'Black Painted Courts' KES Five Ways School

Five Ways 
A Brief History of Eton Fives at KE Five Ways (abridged article from the Five Ways Edwardians Alumni Newsletter, August 2022).  
 
Three excellent courts were built at school’s move from Five Ways. Unusually, they were painted black, and visiting players invariably said they were the best on which they’d played. Courts already existed at King Edward’s School in Edgbaston, at King Edward’s Camp Hill, and at Wolverhampton Grammar School and thus the opportunity for local inter-school fixtures was in place. 
 
Early in 1958, the national champions, Tony Hughes and Gordon Campbell (KES Old Edwardians) and the KES first pair were invited to play an exhibition match to inaugurate the new courts. Prior to play the rules of the game were explained to those boys and members of the PE department who turned out to watch. And that was that. As far as I know the school never had a coach or active playing member of staff; Fives was handed down from senior boys toothers who were keen to play.  
 
For juniors like me in the early days, strong nerve as well as interest was required – venturing to the back of the school where the courts provided ideal cover for the older, hard-bitten smokers and card players who could be intimidating. But there was usually at least one court available for a game. Sometimes, later on, first year pupils were given the chance to play as a games or gym option. But for the most part Fives was played at break and lunchtimes; no kit was needed, gloves and balls were available from the PE office. It was considered a minor sport.  
 
The school magazine of Summer 1960 noted the gift of a cup by Mr. H. Grafton for an inter-house Fives competition; the Autumn 1960 edition announced the formation of a school team which played our three local rivals.  
 
Mention of new opponents came in the Summer 1963 magazine when team captain Simon Grossman of Upp.V1 Arts reported 18 matches had been played, 10 won, 1 drawn and 7 lost. Then artfully wiping King Edward’s School and its Old Edwardian team (both of which he described as ‘invincible’) from his calculations, Simon pointed out that the picture now looked much better with10 wins out of 12 matches played. Small wonder he became a successful barrister. He praised David Casson as the school’s outstanding player and blamed rugby for having first claim on the best sportsmen’s time, thereby often weakening the side.  
 
He also reported on a successful London tour in which the team had played Westminster School and Chigwell School, and Five Ways’ first appearance at what was then called the Public Schools’ Championship, held at Eton College with its daunting thirty-six courts. This tournament proved a steep learning curve but very enjoyable. Probably too much enjoyment the night before play -our pairs both making early exits. The team drove some 1300 miles to play fives during that season.  
 
The 1964 team had slightly better fortune, though not against KES or its old boy’s side. I played in that year’s Public-School tournament with Neil Drysdale. We made the third round before losing to you know who, yes, driving all the way to London to lose to our Edgbaston nemesis. But the following year we reached the last eight of sixty-four pairs before losing to third seeds, City of London School. 
 
Our secret weapon for home fixtures might have been Mrs. Scudder’s teas, but when provided these were served after a match, too late to do real damage to our opponents.  
Other FW sports teams involved greater numbers and travelled away by coach with a master in charge. The Fives team turned up unaccompanied to Eton, Harrow, Oxford and other ancient seats of learning in a sixth former’s prized and cigarette smoke-filled A35 van, Ford Anglia or Mini. What freedom!  
 
Fives continued in its freelance fashion through the late 60s and 70s. The house competition continued, the game had its devotees, half colours were awarded.  
 
The late 70s and early 80s saw a marked rise in standards of play. The indefatigable Tony Hughes had instituted an Edwardian ‘colts’ team involving boys from Five Ways, Camp Hill and the High School, coached by him and learning from games against strong school and old boys’ sides. Some thirty matches were played in the busiest years. In 1978 the Eton Fives Association yearbook noted the encouraging number of very young Camp Hill and Five Ways players at that year’s Public Schools’ Championship, describing them as ‘a force to be reckoned with in future, if they continue playing’.  
 
In 1980 the FW pair of Dennis Jehan and Simon Blackledge reached the semifinals of the national U14s, losing to the eventual tournament winners. They were back in 1982, unlucky to lose to a very strong pair in the quarter finals of the U16s and performing outstandingly in the Open competition as well, taking second seeds Highgate School to five sets, opponents two years older than themselves.  
 
But that was the high point. From the mid-eighties, Fives retreated back to school and the same few local fixtures. Almost no sixth formers played, the courts’ lighting was temperamental and pigeons were taking up permanent residence under the glass roof.  
 
Approximately thirty years since its introduction at Bartley Green, Eton Fives disappeared. Five Ways was not alone in having demolished its courts at that time. Yet the sport is now thriving as never before, and beyond its traditional independent and ancient grammar school strongholds. All that’s needed for the game to flourish in schools is, as with any sport, an enthusiastic staff member, and to reach higher standards and greater satisfaction – a bit of coaching. Perhaps, at some future date, this wonderful game, part of the school’s DNA, will return to Five Ways!  
 
Thanks to the following former FW pupils for their reminiscences: Simon Grossman, David Casson, Stephen Drucker, Jeremy Callaghan, Kim Callaghan, Julian Hunt, Peter Traves, Steve Cameron, Derek Lamb, Will More-King, Daniel Barge, Chris Hallmark, and to Rezwan Malik (Camp Hill) and Richard Tyler (KES).