Sport & Recreation

...Barely six months after the vigoro competition began the individual teams had developed their own passionate fan base, games were regularly attracting thousands of spectators and the first reports of poaching of players had emerged. Vigoro was played at local parks, usually on a Saturday afternoon. With no entry charge to get in and the games being fast-moving and entertaining it soon proved to be hugely popular.

But this enthusiasm for vigoro initially alarmed the local newspapers. They labelled it a 'craze', a game with a puzzling and 'extraordinary fascination' for women and one which might be tempting married women away from their 'domestic duties'. However they did concede that at least all that running around had a positive aspect - it was an 'antidote for fatness.

All sporting teams need to raise funds and vigoro was no different. The Magpies held a social at the Olympia Hall, Weston which attracted almost 200 people who danced until 2.00am. Other popular fundraising strategies were so-called 'penny raffles' (because tickets were a penny each) and house parties. A house party was basically a backyard concert with a cover price of six pence. Supper was provided by volunteers and the night's entertainment consisted of anyone who could sing, or play a musical instrument and was game enough to get up and perform.  

On 1 December 1923 the final match of the year was played with two of the original teams in the competition, Magpies no. 1 and the Rovers, facing off against each other. A big crowd watched the Magpies claim victory, beating the Rovers by 104 runs. Go the mighty Magpies!'

~ Cessnock City Library Local History

In 1923 vigoro arrived in the Lower Hunter and was an immediate hit. The Weston Magpies vigoro team formed, with their distinctive black and white uniforms. Seven years later a second local team, Weston Shamrocks, arrived. Both teams played regularly on the cricket oval and claimed the space so much that it was known as ‘the Shamrock’s ground, Chinamans Hollow’.

By 1926 the oval was fenced and had a locked gate to prevent unauthorized use. This did not faze one local, who regularly snuck their dairy cow onto the oval to use it as a handy field. The cricketers were mightily annoyed at the cow’s presence on their pitch, along with its droppings. An additional problem was that the errant cow refused to move, leading to a human-bovine standoff. Unfortunately, the historical record does not tell us who won!

The whole of Chinamans Hollow is a flood zone. It was this flooding that forced Chinese market gardener, George Ah Wah, real name Mock Kim Wah, to leave. Born in China in 1848, he immigrated to Australia where he first had successful market gardens in Victoria.

In the late 19th century George came to the Hunter Valley and established a market garden supplying fresh vegetables in the then unnamed Hollow. After multiple floods continuously washed away his vegetable gardens, obliterating all his hard work he left, moving to the Riverina and eventually to the outskirts of Bathurst. He continued to be a successful market gardener right up until his death in 1934. '  

~ Cessnock City Library Local History, Unlocking the Past, May 2022

The Early Years: Foundations on Private Land (1905–1910s)

Tennis took root in Weston around 1905 during a four-month mining depression. The Weston Tennis Club formed with a 15-member committee and 57 players, signaling robust community support.  Their first asphalt court, built on Mr. A. Turnbull’s property [First Street] through member efforts led by secretary J. T. Dawson, showcased local initiative, with Turnbull and the club’s women providing significant support. [1]

The Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW: 1876 - 1954) / Sat 19 Aug 1905 reported:

WESTON

A largely-attended meeting of the Weston Tennis Club was held in King's HaII on Thursday, Dr. Fisher presiding, and business relative to arranging a social was dealt with, and arrangements for the offical opening of the new asphalt court. It was resolved that Mr. Charlton, M.P., be requested to preform the opening ceremony.  A committee of fifteen gentlemen was appointed to carry out the arrangement. The beginning of the tennis club argues well for success, as they have a strong committee, and a membership list of fifty-seven.

On August 23, 1905, Dr. W. Fisher, Government Medical Officer, officially opened the court before a large crowd, substituting for Mr. M. Charlton, M.L.A.  Games preceded a social at King’s Hall with refreshments, toasts, and dancing until 12:30 a.m., attended by about 30 couples. Fisher lauded the club’s resilience, crediting Dawson and Turnbull. [1]  By June 1906, the club reorganized under president T. Fogarty and secretary Miss J. Morgan, resuming play on June 22 with a mixed committee. [2]

In 1914, the Weston Progress Association sought Lands Department approval for Sunday play on the Weston Reserve, reflecting tennis’s rising popularity. [3]

Wartime and Post-War Activity: Tournaments and Private Courts (1929–1950s)

From 1929 through the 1940s, private courts sustained tennis’s vibrancy. The Galloway tennis court (location unspecified) was an active hub, hosting a November 1940 police tournament for the Air Raid Victims’ Fund, with matches like J. Tait vs. W. Seddon and doubles such as Miss Hill and Watson vs. Miss Hancock and Purcell, continuing into evening fixtures like Fogo and Linabury vs. Seddon and Holmes. [10] [11] [12]  Young’s court in Sixth Street also hosted 1940 tournament rounds. [10]

Near the Headmaster’s residence on the east Esplanade, purchased in 1921, a tennis court once existed on an adjacent block near the creek, likely the court referred to by the angry resident’s letter to the newspaper in 1924. Occupied by Headmaster H. S. Holt (1945–1950), either side of this residence were spare blocks, one for the tennis court (later a paddock with horses, as recalled by Holt’s daughter Elizabeth) and another for an orchard. [13]

In 1949, the Weston Methodist Tennis Club, with its court in the church grounds, raised over £105 ($210) through an ‘Ugly Man’ competition on July 15 to install court lighting, enhancing evening play. [14][15]

Living memories recall additional courts: 

• Cessnock Road Weston (associated with Purcell, King, Wardlaw); 

• Sixth Street Weston (Young’s); 

• Seventh Street Weston (Jones, Henderson, possibly Beveridge); 

• Ninth Street Weston (Elsley’s); 

• Harle Street Weston (Sullivan’s) and 

• Hospital Road Weston (Hebburn Colliery Superintendent’s residence)  (hard court). [13] 

• Smith Street Weston - Hebburn Colliery Engineer's residence (grass court)

• Appleton Ave. Weston -  the Weston Tennis Club opened new club rooms on September 17, 1954, officiated by George Lindsay of the Joint Coal Board. President R. Purdy welcomed guests, with J. W. Crook and Cr. T. Fell praising the community’s efforts.   Sadly, a fire in 2005 destroyed this facility. [15] [13]

Most, if not all, of these courts have now passed into history. 

Legacy and Enduring Appeal

From Turnbull’s 1905 court to the 1949 ‘Ugly Man’ fundraiser, tennis in Weston reflected grassroots innovation and community spirit.  Private courts like Galloway’s, Young’s, Sullivan’s, and Elsley’s, alongside clubs like Parkside and the Methodist group, fostered inclusivity across denominations and ages.  Though most courts have faded with urban changes, tennis’s history underscores Weston’s recreational resilience.

_________

Citation List

1.  Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, August 19, 1905.

2.  The Maitland Daily Mercury, August 26, 1905.

3.  The Maitland Daily Mercury, June 22, 1906.

4.  Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, August 10, 1914.

5.  The Newcastle Sun, July 14, 1923.

6.  The Maitland Daily Mercury, June 24, 1926.

7.  The Newcastle Sun, August 13, 1926.

8.  The Newcastle Sun, September 24, 1926.

9.  The Newcastle Sun, September 27, 1926.

10.  Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, November 26, 1924.

11.  The Cessnock Eagle and South Maitland Recorder, November 1, 1940.

12.  The Cessnock Eagle and South Maitland Recorder, November 19, 1940.

13.  The Newcastle Sun, November 26, 1940.

14.  Notes: Living memories, various court locations and dates; Elizabeth, née Holt, re Headmaster’s residence.

15.  The Cessnock Eagle and South Maitland Recorder, July 15, 1949.

16.  The Cessnock Eagle and South Maitland Recorder, September 17, 1954.

 It was fitted with spring steel toeclips and good straps on the rat trap pedals.  There was one calliper brake.  The frame was finished on cream with red markings, chrome rims and it looked rather good.  I cleaned the rims with Brasso, which took all the chrome off.  I painted them red and they looked awful.  There were no variable gears and all racing bikes had fixed wheels, no free wheels.  The gear could be varied by changing the back sprocket or the chain wheel.

            A comparatively heavy bike coupled to my age of fourteen dictated a relatively low gear of 80, if you know what I mean.  I found I could push this gear all day, up and down hill.  Only it was too slow in a sprint at the finish.  In search of weight reduction I replaced the heavy ‘diamond’ outrigger with a lightweight one piece outrigger and handles.  Then I threw the brake away.

            I wore lightweight racing shoes with a leather bar on the sole, which fitted inside the pedals.  When I pulled the strap up tight my feet were locked on the pedals.  I pushed down with one pedal and pulled up with the other.  To brake I reversed the order.  For an emergency stop I lifted both feet in the straps, thus lifting the back wheel off the ground.  Then thump the wheel down with everything stationary.  More effective than any brake.  A bit hard on the tyres, stretched the chain a bit too.

            BMX bikes were not invented, nobody did wheelies.  Still, I could jerk on the handles and the straps at the same time and lift both wheels off the ground together.

            I really enjoyed my bike.  On Fridays I would ride from Weston to School at Cessnock.  In winter I would start off with hands in pockets to keep them warm and ride ‘no hands’ to Cessnock, including over Neath Hill.  Later I doubled Dot Clarkson over Neath Hill, then raced when we got to Cessnock.

            No riding to races in cars.  On the way home from school I would meet the train at Neath Station and ride beside it to Abermain.  I didn’t say it was a fast train.

            One day Bill Richardson suggested that I join the Cycling Club and take up racing.  Well, I could not play cricket.  I loved soccer so much, it was a tragedy I was no good at it.  I had to be good at something so I took up bike racing.  My first event started from the Denman Hotel, down through Weston to present Cliftleigh, then return to the Denman.  There were no junior races so I rode senior.  I started on ‘limit’ first off at the start with ‘Nutty’ McNeill.  At the turn at Cliftleigh I lost ‘Nutty’ so rode home by myself, riding happily along at my own pace.  It all caught up with me going up the long hill from Chinamans Hollow to the Denman.  I looked around to see pursuing cyclists coming.  I plugged along to just beat Billy Shone  by a wheel in my first race, for a prize of twelve shillings.

            The club kept no money.  Each race attracted a publicans donation and entry fee was on shilling.  The total pot was divided up, 60% for first, 20% for second,  10% for third and fastest time.  Club meetings were held on the grass opposite Mrs Hales Shop.  The only official was the handicapper, who also collected entries, acted as judge and starter, then paid the prize money.

            There was also racing on a Sunday afternoon at Stanford Merthyr.  No donation, entry fee of sixpence, so it was only for fun.  They had a girl’s race, Dot Clarkson was Champion.  The course was either along a dirt track which is now John Renshaw Drive, or through the bush to Maitland Road and Heddon Greta.  We had a local handicapper, so they were different from Weston.

            Then the Handicapper resigned and the Weston man took over.  We were told that we would run on Weston handicaps, but not be penalised for winning.  (At Weston a winner was penalised 20 seconds on his handicap.)  That suited me, I won three weeks running at Stanford on the same handicap.  They woke up to me then, we were told we would be penalised on our Weston handicap for winning at Stanford.  Well, who would incur a twenty second penalty for winning three shillings? Not likely.

            Away we went to Heddon Greta.  Coming home through the bush the whole field was in one  bunch, arguing because nobody would consent to win.  When we came out of the bush in sight of the finish two riders who were ‘foxing’ sprinted off while we rode behind laughing.

            As a  novelty we had slow races.  Wally Lomax would stand on his bike until everyone else had fallen off or finished, then sprint to the finish.  We threatened to disqualify him because he had not started.  So he would sprint half way, then stand absolutely still until everyone else was finished.  While he was waiting he would turn his front wheel at right angles, put a hand each side of the tyre and roll the bike around in circles.

            In 1936 members from Cessnock League Cycling Club met us and suggested we amalgamate. We were an amateur club but rode for money anyway.  The advantages would be better competition and bigger fields, thus more prize money.  We turned professional and amalgamated.  Despite the knockers it was a success.  We rode alternatively from Cessnock and Weston.

            We rode from Bonominis Hotel at Cessnock one Saturday.  Bob Shone stood on the footpath, each of us came up to him with money, and he wrote it down in a little black book.  The police constable arrested Bob for making an S.P. book on the footpath.  He was only taking our entries.

            In 1936 our famous speedway rider Paddy Dean and his father Long Jack took over the Wine Saloon at Wollombi.  Long Jack organised a ‘Back to Wollombi Celebration’.  There was a cycle race from Cessnock to Wollombi for the Paddy Dean Cup by Cessnock Amateur Club.  Bill Glynn, Secretary of the amateur club, organised a race for the league club, and gave a ‘quid’ as first prize.  Someone gave half a quid for second and a jeweller gave two silver cups.  I decided to win the race. 

            I had never been to Wollombi so I rode out to investigate.  I found most of the course to be only a bush track, so I carefully plotted the best way through the bad bits.  Approaching Wollombi was a good distance of level road, then a sharp turn uphill.  The finishing line was just over the crest.

            On the big day I arranged to work with George Burrell, sharing the pace.  It worked very well, by Bellbird there were five of us in front.  One rider wanted to loaf, so George threw his back wheel across and took half of Bills spokes.  That problem cured.  When we hit the bad road I used my knowledge gained on the Monday.  When other riders were jarring along in the corrugations or ploughing away in the loose dirt, I was riding in the good tracks I had picked out, saving a lot of energy.  Approaching Wollombi I took my share of the pace on the level part, then sat behind for a rest.  Around the last turn I wound up past everyone, shouted to George as I went past, and was over the finishing line before the others knew about it.  George was second, Perry Newton was third.  I still have the cup, minus one handle, but I spent the quid.  I still have the Centenary title.

            We also rode on Maitland Showground as a filler for the speedway.  The speedway had a poor year, we were really the main event.  However, I was a road rider not quick enough for the track.

            We rode a few times to North Carrington.  They had a track 220 yards around with a banking of fourteen feet and a tar surface.  The Champion was Jim Beath from Newcastle.  A few of us tried it but the competition was fierce.  The only coalfields rider to hold his own was Wally Lomax.

            On a Saturday afternoon Wally would ride from Cessnock to Weston, ride in the road race then home to Cessnock.  He had a pair of track racing wheels known as singles.  A cane rim with the tyre and tube all in one, running at high pressure not fit for road use.  Wally made two brackets, one to go each side of his front axle.  To each bracket he bolted a racing wheel so it was clear of the ground.  After dinner on Saturday he rode with his three front wheels to Maitland Speedway.  Changed to racing wheels, won a few races, changed wheels to ride home by midnight.  Dawn would find him with his three front wheels on the way to Carrington.  He often won races there too, then rode home again.  Now we see pampered bikes and riders, travelling in cars.

            The park at Weston is now Varty park.  No disrespect to Bill but its name is Pagans Park.  A priest on his rounds left his horse and sulky there.  When he had returned someone had re-harnessed the horse around a tree.  He called them a lot of Pagans, and that is its name.

            In 1936 my father prevailed on the Council to build a cycling track on the Park.  I complained that the radius used on the turns was too big.  Where the turns met the straights they made four corners.  They said no, the Engineer that laid it out built the track on Newcastle Sports Ground.   I had no argument, I did not see the Sports Ground until years later.  It was a horror with four corners too.  Our track had no banking, so local carrier Doug Parker carted tons of antbed – for free – to build them up.  The antbed was supposed to roll into a hard surface.  It did too. But there was always a supply of those tiny red pebbles on the surface like ball bearings rolling under our tyres and dropping us.  We bought brooms and had all hands out sweeping.  All we did was sweep the track away and still the pebbles came through.

            I rode in the first race on the track.  Four of us started.  On the first turn two of us followed the radius, over the bank and down to the creek.  We learned to handle the corners, then started sliding down on the pebbles.  I lost a large area of skin.  Next week I had a patch of leather sewn on my racing shorts.  We always had an ambulance and two nurses in attendance, our worst injury was a broken collarbone.

            We needed more organisation to run a track meeting.  My father appointed himself President and did most of the work.  We rented a public address system which we paid for commercials begged from business men.  We erected a fence and tried to charge admission so we could pay prize money.  It was free at the dogs, so nobody would pay to watch us.  There were junior and girl’s races.  Silvia Smith was girls champion.

            In August Perry Newton donated a pair of racing shoes for the three quarter mile, and an open order on his bike shop for the half mile.  I won the half mile.  In the three quarter with one lap to go I came inside the leader to pass.  His left pedal came down and chipped my front tyre in half.  Down I came on my leather patch.  The open order bought a new tyre and tube so I finished up square on the day. 

            Yes, the track was bad, we raced for nothing, we lost skin and we bent bikes.  But it was fun, we enjoyed the thrill of the slips and slides and pile-ups.  We wouldn’t have it any other way.  I was so sorry to see the track go to ruin.

Transcribed for the Weston History and Heritage website by Lynne Kermode.