Historic Wabana
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        • Arthur House Article >
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          • Part 3 of "Early History of Bell Island Mines," March 3, 1939
          • Part 4 of "Early History of Bell Island Mines," March 4, 1939
          • Part 5 of "Early History of Bell Island Mines," March 6, 1939
          • Part 6 of "Early History of Bell Island Mines," March 7, 1939
        • F.F. Jardine Articles >
          • Fortieth Anniversary of Wabana Mines, Bell Island
          • Part 1 of "Forty-Fourth Anniversary of Wabana Mines"
          • Part 2 of "Forty-Fourth Anniversary of Wabana Mines"
          • Part 3 of "Forty-Fourth Anniversary of Wabana Mines"
          • Part 4 of "Forty-Fourth Anniversary of Wabana Mines"
      • Mining Terminology
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  • Publications
    • Arthur House Article
    • The Book of Newfoundland >
      • "Bell Island Was Exciting For a Growing Boy"
    • Books About Bell Island
    • Early History of Bell Island
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    • "Where Canada's Iron Comes From"
    • "A Mine Dead - A Town Stricken"
    • Morris, I.C.
    • Newfoundland Quarterly >
      • "Bell Island," V. 1, No. 1, July 1901
      • "Belle Island Boyhood," Part 1, V. 85, No. 2, Fall 1989
      • "Belle Island Boyhood," Part 2, V. 85, No. 3, Winter 1990
    • Newspapers (Bell Island) >
      • Bell Island & Conc. Bay Reporter
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      • Bell Island Miner 1965
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    • Notes on Belle Isle by Mrs. B.B.E.
    • Our Bell Island Budget
    • Place Where the Sun Rises
    • Submarine Miner >
      • Submarine Miner, V. 1 # 1, June 1954
      • Submarine Miner, V. 1 # 2, July 1954
      • Submarine Miner, V. 1 # 3, August 1954
      • Submarine Miner, V. 1 # 4, September 1954
      • Submarine Miner, V. 1 # 5, October 1954
      • Submarine Miner, V. 1 # 6, November 1954
      • Submarine Miner, V. 1 # 7, December 1954
      • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 1, January 1955
      • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 2, February 1955
      • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 3, March 1955
      • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 4, April 1955
      • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 5, May 1955
      • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 6, June 1955
      • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 7, July 1955
      • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 8, August 1955
      • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 9, September 1955
      • Submarine Miner, V. 2 #10, October 1955
      • Submarine Miner, V. 2 # 11, November 1955
      • Submarine Miner, V. 2 #12, December 1955
      • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 1, January 1956
      • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 2, February 1956
      • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 3, March 1956
      • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 4, April 1956
      • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 5, May 1956
      • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 6, June 1956
      • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 7, July 1956
      • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 8, August 1956
      • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 9, September 1956
      • Submarine Miner, V. 3 #10, October 1956
      • Submarine Miner, V. 3 # 11, November 1956
      • Submarine Miner, V. 3 #12, December 1956
      • Submarine Miner, V. 4, # 1, January 1957
      • Submarine Miner, V. 4, # 2, February 1957
      • Submarine Miner, V. 4, # 3, March 1957
      • Submarine Miner, V. 4, #4, April 1957
      • Submarine Miner, V. 4, #5, May 1957
      • Submarine Miner, V. 4, #6, June 1957
      • Submarine Miner, V. 4, #7, July 1957
      • Submarine Miner, V. 4, #8, August 1957
      • Submarine Miner, V. 4, #9, September 1957
      • Submarine Miner, V.4, #10, October 1957
      • Submarine Miner, V.4, #11, November 1957
      • Submarine Miner, V.4, #12, December 1957
      • Submarine Miner, V.5, #1, January 1958
      • Submarine Miner, V.5, #2, February 1958
      • Submarine Miner, V.5, #3, March 1958
      • Submarine Miner, V.5, #4, April 1958
      • Submarine Miner, V.5, #5, May 1958
      • Submarine Miner, V.5, #6, June 1958
      • Submarine Miner, V.5, #7, July 1958
      • Submarine Miner, V.5, #8, August 1958
      • Submarine Miner, V.5, #9, September 1958
      • Submarine Miner, V.5, #10, October 1958
      • Submarine Miner, V.5, #11, November 1958
      • Submarine Miner, V.5, #12, December 1958
      • Submarine Miner, V.6, #1, January 1959
      • Submarine Miner, V.6, #2, February 1959
      • Submarine Miner, V.6, #3, March 1959
      • Submarine Miner, V.6, #4, April 1959
      • Submarine Miner, V.6, #5, May 1959
      • Submarine Miner, V.6, #6, June 1959
      • Submarine Miner, V.6, #7, July 1959
      • Submarine Miner, V.6, #8, August 1959
      • DOSCO World
    • Victor Southey Article
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      • Dave Careless: "Five Minutes for Fighting"
      • Dave Careless: "My Travels on Ore Carriers""
      • Dave Careless: "November 22nd, 1963"
      • Dave Careless: "Wabana Memories, 1958-1966"
      • Al O'Brien: "It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time"
      • Gail Weir: "Ghost & Fairy Stories"
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  • About This Site
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HISTORY
SPORTS HISTORY

TENNIS

The Tennis Pavilion and tennis courts were located on the west side of Davidson Avenue opposite Mercer Street on land owned by William Kent and behind the Kent house. Today, a street called Tennis Court Road runs through the property. According to newspaper reports, tennis and cricket were being played on Bell Island in 1912. The tennis courts were "going strong" in 1922, and again in 1924, when it was reported  in the Daily News that "on its beautiful tree-surrounded grounds off Davidson Avenue, a new pavilion was built that summer." C.B. Archibald, Works Manager of the Wabana Mines, was President of the Tennis Club at that time and Charles Peddle was secretary. Extensive renovations were done in 1928, including the addition of a second court, with a wire fence around the courts. In 1932, members of the tennis club took part in a tournament in St. John's for the first time and also went to Carbonear to play. Elizabeth Lindsay-Palmer recalled that the tennis courts were no longer being used when she left Bell Island in 1949. The pavilion was still standing in 1962 when the Kent family left Bell Island. After the No. 2 Deckhead was dismantled and the Curling Club set up in its place, asphalt tennis courts were constructed next to it.

Picture

It was reported  in the Daily News in 1924 that "the Tennis Club was going strong on its beautiful tree-surrounded grounds off Davidson Avenue and a new pavilion was built that summer." This photo of the new pavilion is from the William Lindsay photographs in COLL. 202 at the A&SC of MUN Library.

​The description of activities at the Tennis Club on the right was written by Stanley Carew in a story about his youth on Bell Island. The time period he refers to would have been the 1920s through 1930s and likely continued through the 1940s after he left Bell Island. Read his full story on the Publications page under "The Book of Newfoundland." 

Lester Taylor played tennis there in the 1940s and recalls that you had to be 16 to attend the Saturday evening dances. You walked through Kent's land from Davidson Avenue to access the club. During WWII, sailors from the ore ships would sometimes come to play tennis. Lester remembers some Yugoslav officers playing there. In the picture above, the umpire's chair is on the left and part of the upper court is in the foreground. The left annex was where the change rooms were and the right annex was the kitchen/domestic area. The pavilion had a record player for the members' use. There were two courts, both clay, which had been shipped in from somewhere "around the bay."

Sources: Addison Bown, "Newspaper History of Bell Island"; Stanley Carew, "Bell Island was Exciting For a Growing Boy" in The Book of Newfoundland,​ V. 6, p. 228; Elizabeth (Lindsay) Palmer, personal interview, 1996; Lillian Kent Cruickshank & Lester Taylor on Historic Wabana Facebook Group.
Picture

Picture




​Leo Murphy and William Lindsay, Jr. on Harleys at the Bell Island Tennis Court, c. late 1940s.

​




​The tennis courts on Davidson Avenue were no longer being used by 1949. No. 2 Mine was closed in 1950. In the early 1950s, the No. 2 Deckhead was dismantled and, about 1954, the Curling Club set up on the site. In the summer of 1955, asphalt tennis courts were constructed next to it. The photo on the right is looking north at the new tennis courts with the east end of The Green in the background. It is from the Submarine Miner, August 1955, p.7.

Picture


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