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The Birth of Lawn Tennis

I had a very enjoyable chat with the owners of “Fairlight” on Saturday They are both aware of the heritage that is attached to the house. The husband (who I will call X, as I forgot to ask permission to name him) is very interested in the information we have unearthed as it compliments the information that he has managed to glean.Apparently one of his ex-teachers is a keen tennis historian and has access to information from the Gem family. He has promised to put me in touch with him.
In addition, X feels a responsibility to ensure that the history of the house and its significance is more widely available. I said that I would help him with any information that I could and that I would introduce him to the forum.
As well as Perera, X was interested in the information about Major Gem, especially his wide portfolio of interests. When I explained about the grave and its buried memorial, X said that he would also be keen to see its restoration. If his ex-teacherknows how to get in touch with members of the Gem family, this may offer a way forward.
A picture of the plaque to attached. The area where the croquet lawn/tennis court was isimmediately outside the back of the house and is currently used for the boys' football. It is slightly sunken and has always been so. Apparently the size of this lower area defined the initial size of the tennis court.
 
That's really great news and lovely shots of the blue plaque at long last! It's so exciting to be putting all this historical, genealogical and locational information together as a team and for something of National significance - Well done Les & well done all contributors so far in whatever capacity.
 
Here's a historical picture of the house, taken around 1947. It's taken from Martin Hampson's Images of England - Edgbaston. You'll notice that at that time the building had a portico at the front door. This was removed at some point when it fell into disrepair - presumably the balcony above leaked!
For many years the building was divided into separate apartments/bedsits. The previous owner returned it to a single dwelling during the 1980s; I vaguely remember huge amounts of work were still being done on it when I first moved to the adjoining road in 1984.

As far as the current owners have been able to work out, the house was originally called Ampton House or Ampton Lodge and was built around 1840/1850 by a builder who lived on the road. The same builder built a few houses on Ampton Road, all different and all rented to local business people. It appears that Perera was the one who called it Fairlight. The name must have been a favourite in the family as I believe that Augurio's son also named his house Fairlight some years later. The current owners believe they are the sixth family to have lived in Fairlight; investigations are on-going.

I have to say that the current owners had done a magnificant job of restoring the house, both inside and out. The original tiled floor is fabulous and had been under carpets for many years when they bought the house. The brickwork was cleaned a few years ago and looks outstanding.
In the time of Perera there were something like 15 bedrooms. The rooms at the top of the house were for the servants - the "ins" (inside servants) and the "outs" (gardener and those associated with the horses). The stable block is/was to the right of the house as you face the house. At that time, the drive swept round in front of the house. I'm looking forward to finding out more about the history of the house.
 
Just in the interests of accuracy: since the Blue Plaque was erected it has been established that the first lawn tennis experiments occured in 1859 not 1865 as marked on the plaque.


leslam said:
I had a very enjoyable chat with the owners of “Fairlight” on Saturday They are both aware of the heritage that is attached to the house. The husband (who I will call X, as I forgot to ask permission to name him) is very interested in the information we have unearthed as it compliments the information that he has managed to glean.Apparently one of his ex-teachers is a keen tennis historian and has access to information from the Gem family. He has promised to put me in touch with him.
In addition, X feels a responsibility to ensure that the history of the house and its significance is more widely available. I said that I would help him with any information that I could and that I would introduce him to the forum.
As well as Perera, X was interested in the information about Major Gem, especially his wide portfolio of interests. When I explained about the grave and its buried memorial, X said that he would also be keen to see its restoration. If his ex-teacherknows how to get in touch with members of the Gem family, this may offer a way forward.
A picture of the plaque to attached. The area where the croquet lawn/tennis court was isimmediately outside the back of the house and is currently used for the boys' football. It is slightly sunken and has always been so. Apparently the size of this lower area defined the initial size of the tennis court.
Click to expand...
 
Agree the date is wrong. Key hill Brian's quote https://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=31612&p=321796#post321796 suggests even earlier for their ball game experiments over net. However (and here is where we can have a healthy debate) - is Lawn Tennis defined by the net and racquet alone or net, racquet and air-filled vulcanised ball together (which the article suggests didn't come together until 1873)?

When did they have access to these "new balls please"? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulcanized_rubber#Goodyear.27s_contribution suggests some time after 1853 which would tie in with Brian's quote but it would be good to have an accurate date.
 
When I went to Warstone this afternoon, I checked Gem's grave. Sad to report that the tennis ball has been 'removed' and was lying nearby. It also looked to me as though someone had tried to move the block. I didn't have any 'No Nails' or even a bit of chewing gum (!) to stick the ball back, so I have placed it back on the block. I have sent Brian an IM to see if he can 'stick' it again.
 
Sad to say THG's house in Hamilton Terrace no longer exists. It was replaced in 2003 by a "shiny glass fronted" office block. However its nice to know he's remembered as the building is called "GEM HOUSE"

Lin
 
That's a welcome tranche of advertising showing Birmingham's precedence over Wimbledon - Love the dresses too, I think Women's tennis should reintroduce stays or at least longer skirts!

From flustered of Buckinghamshire
 
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lin66 said:
Thomas Henry Gem (1834-1912) and Major Thomas Henry (Harry) Gem (1819-1881) are related.
Thomas Henry Gem (1834-1912) was the brother of my Gt Gt Grandfather and he married Emma Amelia Bunn on May 26th 1865. Thomas's parents were Samuel Edward Gem (1798-7.6.1871) and Mary Anne Parker (1799-27.7.1835) and they married 25.5.1824 at spernall, Warwickshire. Samuel's Parents were Samuel Gem (b1772) and Catherine Gem (b 1769) and they married 13th April 1795 at St Philip's Birmingham. I believe they were cousins. Catherine's parents were Thomas Gem (1735) and Mary Harvey (1735) and they married Sept 9th 1764. Theire second child was Thomas Gem (1767) and he married Maria Hobson on May 10th 1791. Their eldest Child was William Henry Gem (1792 - 1855) father of Major Thomas Henry Gem.

There are several other Gem's in Warwickshire who are related and some I've yet to connect conclusively

Hope you can follow this and hope it helps.

Lin
Click to expand...

I am also descended from Thomas Gem and Mary Harvey (though our dates don't agree) via their son Roger Williams Gem and have a fair amount of data on the Gem family though, not being directly related to the branch which includes Major Harry, it is rather less detailed on that side. My earliest so far is Richard Gem of Bromsgrove d 27 Jan 1676
 
Welcome to the Forum and to this thread Gus. Hope it is of interest and that you have some "Gem"s to share with us.
 
I wonder if perhaps Thomas Gem might have been Christened at Hamstead Church. In the 19th Century the church was in the village rather than in Walsall Road on the border of Hamstead/Great Barr, and it is only a hop skipp and jump from St Mary's Handsworth. I was myself was Christened there, and the Parish Registers were still in the church as recently as 1997 when an octogenarian family member died and we looked at her Christening entry. It would also be the reason that if baptised there TG's record is not on the Family Search site. The Vicar does make a charge to look at the registers.
 
Is that St Pauls up by the Scott Arms?
Di.Poppitt said:
I wonder if perhaps Thomas Gem might have been Christened at Hamstead Church. In the 19th Century the church was in the village rather than in Walsall Road on the border of Hamstead/Great Barr, and it is only a hop skipp and jump from St Mary's Handsworth. I was myself was Christened there, and the Parish Registers were still in the church as recently as 1997 when an octogenarian family member died and we looked at her Christening entry. It would also be the reason that if baptised there TG's record is not on the Family Search site. The Vicar does make a charge to look at the registers.
Click to expand...
 
Di.Poppitt said:
I wonder if perhaps Thomas Gem might have been Christened at Hamstead Church. In the 19th Century the church was in the village rather than in Walsall Road on the border of Hamstead/Great Barr, and it is only a hop skipp and jump from St Mary's Handsworth. I was myself was Christened there, and the Parish Registers were still in the church as recently as 1997 when an octogenarian family member died and we looked at her Christening entry. It would also be the reason that if baptised there TG's record is not on the Family Search site. The Vicar does make a charge to look at the registers.
Click to expand...

I am sorry if I am being dim but I am not quite sure which Thomas Gem you are referring to. As my excuse I have at least 7 Thomas Gem's in my file! I have one christened at Aston-juxta-Birmingham, one at St Martin's-in-the-Bullring and one at King's Norton - the others are earlier. Living in Manchester, I am not quite sure how these relate to Hamstead/Great Barr.
 
lin66 said:
With refernce to THG's DOB, the only record I can find is in the Oxford Dictionary National Biography, however as it is so precise, you would assume there must be a record somewhere. I have also tried checking the references used in the aforementioned book, but to no availe.A copy of the entry is attached, sorry its a bit mish mash as I had trouble with the original copy, however it is complete.View attachment 53614
Click to expand...

This is the post I was answering. Sorry not to have replied earlier, and yes St Pauls is now on the Walsall Road in Great Barr. It is not too far from Handsworth, and in the early 19th Century Hamstead was in the Handsworth Parish.
 
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As far as I am aware St Paul's, Hamstead or at least the original church, which the current one replaced, doesn't predate 1865?
Di.Poppitt said:
This is the post I was answering. Sorry not to have replied earlier, and yes St Pauls is now on the Walsall Road in Great Barr. It is not too far from Handsworth, and in the early 19th Century Hamstead was in the Handsworth Parish.
Click to expand...
 
Here is a photo of the temporary plaque placed on Thomas Henry Gem's grave.
 
Just to let everyone know that I have formed The Harry Gem Project, a not-for-profit group dedicated to promoting this aspect of Birmingham's heritage and, in particular, Major Gem's leading role as a founding father of the sport of lawn tennis. One of the goals of The Project is to see that Harry's grave is properly marked and this temporary plaque, the first stage in the process, was produced courtesy of the Registrar's office.
View attachment 63977
Application has been made for a Bishop's Faculty, the permission required to investigate the grave space for the original or the remains of the original memorial stone. If the stone is there and complete it will be restored and replaced on the grave. If there are only fragments left these will be used as a guide for the production of a new memorial as near as possible in style and content as the original. We are raising funds to this end and details can be found on our web site: theharrygemproject.co.uk or email: [email protected]
 
There's an exhibition coming up in May at the Barber Institute of Fine Arts which is the first ever to explore the subject of lawn tennis in art. It will feature also a large collection of lawn tennis artefacts, so there will be plenty to interest lovers of lawn tennis. The publication of a special book coincides with and will be on sale at the exhibition, this will contain not only a catalogue of the pieces on display but also an article on the origins and early history of the game of lawn tennis here in Birmingham.
View attachment 64497 View attachment 64498
For dates and details: www.barber.org.uk/courtoncanvas.html
 
Thanks Brian. My understanding is that a team of council workers did some clearance of the area around the grave to facilitate visitor access after I'd spoken to Mike Whitby's office in September last? I know that the Friends have put enormous efforts into transforming that area recently. I went down for the tour this afternoon. Fascinating.
 
Wendy
If they were from the Council leaders office, people on that grade only collect full bottles, not empty ones
 
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