Events - The Harry Gem Project

2025 Tuesday, Birmingham & Midland Institute, 9 Margaret Street, Birmingham B3 3BS at 7:00 pm

Starting from the medieval game of real/royal tennis and following it’s evolution right up until the late 19th century, the talk will expand on the story of Harry Gem and Augurio Perera, the game they devised at Perera’s Edgbaston home in the late 1850s and their later club in Royal Leamington Spa – the first lawn tennis club in the world. For local Brummies this talk offers a fascinating slice of local history, uncovering the little-known story of Edgbaston’s connection to the lawn tennis competition at the first modern Olympics in Athens 1896.

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2025 March 4th Tuesday, Winterbourne House and Garden, 55 Edgbaston Park Road, Birmingham B15 2RT at 11:00 am

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2024 November 29th Friday, The Royal Pump Rooms, The Parade, Leamington Spa at I:00pm

Robert’s talk will start with the mediaeval game of real/royal tennis. He will then tell of the popularity of rackets, a Victorian game for everyman and the arrival of lawn tennis. In particular, Robert will expand on the story of Harry Gem and Augurio Perera, the game they devised at Perera’s Edgbaston home in the late 1850s and their later club in Royal Leamington Spa – the first lawn tennis club in the world. Finally, he will tell the little-known story of the lawn tennis competition at the first modern Olympics in Athens 1896.

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2024 November 23rd Saturday, Birmingham & Midland Institute, 9 Margaret Street, Birmingham B3 3BS at 11:00 am

Robert Holland’s talk will encompass the casual ball play of ancient times through to the emergence of organised games such as royal tennis and its equivalents around Europe. He will tell of the popularity of rackets, a Victorian game for everyman and the arrival, in 1874, of lawn tennis in the form of Walter Wingfield’s Sphairistike and Gem and Perera’s Pelota.

For more information or to get your tickets please follow the Eventbrite link – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/from-catch-to-lawn-tennis-tickets-1067504788559

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2024 July 5th Friday, The Royal Pump Rooms, The Parade, Leamington Spa at I:00pm

From casual ball play to lawn tennis

Speaker: Robert Holland is a former Honorary Secretary and Chairman, now a trustee, of Edgbaston Archery & Lawn Tennis Society the oldest lawn tennis club in the world. He is also the founding trustee of the Harry Gem Project which, among other activities, restored Harry Gem’s grave in Warstone Lane Cemetery in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter and arranged for blue plaques to be erected at the former homes of lawn tennis pioneers Harry Gem and Augurio Perera in Royal Leamington Spa.

Robert’s talk will encompass the casual ball play of ancient times through to the emergence of organised games such as royal tennis and its equivalents around Europe. He will tell of the popularity of rackets, a Victorian game for everyman and the arrival of lawn tennis. In particular, Robert will expand on the story of Harry Gem and Augurio Perera, the game they devised in the late 1850s and their later club in Royal Leamington Spa – the first lawn tennis club in the world.

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2024 June 28th Friday, The Royal Pump Rooms, The Parade, Leamington Spa at I:00pm

150 years of lawn tennis in Leamington Spa.

Speaker: Susan Hopcraft is a member of the Leamington Lawn Tennis & Squash Club and author of ‘Leamington’s Game’ the club history, published in 2024.

Susan will describe how lawn tennis first came to the town and how it evolved into today’s multi-sport club on Guy’s Cliffe Avenue. The talk will cover Leamington’s role in the origins of lawn tennis, the Leamington tennis tournament and how a variety of clubs merged into the current site on Guy’s Cliffe Avenue.

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2013 May 11th Saturday Open Day at Edgbaston Archery & Lawn Tennis Society, the oldest lawn tennis club in the world. Fun day of tennis for all ages including FREE coaching. Don't worry if you've never played before, come and have a go. Big first year subscription discounts for anyone joining on the day. For details see: www.ealts.net.

2013 June 8th Saturday

Open Day at Edgbaston Archery & Lawn Tennis Society, the oldest lawn tennis club in the world. Fun day of tennis for all ages including FREE coaching. Don't worry if you've never played before, come and have a go. Big first year subscription discounts for anyone joining on the day. For details see: www.ealts.net.

2013 July 7th Sunday

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May 13th 2011 Harry Gem Tournament, Edgbaston Priory Club. Annual mixed doubles tournament sponsored this year by Irwin Mitchell LLP. Further details click for HarryGemInvite Flyer. To enter click here for HGemBookingForm.

May 27th – 18th September 2011 Court on Canvas, Tennis in Art exhibition at the Barber Institute of Fine Art, University of Birmingham. The exhibition will feature a wide variety of paintings, drawings, prints and mixed-media works dating from the 1870s through to the 21st century, including the iconic Athena Tennis Girl poster. The main exhibition will be accompanied by A Gem of a Game, a large display of historic tennis equipment, photographs and memorabilia tracing the origins of the game and the importance of Edgbaston as its birthplace. See or www.barber.org.uk for details.

June 13th 2011 Study Day at the Barber Institute of Fine Art, University of Birmingham. Discover the key themes of Tennis in Art – from the origins of the game in Edgbaston to the changing role of women on court, as well as the artists who played the game! There will be talks and lectures from Professor Ann Sumner (Barber Director), Professor Kenneth McConkey (University of Northumbria), Tim Wilcox (sporting specialist), Robert Holland (Trustee of Edgbaston Archery & Lawn Tennis Society and the Harry Gem Project) and Alex Rotas (Research Fellow, Cardiff University) to name but a few. For fee and booking details see Tennis in Art Study Day leaflet or www.barber.org.uk.

June 28th 2011 Talk at Birmingham Heritage Forum AGM. Robert Holland (Trustee of Edgbaston Archery & Lawn Tennis Society and the Harry Gem Project) will talk about the early history of lawn tennis. Talk to members of the Forum.

June 30th 2011 Court on Canvas Book Launch. 5:30pm Waterstones, High Street, Birmingham. For details click here.

July 10th 2011 Open Day at Edgbaston Archery & Lawn Tennis Society, the oldest lawn tennis club in the world. Fun day of tennis activities for all ages and abilities – and free art activities with the Barber Institute of Fine Art. Display of antique tennis dress and equipment from the famous Elks’ collection. For details see: www.barber.org.uk and watch: www.ealts.net.

July 14th 2011 Gallery Talk at the Barber Institute of Fine Art, University of Birmingham. Sue Elks (Tennis Historian & Trustee of The Harry Gem Project) will talk on Female Fashion in Tennis.

September 1st 2011 Gallery Talk at the Barber Institute of Fine Art, University of Birmingham. Robert Holland (Trustee of Edgbaston Archery & Lawn Tennis Society and The Harry Gem Project) will talk about the early history of lawn Tennis. For more details see: www.barber.org.uk.

November 23rd 2011 Talk to Moose International – Quinton Manor. Robert Holland (Trustee of Edgbaston Archery & Lawn Tennis Society and the Harry Gem Project) will talk about the early history of lawn tennis. Talk to members of the Lodge.