LENSBURY CLUB was first formed in 1920 as the sports and social club for the staff of The Royal Dutch Shell Group. The London head offices were at St Helen’s Court and 16 Finsbury Circus, and the name LENSBURY is a permutation of St HeLENS and FinsBURY. The Club was progressively extended by the acquisition of neighbouring properties until 1936, when it reached the 40 acres that would form the Club site for the next 60 years.

The three old houses of Rock Hall, Dunbar and Weirbank were demolished and a magnificent new clubhouse building was opened in 1938. With the outbreak of the Second World War, however, club activities ceased and the premises were turned into Shell’s London head-office - with air raid shelters where Lockside stands today. Post-war, normal activities resumed and for the next half-century, Lensbury played host to Shell conferences and Club members, staff and pensioners and also sportsmen and women from around the world. All standards were welcome and the sports bar carries mementoes of sporting ‘greats’, including international rugby teams and Wimbledon stars, who enjoyed Lensbury’s club atmosphere and exceptional facilities.

In the late 1990’s, many companies sold off their sports grounds in response to employee demographics, social change and economic pressures. Shell, too, instigated a major review of Lensbury; the outcome was imaginative and reflected Shell's very positive stance towards its employees and pensioners, sport, business and the local community.

Since Lensbury opened its doors to the wider community in 1999, an ambitious investment programme has created new, high quality facilities. Lensbury is now working with St. Mary’s in accomplishing its strategy of providing preparation and training camps for the 2012 Olympics.
The values that have always underpinned Lensbury continue - the safety of all who visit us; providing service and a sense of belonging for our members and regular visitors; and a commitment to physical and mental well-being.