What years were you a Ball Boy? 1949-50

What courts did you look after, what age were you? 1st year various. 15 2nd year No. 1 court 16

Did anything unusual/funny happen whilst you were on court? *** Three incidents in my own experience of Wimbledon which lay outside those of other Barnardo boys are for that reason worth recalling. Firstly for my first year there I ballboyed on the outer courts. After my first game, and the players walked off the court, I joined with the audience in clapping them off. I was smartly informed that by no means was that permitted to a ball boy. The news of my folly circulated and I was the butt of jokes among the other guys.

The second episode was connected with a tiny Asian girl player, I believe called Jem Owen, who was highly spoken of by the British press. I delighted in obtaining autographs of the famous players and often lurked around the players’ dressing room door, hoping to catch some as they came and went. One day Jem came along and brightly offered to take my autograph book inside and get some autographs. She would give me the book back the next day. I was delighted. I didn’t catch her the next day, but the following day I stood at the top of the flight of stairs to the dressing room and waited for her. She came, recognised me, and began to search in her bag for my book. In order to do this she passed me her underwear to hold while she delved deeper. Imagine the scene. Down below the stairs was the main hall with scores of people milling around, and constantly looking up to the door to see who would emerge, and there was I, a 15-year-old ball boy blushingly holding ladies’ underwear at the top of the stairs. For years I regarded this as the most embarrassing moment of my life.

The third event was with a tennis player who was called by the press Gorgeous George. He had a knack of calling attention to himself by wearing bright customized clothing. One I remember was an upturned cuff on his brilliant white shorts, which was embroidered with roman numerals in black. Well Gorgeous George took a shine to me, engaged me in conversation whenever our paths crossed. This was quite flattering, even if he wasn’t a notable player. It was kudos among the boys for any player to take special notice of one. As the end of the second week arrived George invited me to spend a weekend in his London flat. He would show me the lights and hot spots of London. Was I ever flattered and excited by this gesture. I had, however, to clear it with the authorities at Goldings, but to my great disappointment they flatly denied me permission to accept it. I was quite angry about that, feeling they had denied me a real opportunity to see the great city. Some months later I came across Gorgeous George’s name in a newspaper, to the effect that he had appeared in court for soliciting sex with under-age boys. I felt grateful to Barnardo’s for stopping me.

From: Bill Cotton.

*** Extract from chapter 5 They would have come looking for me. Wouldn’t they?