Page 13 - Living Italy Past and Present Issue 3

An unusual sight in Alassio of a red letterbox still standing just outside the entrance of the club
In 1922 Italy took part for the rst time in the Davis Cup and in the Olympic Games in Paris in 1924 The sport grew in popularity
However, tennis remained a sport for the elite for quite a while and the Côte d’Azure and the Riviera di Ponente were favourite tennis resorts One of the few clubs, which remains more or less intact, and still retains its very British roots is the Hanbury Tennis Club in Alassio, founded by Daniel Hanbury in 1923 Most people remember the Hanbury family for Sir Thomas Hanbury’s villa and gardens at La Motorola between Ventimiglia and Menton Sir Thomas acquired more and more
land along the Riviera, which was then split up between his sons Cecil and Daniel
The historic Alassio Club House holds tennis memorabilia from the past with old photos, posters and tennis rackets hanging on the walls, including some old pieces of furniture Another special feature are the English red letter boxes and phone boxes dotted around its grounds Visitors will be fascinated to see this living tennis museum in such a Med- iterranean environment The town of Alassio has several memorabilia of its past British residents with its English library, tennis club, pharmacy and Villa della Pergola bringing past and present together in an unusual com- bination
Daniel Hanbury
Living Italy Past & Present 13