History of Sorts

Nothing was sacred and nothing was spared during WWII, not even the hallow grounds of the  All-England  Lawn Tennis Club otherwise known as ;Wimbledon’.

Although the club was closed for all matches in the war years. Rather then having Tennis players run over its lawns civil defense and military personnel made use of  the All-England Club. It  even became home to a small farmyard stocked with rabbits, pigs and hens..

During the six years of war more than 1,000 bombs fell on the borough of Wimbledon, destroying nearly 14,000 homes.

The Centre Court did not escaped unscathed either, one bomb hit it on on 11 October,1940. Resulting in damage a corner of the competitors’ stand, losing 1200 seats in the stadium. It would take to 1947 before the damage was repaired.

Source

Bundesacrhiv