“In the early thirties, when trousers were wide and shorts were long, a group of Edinburgh lawyers and businessmen met regularly and bemoaned the fact that there were insufficient facilities readily available for playing squash”. Thus read the opening paragraph of the 1986 Edinburgh Sports Club history.
For a taste of yesteryear through current times, have look at these ten images below – they are on display in A1 format (3′ x 2′) in the lower squash court corridor – click on any of them to enable a full screen display
This history has been many years in the making: You will see photographs from the opening date and before, read the 50th Anniversary brochure from 1986, and a great number of documents and photographs spanning all the years until today. Another example is the brochure for the 75th Anniversary dinner on 9th July 2011. The many photographs in that document show the development of the club in the intervening years..
A gallery is shown below which encompasses a number of the key events in the Club’s formation and evolution, from the plans prepared in February 1936, through the 9th October 1936 Opening to the victorious Scotland side versus England in 1964.
To access the various pages on the site, either select options from the menu above or alternatively there are graphics shown later on this page which will take you directly to the page you wish to view. Alternatively, you might like to try our Ten Minute Site Tour.
Our Club has always fostered a feeling of friendship and fellowship, as many of those contributing to the Interview pages were at pains to mention, and this feeling was captured wonderfully by Glyn Cave in his poem ESC – Extra Special Community You can also listen to Glyn reading the poem.
The 1883 OS map showing the virgin site at the foot of the map 
1935 – aerial view showing the allotments (extreme right) which at that time occupied the site 
The March 1936 plan showing the Men’s changing rooms, the ‘Professional’s office , lockers in the lower corridor, and just three squash courts 
The Scottish Squash list of known courts in Scotland in 1936. The ‘Belford’ court listed was private, and was known to many ESC members as ‘Bell’s Mill’. It lay just a hundred or so yards to the East of our orchard, and was where many played their first games of squash. [The date on this document is clearly wrong, as ESC had three courts in 1936, adding a further three in 1937 – one of which was doubles] 
The Evening News of 3rd October 1936 announces the imminent (October 9th) opening of a new Edinburgh squash club – press cutting from Chris Milne 
1936 – Official opening – David Balfour, G E Carter, Ian McKinlay and A G Weir. The 1986 history puts the date at July, but the previous slide suggests otherwise! Perhaps the opening was slightly delayed. This photo was taken at the door at the East end of the building: the rectangular window top centre is to a small room described as ‘Meters’ on the drawing. 
1937 saw the addition of courts 4, 5 and doubles. Demonstration matches were held, with the celebrity players being Don Butcher and Jim Dear, who had been the predominant British players in the UK championships in the 1930’s 
December 1948 saw a demonstration match. Mrs G W Band and Miss Frances Redhead M.N. ChB, were committee representatives 
1950’s, before the addition of the dining room and office extension – featuring two splendid vehicles. Also note the absence of tennis courts, the first two of which were installed in 1957. 
1950’s – Sylvan setting for the Club – and the same rickety bridge guardrail which exists to this day… 1960 – The Duke of Edinburgh visits, and watches Mike Oddy play Ollie Balfour on court 5. The great and the good spectate, and many fine hats are on view. 
1964 – the first time ANYONE had beaten the England squash team: players are Ollie Balfour, Ian de Sales la Terrier, George Chisholm, Bob Montgomery and Mike Oddy. Balfour, La Terriere and Oddy were ESC members
Click on any of the photo icons below to access pages of the history.
A walk through the Club’s Development
They make the club. Interviews, profiles, and dynasties
Scottish ladies Open 1937-1975.
All the big events, including The ESC Opens
A 1968 sketch plan. Plans are available from 1936 onward
Brian Bathgate’s 1934 Railton Fairmile Coupe reg. no AMS 802 in Hailes park, 1958
Edinburgh Sports Club History 