WIMBLEDON may be over, but there is plenty of tennis still to be played this summer.

Tomorrow evening the annual Bolton Sports Federation's eight-day tournament gets underway at Bolton School's tennis courts, off Chorley New Road.

This event is part of a tradition which stretches back to the 1930s.

There is a cutting from September 27, 1935, which reports that a cheque for £440 was to be handed to Bolton Royal Infirmary after being raised at the Bolton and District Lawn Tennis Charity Tournament in August. But it is not clear whether this was the first tournament to be organised.

Our records start again in the 1950s and there is an account in August, 1955, recording the success of the 13th tournament - suggesting that records had begun in 1942.

The weather remained fine throughout 17 days and the popular appeal can be judged by the fact that caterers sold 7,000 bottles of lemonade and 6,500 pasties.

In 1977 the Bolton Lawn Tennis Charity Tournament - sponsored by the ill-fated Greater Manchester Council - had a programme which listed previous title holders.

The men's singles winner from 1948 to 1953 was GK Whitehead, and the women's title was held from 1951 to 1954 by Miss D Wearden.

Elsewhere in the cuttings I note that 15-year-old Stephen Denner from Manchester Road East, Walkden - who later became one of the tournament's star performers - provided a major shock in August, 1969, when he defeated 17-year-old Mark Waddington of Lostock Junction Lane to take the boys' singles title in front of "a large and excited crowd".

No doubt there is somebody out there who can fill in the gaps in my history of this significant local event.

Pictures:

Top right- Victory celebration: Karen Lyne, aged 17, of Broadway, Worsley, leapt over the net after her first-round win on the Bolton School (Girls' Division) tennis courts in July, 1973.

Left - Friendly rivals: The 1977 tournament saw Elizabeth Matthews, right, beat Carol Walmsley to reach the final of the girls' under-16 singles competition.

Bottom right - First service: From left, Ivor Timmis, aged 16, of Farnborough Road, and Ross Heaton, aged 16, of Beechfield Road, both Bolton, spun for service at the start of their junior under-18s match in July, 1975.