This section provides a history of LSC from conception to present day.  First, we must visit a brief history of the Holmwood house site.

What is now the main school building was commissioned and built in 1870 by local Lawyer and businessman Henry Jones. At this time the estate was called Shrublands.

The Jones family lived in Shrublands until 1922 when it was Bought by Mr and Mrs Duggen, who founded Holmwood House prep school for boys in the same year, with the strap line “to develop the individuality and abilities of each boy, to make himself reliable and adaptable and help him face reality”.

The school thrived until 1939 when war forced pupils to be evacuated and Holmwood was used as a temporary barracks (see    www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/55/a4875555.shtml for war time account of life at Holmwood)

At the end of the war lessons recommenced at Holmwood under the control of the Duggens once more. Control of the school was handed over to the Duggens son Stuart and his business partner Jeremy Lucas. Both former pupils at Holmwood Jeremy and Stuart taught academically at the school but put a strong emphasis on sport and leisure, a tradition which still lives on at Holmwood today. It was this love for sport and a fortuitous financial situation that gave birth to the squash club.

Historically Holmwood’s playing fields extended past what is now the A12 to the gatehouse which can be seen opposite King Cole road, marking its southern most boundary.  In the late 1960s this land was to be subject to compulsory purchase to build the A12.  The council offered £3000 compensation and would drain and fill a pond /swamp land which would later house the cricket nets and adventure playground.  This was duly done with earth excavated from the mercury theatre site, which was being constructed at the time.

With the £3000 Jeremy looked into building a single squash court as it was a growing sport and would offer further sporting opportunity for the pupils.  So he took a trip to the Squash racquets Association to make enquires into how to go about building a squash court.  By the time he came out they had convinced him that he should build 2 and start a club!  So, plans were drawn up for 2 courts a bar area and changing facilities.

£3000 in those days was enough to build just 1 court so Jeremy went to various banks to get a loan for the rest.  Most of the banks would not entertain the financing of such a risky venture and rejected the proposal.  With little hope of securing the loan Jeremy approached the Midland bank who were known for supporting sport across the country.  Immediately the manager Peter Holroyd agreed the loan and work started to build the first independent squash club in Colchester.

By 1972 the club was opened in conjunction with the 50^th anniversary of the school.  One of the people who was there that day was Peter Holroyd and his son Phillip.

At this time the Club comprised of courts A & B, in a separate building was the bar area which also housed small toilets and changing area.

In 1973 the swimming pool was roofed which became available for members to use.  This roof blew off in the 1986 hurricane and replaced with the structure that we see today. Over the years various improvements have been made to the facility and members now enjoys the use of a fully equipped modern facility.

In 1979 courts C, D and E were built as squash at Lexden was booming.  Initially only court C was glass backed and later glass backs would be introduced to court D then E.  This extension allowed the room above C, D and E to be utilised as the Gym which in the main remains today.

Lexden has traditionally produced many County, National and International players and continues to be a force in the National Squash and Tennis scene.