Tribute to Stuart Alcorn

Stuart joined Banbury Lawn Tennis Club (when there was a grass court!) in the late 70’s, in the days when many racquet players played Badminton (his main sport) in winter, and Tennis in the summer! Over time, his family enjoyed being members of the tennis club.

Stuart is well remembered for project managing the building of Banbury Tennis Club’s current ‘chalet style’ clubhouse in the early 1990’s. Using his knowledge and contacts in the building industry to ensure it was big enough, with the facilities to hold our teas after 3-pair Oxon League and Banbury Town League matches (as the main Horton View pavilion was primarily for Banbury Central Bowls Club usage). The tennis clubhouse is still a well known feature of Horton View recreation ground, and still a big part of regular club activities and events.

One of the main fund raisers for the project was the club’s Christmas bazaar where Stuart always dressed as Father Christmas - a good way of getting families to attend!!!

Stuart’s other ‘projects’ involved some unglamorous jobs to help with constructing Court 6 and also the conversion of the ‘grass middle court’ to its present hard court surface (Court 5).

On the tennis front, Stuart was an enthusiastic player, playing in both Men’s and Mixed teams, the most memorable Mixed pairing was his long partnership with Sylvia, between them there was ‘always brilliant banter and sharp wit’, according to fellow players. He loved celebrating a great shot too!!!

Stuart shared his love of tennis by assisting Life Member Archie Buzzard (co-founder of the club, Chair and volunteer coach in those days) in running the popular Monday night coaching sessions for Adults, an effective way of attracting new members. He also helped Archie with popular, well attended Junior coaching Fri eve’s/Sat mornings. In subsequent years, he assisted Club Coach Steve Ashby with Junior sessions.

Phil Taylor, long time Chair and fellow Life Member, says Stuart, his Vice Chair for a long time, was always available to give his help and advice on any matter that cropped up. He worked behind the scenes and, Phil says, probably did not get the recognition his hard work deserved at the time, but he was certainly appreciated by Phil and all of his fellow committee members. For 30 plus years, he audited the accounts for fellow Life member, Treasurer Frank Smith, whom Phil knows was extremely grateful for Stuart’s assistance.

Phil, and also John Hamer (long time member and current committee member), remember Stuart being on the Selection Committee, which in the 3 pair league days was quite a task! He also ran the Mixed Handicap system for the annual Club tournament, and successfully and patiently passed the ‘tricky workings out’ to a newer committee member!!!

Stuart finally gave up all his voluntary offices in 2013, and Frank Smith recommended to the committee that he should be made Life Member. A well deserved recommendation after 35 plus years of voluntary activity on behalf of the club. To top it all, fellow members remember Stuart as ‘a lovely quiet unassuming man’, ‘the most gentle helpful man you could ever meet’. Never ‘raised his voice to get his point across because of his natural knowledgable calm manner’. A nice fella, a good guy! He will be missed by all those who knew him as a lovely quiet calm friend and fellow tennis player.

Many thanks to Phil Taylor and John Hamer for their contributions to this well deserved tribute.

The funeral is at 1.00pm on Tuesday 17^th June, at Banbury Crematorium.

June 2025