Remembering James Malcom Gracie

It is with great sadness that we were informed that Mr James Malcolm Gracie (known as Malcolm Gracie) passed away on Monday 24 July, aged 90. Malcolm was one of our longer standing Members of the IC of GB, joining the Club in 1964.

Runner-up in the UK Junior Tennis Championships in 1950, Malcolm went on to compete in the singles and doubles at The Championships, making five appearances in the gentlemen’s singles between 1952 and 1963. He had a successful county career for Lancashire, winning the Inter-County Championship three times. He also represented England in the Home Internationals.

A talented all-round sportsman, Malcolm took up squash at the age of 22 and twice won the Lancashire Championship.

A golfing accident where he lost an eye, aged 34, curtailed his racket sports career but he continued to play golf to a high level, following the accident .

Malcolm attended Chorlton High School and studied at the University of Manchester, initially practicing law, which he gave up in 1983 to start a company that built the Matchpoint Centre in Manchester, the biggest indoor sports facility of its type in the North of England.

Malcolm remained heavily involved in tennis, joining the LTA Council in 1976, representing Lancashire.  He was elected from Council to LTA Deputy President from 1997- 1999 and was LTA President from 2000 – 2003. He served on the Committee of Management of The Championships for 10 years and sat on and chaired numerous committees, for the LTA, the AELTC, the International Tennis Federation and the European Tennis Association.

A keen jazz trombone player in his youth, Malcolm retained a lifelong love of jazz music, something he shared with his wife Sheila and two daughters.

Our thoughts are with Malcolm’s wife Sheila, his daughters and all his family.