Lovingly compiled over 20 years, they are a touching testament to the close bond that one of Britain’s greatest sporting heroes had with his grandfather.
Now, a set of scrapbooks dedicated to Sir Andy Murray, meticulously collated by his late grandfather, have been donated to the Wimbledon tennis museum.
Roy Erskine started collecting press cuttings relating to his grandson’s blossoming career when he first burst onto the scene as a 17-year-old.
He then spent the next two decades carefully curating the mammoth chronicle, which eventually grew to a staggering 55 volumes.
Mr Erskine, an optician, who enjoyed his own sporting career as a footballer with Hibernian and Stirling Albion, died aged 94 in January. His wife Shirley, Sir Andy’s grandmother, passed away just nine days later.
The family decided to gift the scrapbooks to the All England Club, where Sir Andy twice won the Wimbledon singles title, allowing them to be preserved for generations to come.
The collection will be on display at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum’s library during this year’s championships. Sir Andy’s fans can also view them year-round by booking a library visit.
Calling it a ‘true labour of love for his grandson’, Judy Murray, mother of the three-time Grand Slam champion and Mr Erskine’s daughter, said: ‘In 2005, Andy’s grandfather began creating a scrapbook to capture all the highlights of his career.
The scrapbooks contain the highs and lows of Sir Andy’s glittering tennis career
Just one of the many books Mr Erskine complied on his grandson’s sporting exploits
‘Andy started the year as a 17-year-old rookie ranked 348 and playing Challenger events as well as the French Open juniors.
‘Little did his proud grandpa know that this would be the first of 55 albums spanning 20 years and featuring all the highs and the lows of a remarkable journey which ended after the Paris Olympics in 2024.’
Emma Traherne, senior curator of The Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum, said: ‘We are honoured to receive this extraordinary collection. What makes it truly special is the devotion behind it. Roy’s careful curation is a testament not only to Andy’s achievements, but to a grandfather’s enduring pride and love.
‘Preserving this personal legacy within our library ensures that all who visit can appreciate the depth of that story.
‘The albums are now available to view in the library, part of Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum, open to all ticket holders during The Championships from 10am to 5pm, and accessible year‑round by appointment.
‘We are delighted to make this unique record of sporting history available to the public.’
Mr Erskine died peacefully at Forth Valley Hospital on January 19 and his wife passed away in Strathcarron Hospice, Stirlingshire, on January 28. A memorial service for the couple was held at Dunblane Cathedral last month.
In an interview in 2016, Mr Erskine told how he put together the scrapbook, which also includes official programmes, ticket stubs and profiles of opponents.
He said: ‘We knew he was getting very successful when the albums started growing.
Sir Andy’s late grandparents Roy and Shirley Erskine watching him at Wimbledon in 2012
Pages inside the lovingly compiled scrapbooks documenting Sir Andy’s career
‘Andy knows I keep them although I’m not sure he knows the extent. I didn’t realise how many there were until I pulled them all out to look at them.
‘It started off as a personal thing. He was obviously going to be quite good but no one knew how good. Of course the way he’s gone, the thing has just snowballed ridiculously.’
The Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum, which opened in 1977, is the largest tennis museum in the world.
Sir Andy ended Britain’s 77-year wait for a men’s singles champion at Wimbledon with a memorable victory over rival Novak Djokovic in 2013. He triumphed again at Wimbledon in 2016 when he beat Milos Raonic.
The All England Club has said it plans to erect a statue of the Scots tennis star at Wimbledon, which they hope to have in place by next year.