Club History
Although Harpenden Lawn Tennis Club was officially founded in 1906, it is clear that a group of local sporting Edwardians had been busy in lobbying support for a tennis, croquet and bowling club for the town of Harpenden.
The original title was the Rothamsted Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club reflecting the position of the courts at the edge of Rothamsted Park near the town - our present position - and also perhaps with a respectful tip of the hat to the family who generously provided land and loans in the early years. Sir Charles (1843 - 1911) was the son of Sir John Lawes, who invented and patented in 1842 'superphosphate of lime' and who founded the agricultural establishment which today is 'the Institute of Arable Crop Research - Rothamsted'.
To celebrate the Club's Centenary in 2006 a fascinating book written by the highly regarded and sadly missed member Martin Smith was published providing an insight into the history of HLTC. 'Advantage Harpenden' charts the course of the Club's history from its first meeting in 1905 in the 'Rector's rooms' to the present day.