According to the early work ‘A History of the County of Middlesex (1911), “Foremost among athletic clubs in Middlesex is the London Athletic Club. Founded in 1863 under the title of the Mincing Lane Athletic Club, it took its present name in the spring of 1866. It held its first athletic meeting at the Beaufort House grounds at Brompton on 9 April 1864, and a second on 21 May of the same year. It continued to meet there until 1869, having in 1867 had sports at the Old Deer Park, Richmond, and at Beaufort House, Walham Green.
“After it moved its head quarters to Lillie Bridge in 1869 meetings were held there until 1876. In 1877, it [the London Athletic Club] again moved, this time to its own grounds at Stamford Bridge, Fulham. These grounds of six and a half acres were closed after the last meeting on 24 September 1904, and a new and larger track was made, partly on the same site, with a banked track for cycling and seating accommodation for 10,000 people. The new area of seventeen acres was still known as Stamford Bridge, and the L.A.C. opened with a meeting on 10 May 1905. During the winter months the ground is used by the Chelsea Football Club.”
A lawn tennis tournament was inaugurated at the London Athletic Club in 1884; one year later it was given the title of the London Championships. It was held outdoors, on grass. This tournament would be held for many years, although it moved to the Queen’s Club in 1890.
Amateur
England
England
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