in those days was enough to build just one court, not the two he wanted so Jeremy approached various banks to secure a loan for the rest. Most of the banks would not entertain the financing of such a risky venture and rejected the proposal out of hand. With little hope of securing additional funding Jeremy approached the Midland Bank that was known for supporting sport across the country. Immediately the manager Peter Holroyd agreed the loan and work started to build the first independent squash club in Colchester.
By 1972 the club was opened in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the school. One of the people attending that day was Peter Holroyd and his son Phillip, who is still to this day, a club member and squash player.
Initially the club comprised courts A and B. The bar area, small toilets and changing area were housed separately.
In 1973 the school’s swimming pool was enclosed to become an indoor pool and became available for members to use. In 1987 the hurricane ripped off its roof. It was replaced with the structure that we see today. Over the years various improvements have been made to the facility and members now enjoy the use of a fully equipped modern facility.
In 1982 courts C, D and E were built to accommodate the boom in squash throughout the UK and no less at Lexden. Initially only court C was glass backed. Later glass backs were added to court D then E. This extension provided a first floor room for the club’s gym which remains today.
Around this time the school developed its tennis courts and shortly after enclosed them in a bubble to provide Essex and Suffolk with their first indoor tennis courts.
Lexden has traditionally produced many county, national and international players and continues to be a force in the national squash and tennis scene. Please see the roll of honour in the club for further details.
