The South End Lawn Tennis Club's land was first owned by a wealthy New York businessman named John S. MacLean. MacLean was the son of a Scottish immigrant preacher, was a Halifax ship owner and merchant who became head of the Bank of Nova Scotia from 1874 until his death in 1889.

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MacLean lived in the mansion, known as Thorndean, on Inglis Street. The grounds extended 92 metres along Acadia Street (now spelled McLean Street) from Inglis Street. To add to the confusion of the last name, one of MacLean's companies was named McLean, Campbell & Co. In 1855, MacLean, purchased Halifax's famous Jerusalem Warehouse, and based his grocery store there. MacLean imported tea products from overseas, which he transported in ships and wagons to communities throughout the Maritimes.

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Originally called the South End Lawn Tennis Club, it is one of the oldest tennis clubs in Canada and was established in 1890 through the efforts of MacCallum Grant who later became the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia and wealthy businessman and politician, Edward G. Kenny. 

 

There were originally five grass courts extending from, what is now, MacLean Street (was Acadia Street) to Young Avenue. South Park Street originally extended to Atlantic Street and the City had just started to develop Young Avenue.

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Originally leased, the club’s land was purchased by a group of active club members, each paying a small amount of cash and borrowing the balance against a first mortgage in order to save the club.

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Occasionally, officers of the Army and Navy were allowed to play at the Club and use its facilities.

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It was forbidden to play tennis on Sundays until the bylaws were amended in 1929. Membership by 1897 was 102. The original grass courts were changed to clay in 1911, electricity was installed in the clubhouse in 1952, and to pay taxes in 1956, two of the courts were sold. In 1969 the court surface was changed to clay (Har-tru) and eight years later, they were converted to a hard surface which remain today.