From Harrow to South Kensington and Farringdon to Piccadilly, join us and Living London History on a tour of the places that shaped the history of the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships.
In the company of tour guide Jack Chesher, we visit the site of the Herga Lawn Tennis Club, where the first ball was struck at the inaugural 1926 Championships.
We call in at the site of the Memorial Hall, where the first final was held; at Imperial College, host of the 1935 tournament; and at two iconic London venues which are part of the storied history of the biggest table tennis tournament on the planet – the Royal Albert Hall and OVO Arena Wembley.
There was also time to visit the family home of Ivor Montagu, where the ITTF Constitution was formally adopted in 1926 and where he was elected Chairman, a position he held for 40 years.
With less than two months to go until the centenary ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals return full circle to the city of the competition’s birth, this is a fascinating exploration of our sport’s humble beginnings.
Just seven men’s teams competed at that first Championships, a far cry from the 64 men’s and 64 women’s teams – from 80 countries – which will do battle at the Copper Box Arena and back at OVO Arena Wembley this year.
You, too, could be a part of the continuing history of the Worlds – book your tickets for London 2026 now!
Jack Chesher set up Living London History in 2020 as a weekly blog post. He now organises guided walks and private tours and has published two books about the hidden gems around the city.