About Grafton Tennis and Squash Club
History
Grafton is the fifth oldest club in the land, founded in 1888, taking its name from Grafton Square in Clapham where residents played tennis on Clapham Common. It was decided to found a club which migrated to its present site in the 1920s. The 1980s saw a golden age when we regularly won national tennis and squash events and ruled locally. Currently we are approaching similar standards with the Men’s and Ladies tennis teams knocking on the door of the Surrey Premier Divisions and the Squash Teams doing well in the Surrey Cup Squash County Leagues.
Location
You can find us at: 70A Thornton Road, London SW12 0LF.
We are situated approximately equidistant between Clapham, Balham and Streatham and are easily reachable from Tooting, Brixton, Herne Hill, Tulse Hill, Norwood, West Norwood, Clapham Junction and Battersea. The following postcodes are all within 2 miles of the club: SW12, SW11, SW4, SW2, SW17, SW16, SE27, SW8, SW9, SW18, CR4, SE5, SE24. So if you live in one of these areas, drop in to check us out or contact us or join us using the buttons below.
For more information on how to find us, please click here.
![K_Holst_12](https://www.graftontennisandsquash.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/K_Holst_12.jpg)
Committee members
The club is run entirely by volunteers who dedicate a great deal of their personal time to running the club for the benefit of its members. We encourage all members to ‘get involved’, no matter how big or small the contribution, all help is welcome.
If you have any questions, suggestions or would like to be considered for a committee role, please e-mail; committee@graftontennisandsquash.com
![Murray Sutton](https://graftontennisandsquash.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Murray-Sutton-Committee-Members.jpg)
Murray Sutton
Chairman & Tennis Secretary
Keeps our club pointing in the right direction. He has been a member of the club since the 18th century (bit of an exaggeration – it’s been a long time). The Grafton, films, folk music, country walks, and ale are Muzza’s chosen specialist subjects!
![Tim Bannerjee](https://graftontennisandsquash.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Tim-Bannerjee-Committee-Members.jpg)
Tim Bannerjee
Vice Chairman
Aside from the general running of the club, Tim’s main job is making sure Murray behaves himself, that and dancing around the bar on party nights.
![Gary Couzens](https://www.graftontennisandsquash.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image3.jpeg)
Gary Couzens
Treasurer
Keeps the club’s finances in order, and helps the committee deliver the development priorities set by our membership. Works closely with Murray on the ale consumption duties at the club.
![Melanie Gibbs](https://graftontennisandsquash.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Melanie-Gibbs-Committee-Members.jpg)
Melanie Gibbs
Membership Secretary
Manages all things Membership related. Dealing with incoming enquires, processing new memberships, and co-ordinating waitlists all add to Mel’s glamourous lifestyle. Often seen with Tim dancing around the bar on party nights
![Tony Braimbridge](https://graftontennisandsquash.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Tony-Braimbridge-Committee-Members.jpg)
Tony Braimbridge
Facilities Manager
A true Grafton legend. Architecture, interior design, plumbing and electric’s and much more are the all-encompassing areas that Tony deals with. Tony is most well-known for his riveting monologues about the Club’s drainage design.
![Gulcin Menekse](https://www.graftontennisandsquash.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/gulcin.jpg)
Gulcin Menekse
Social Secretary
One of the most important roles in Grafton is making sure the social aspect of the club continues to thrive. Sarah runs the social committee, who organise, pub crawls, parties, tournaments, big screen showings, quiz nights, film nights and much, much more. Late nights / aching limbs / general fatigue? – it’s normally down to Gulcin and the social team.
![Peter Gray](https://www.graftontennisandsquash.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/CIMG0410.jpg)
Peter Gray
Squash Secretary
Graeme and Peter are the ‘double act’ that over see everything squash. Leagues, tournaments, coaching, socials, development proposals, you name it, they work with our team of volunteers to ‘make the magic happen’
![Graeme Hogarth](https://graftontennisandsquash.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Graeme-Hogarth-Committee-Members.jpg)
Graeme Hogarth
Squash Secretary
Graeme and Peter are the ‘double act’ that over see everything squash. Leagues, tournaments, coaching, socials, development proposals, you name it, they work with our team of volunteers to ‘make the magic happen’
![Danielle Wade](https://www.graftontennisandsquash.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/image4.jpeg)
Danielle Wade
Operations Manager
There are a lot of things that need to fit seamlessly together to keep our club running. Whether it’s a fully stocked bar, working till system, or general club maintenance, Dani’s guiding hands make things work in perfect harmony / near-perfect harmony / harmony of sorts.