First court built outside of U. S. in Nova Scotia

The court was constructed in Central Argyle, half an hour or so SSE of Yarmouth in Nova Scotia, on the property of the Ardnamurchan Club.

Ardnamurchan, named after the eponymous peninsular on the west coast of Scotland, is not a club in the traditional sense. During 1908-1909 many acres of land were purchased and a large shingled house built on waterfront property, solely for the purpose of being a summer gathering place for the Cox family, all originally from Philadelphia.

The incorporators of the Club included paddle tennis co-founder Fessenden Blanchard’s mother-in-law, Martha Cox Bryant, one of eight children.

Of course, with the Blanchard family as members, a paddle court was bound to follow and one was built in 1938, ten years after the sport’s invention.

The first court was very simple and the wires were not very good but still provided fun summer-time recreation. The court was improved later on but still built with local materials. It wasn’t until 1996 than the Club members voted to have a new court constructed professionally by a U.S. company.

The Ardnamurchan Club is still going strong with family members now numbering over 200 , and paddle tennis is still a popular part of their summer sports scene

Source: Molly Blanchard Ware, April, 2014