Derbyshire Championships

Derbyshire Championships
Defunct tennis tournament
TourPre open era
Founded1883
Abolished1953
Editions60
LocationBuxton, Derbyshire, Great Britain
VenueBuxton Lawn Tennis Club
SurfaceGrass

The Derbyshire Championships originally known as the Championship of Derbyshire was a men's and women's grass court tennis tournament held at the Buxton Lawn Tennis Club, Buxton, Derbyshire, Great Britain from 1883 to 1953.

History

A tennis tournament was originally held at Buxton Garden's[1] as early as 1880.[2] By 1883 the club had attracted more players and a men's championships was staged for the first time which was won by Minden Fenwick,[2] he went on to win the New Zealand Championships three times from (1892–1894).[3] In 1884 the owners of the Buxton Gardens, the Buxton Improvements Company, decided to stage a fully open event featuring men's and women's singles, with ladies' and gentlemen's singles played under the title 'Championship of Derbyshire', and a ladies' doubles played with the imposing title of 'The All-England Ladies Doubles'.[2] The inaugural ladies' singles champion was Agnes Noon Watts.[2] This latter championship was the first of its kind, being inaugurated before Wimbledon.[2] In July 1914 the Derby and District Lawn Tennis Association was officially incorporated,[4] this organisation later became known as the Derbyshire Lawn Tennis Association who were responsible for the staging of this event.[5] The championships were not staged during World War I or World War II.[2] It remained a featured tournament in the annual tennis tours. The tournament is still held today as a closed tennis event.

Notable winners of the men's singles included Grainger Chaytor (1892–1894, 1899), Wilberforce Eaves (1904), Laurie Doherty (1909), Adrian Quist (1936) and Franjo Kukuljević (1949). Previous women's singles champions included Louisa Martin (1886), Blanche Bingley Hillyard (1906), Elizabeth Ryan (1921) and Gem Hoahing (1948). The Derbyshire Championships ran until 1953 when it was abolished.[2] The final men's singles champion was Nigel Cockburn from South Africa and the final women's singles title went to Britain's Mary Harris.

Finals

Men's singles

Incomplete Roll:[6]
Year Champions Runners-up Score
1883 United Kingdom Minden Fenwick United Kingdom Robert Parsons Earwaker 6-2, 6-3[6]
1884 England Charles Walder Grinstead Ireland Ernest Browne 5-7, 6–2, 6–2, 5–7, 6–4.[6]
1885 Ireland Eyre Chatterton United States James Dwight 6-2, 6–1, 6–3.[6]
1886 Ireland Tom Campion United Kingdom Percy Bateman Brown 5-7, 6–2, 6–1, 9–7.[6]
1887 Ireland Tom Campion (2) Ireland William Drumond Hamilton 6-2, 6–3, 6–4.[6]
1888 Ireland Tom Campion (3) United Kingdom Percy Bateman Brown 7-5, 6–4, 7–5.[6]
1889 United Kingdom Percy Bateman Brown United Kingdom T.G. Hill 6-2, 6–2, 6–1.[6]
1890 Ireland Manliffe Goodbody England Harry Sibthorpe Barlow 6-2, 7–5, 6–3.[6]
1891 Ireland Grainger Chaytor United Kingdom George Ball-Greene 6-1, 6–1, 6–3.[6]
1892 Ireland Grainger Chaytor (2) Ireland Tom Chaytor w.o.[6]
1893 Ireland Grainger Chaytor (3) England Alfred Ernest Crawley 6-0, 6–2, 6–2.[6]
1894 Ireland Grainger Chaytor (4) England Harry Sibthorpe Barlow 6-1, 6–2, 1–0, ret.[6]
1895 Ireland Harold Mahony Ireland Grainger Chaytor 6-2, 3–6, 2–6, 7–5, 6–3.[6]
1896 United Kingdom David Davy United Kingdom J.A. Rooke 6-4, 6–4, 6–4.[6]
1897 United Kingdom Sydney Howard Smith United Kingdom George Hillyard 6-2, 6–2, 6–2.[6]
1898 United Kingdom Sydney Howard Smith (2) Ireland Grainger Chaytor 6-3, 6–0, 6–2.[6]
1899 Ireland Grainger Chaytor (5) United KingdomSydney Howard Smith 6-3, 6–3.[6]
1900 United Kingdom George Hillyard United Kingdom Frank Riseley 3-6, 6–4, 6–1, 6–4.[6]
1901 United Kingdom Laurie Doherty United Kingdom George Hillyard 6-4, 7–5, 3–6, 6–2.[6]
1902 United Kingdom George Hillyard (2) United Kingdom George Ball-Greene 2-6, 6–3, 6–8, 6–3, 6–2.[6]
1903 United Kingdom Xenophon Casdagli United Kingdom Walter Cecil Crawley 6-3, 7–5.[6]
1904 United Kingdom Wilberforce Eaves United Kingdom E.V. Jones 6-1, 6–3, 6–4.[6]
1905 United Kingdom Xenophon Casdagli (2) United Kingdom Ernest Charlton 8-10, 0–6, 6–4, 6–3, 6–2.[6]
1906 United Kingdom Roy Allen United Kingdom John Frederick Stokes 8-6 6–4.[6]
1907 United Kingdom Alfred Leonard Bentley United Kingdom Geoffrey Blenkinsop Youll 3-6, 6–2, 6–4.[6] bi
1908 United Kingdom Xenophon Casdagli (3) United Kingdom Arthur Wallis Myers 6-2 4-3 ret.[6]
1909 United Kingdom Roy Allen (2) United Kingdom Xenophon Casdagli 6-2, 7–5, 7–5.[6]
1910 United Kingdom Charles A. Orpen Tuckey United Kingdom C. Whitehouse 6-3, 6–3, 6–3.[6]
1915/1918 Not held (due to world war one)
1919 South Africa Louis Bosman Raymond Canada Brian Norton 6-3, 6–3, 6–3.[6]
1920 France Alain Gerbault United Kingdom Roger Worthington 6-3, 6–3, 6–2.[6]
1921 Republic of Ireland Henry Vere Shirley Dillon Republic of Ireland Cecil Campbell 6-4, 6–4, 8–6.[6]
1922 Republic of Ireland Edward Darcy McCrea United Kingdom George Fletcher 6-4, 6–4.[6]
1923 Republic of Ireland Edward Darcy McCrea (2) Portugal José Domingo 6-3, 6–4.[6]
1924 United Kingdom Charles Kingsley United Kingdom Horace Keats Lester 6-1, 6–4.[6]
1925 United Kingdom Gordon Crole-Rees United Kingdom George S. Fletcher 6-2, 6–4.[6]
1926 United Kingdom Charles Kingsley (2) United Kingdom George S. Fletcher 6-2, 3–6, 6–4.[6]
1927 United Kingdom Gordon Crole-Rees (2) United Kingdom George Golding 2-6, 6–0, 6–1.[6]
1928 United Kingdom Gordon Crole-Rees (3) South Africa Norman Farquharson 3-6, 9–7, 6–1.[6]
1929 United Kingdom Gordon Crole-Rees (4) United Kingdom Donald Greig 5-7, 6–0, 7–5.[6]
1930 United Kingdom Horace Keats Lester United Kingdom Eric Conrad Peters 7-5, 6–2.[6]
1931 South Africa Vernon Bob Kirby United Kingdom Frank Wilde 6-2, 6–3.[6]
1932 New Zealand James Edmett Giesen United Kingdom Colin Ritchie[7] 6-4, 5–7, 6–4.[6]
1933 South Africa Vernon Bob Kirby (2) United Kingdom Irving Wheatcroft 6-2, 6–2.[6]
1934 United Kingdom Douglas Freshwater United Kingdom Jimmy Jones 8-6, 3–6, 6–3.[6]
1935 United Kingdom Jimmy Jones Republic of Ireland George Lyttleton-Rogers 8-6, 3–6, 6–3.[6]
1936 Australia Adrian Quist United Kingdom Murray Deloford 6-2, 6–4.[6]
1937 Romania Cristea Caralulis United Kingdom Ronald Shayes 8-10, 10–8, ret.[6]
1938 United Kingdom Murray Deloford United Kingdom Jimmy Jones 3-6, 7–5, 6–4.[6]
1939 United Kingdom Don Butler Argentina Alejo Domingo Russell 9-7, 3–6, 6–4.[6]
1940/1945 Not held (due to world war two)
1946 United Kingdom Dennis Slack United Kingdom C.F. Hall 6-3, 6–2.[6]
1947 Pakistan Khan-Iftikhar Ahmed Romania Constantin Tanacescu 4-6, 9–7, 6–3.[6]
1948 Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Franjo Kukuljević Republic of Ireland Matt Murphy 6-1, 6–3.[6]
1949 United Kingdom John Horn United Kingdom George Godsell 6-3, 6–3.[6]
1950 Australia Geoff Brown South Africa Brian Rooke 6-0, 6–1.[6]
1951 South Africa Nigel Cockburn Hungary Andras Kalman 8-6, 6–2.[6]

Women's singles

Incomplete Roll:
Year Champions Runners-up Score
1884 United Kingdom Agnes Noon Watts Ireland Florence Stanuell 6-3, 6–3, 8–6.
1885 United Kingdom Blanche Bingley Ireland Louisa Martin 6-3, 6–3.
1886 Ireland Louisa Martin Ireland May Langrishe 6-3, 6–0.
1887 Ireland May Langrishe United Kingdom Bertha Steedman 6-3, 6–4.
1888 United Kingdom Blanche Bingley Hillyard (2) Ireland May Langrishe 7-5, 6–1.
1889 United Kingdom Bertha Steedman Ireland Louisa Martin 5-7, 6–4, 6–3.
1890 Ireland Louisa Martin (2) United Kingdom Mary Steedman 6-2, 6–4.
1891 United Kingdom May Marriott United Kingdom Beatrice Wood 6-2, 6–2.
1892 United Kingdom Helen Jackson United Kingdom Miss Vicars 6-0, 6–1
1893 United Kingdom Blanche Bingley Hillyard (3) United Kingdom Helen Jackson 6-0, 6–1
1894 United Kingdom Blanche Bingley Hillyard (4) United Kingdom Charlotte Cooper 6-4, 4–6, 7–5
1895 United Kingdom Helen Jackson (2) United Kingdom Blanche Bingley Hillyard 6-3, 3–6, 6–3
1896 United Kingdom Blanche Bingley Hillyard (5) United Kingdom Bertha Steedman 6-4, 3–6, 7–5
1897 United Kingdom Alice Simpson Pickering United Kingdom Blanche Bingley Hillyard 6-4, 5–7, 6–4
1898 United Kingdom Ruth Dyas United Kingdom Blanche Bingley Hillyard 6-2, 6–4
1899 United Kingdom Muriel Robb United Kingdom Blanche Bingley Hillyard 6-3, 6–3
1900 United Kingdom Muriel Robb (2) United Kingdom Blanche Bingley Hillyard 7-5, 6–3
1901 United Kingdom Blanche Bingley Hillyard (6) United Kingdom Alice Simpson Pickering 6-2, 7–5
1903 United Kingdom Dorothea Douglass United Kingdom Ethel Thomson 6-2, 6–1
1904 United Kingdom Dorothea Douglass (2) United Kingdom Ethel Thomson 6-2, 4–6, 6–3
1905 United Kingdom Connie Wilson United Kingdom Dorothea Douglass 4-6, 6–1, 7–5
1906 United Kingdom Blanche Bingley Hillyard (7) United Kingdom Connie Meyer 6-4, 6–3
1907 United Kingdom Maude Garfit United Kingdom Connie Meyer 3-6, 6–3, 6–4
1908 United Kingdom Charlotte Cooper Sterry United Kingdom Maude Garfit 6-2, 6–2
1909 United Kingdom Maude Garfit (2) United Kingdom Helen Aitchison 2-6, 6–2, 6–2
1910 United Kingdom Maude Garfit (3) United Kingdom Helen Aitchison w.o.
1911 United Kingdom Ethel Thomson Larcombe United Kingdom Helen Aitchison 6-3, 6–1
1912 United Kingdom Ethel Thomson Larcombe (2) United Kingdom Hilda Lane 6-0, 6–1
1913 United Kingdom Ethel Thomson Larcombe (3) United Kingdom Winifred Longhurst 6-2, 6–1
1915/1918 Not held (due to world war one)
1919 United States Elizabeth Ryan United Kingdom Ethel Thomson Larcombe 3-6, 6–4, 7–5
1920 United States Elizabeth Ryan (2) United Kingdom Ethel Tanner 6-1, 6–2
1921 United States Elizabeth Ryan (3) United Kingdom M. Wright 6-0 6–1
1922 United Kingdom Kathleen McKane South Africa Irene Bowder Peacock divided title
1923 United Kingdom Blanche Duddell Colston United Kingdom Phylis Radcliffe 6-0, 6–4
1924 United Kingdom Joan Fry United Kingdom Kathleen McKane 6-4, 3-4 retd
1939/1945 Not held (due to world war two)
1950 South Africa Doreen Wedderburn United Kingdom Gladys Southwell Lines 6-0, 6–8, 6–4
1951 United Kingdom Billie Woodgate United Kingdom Gladys Southwell Lines 6-0, 6–8, 6–4
1952 United Kingdom Billie Woodgate (2) Australia Beryl Penrose divided title
1953 United Kingdom Mary Harris United Kingdom Rosemary Walsh 7-5, 5–7, 6–2

Statistics

Mens singles

Most titles Ireland Grainger Chaytor 4
United Kingdom Gordon Crole-Rees
Most consecutive titles Ireland Grainger Chaytor
(1890–1894)
4

Women's singles

Most titles United Kingdom Blanche Bingley Hillyard 7
Most consecutive finals United Kingdom Ethel Thomson Larcombe
(1911–1913)
3
United States Elizabeth Ryan
(1919–1921)

References

  1. ^ Lake, Robert (2015). A social history of tennis in Britain. Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. p. 48. ISBN 9781134445578.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "History of tennis in Buxton". www.buxtontennisclub.co.uk. Buxton Tennis Club. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  3. ^ "Tennis New Zealand 2012: Chapter: National Championships" (PDF). Tennis Kiwi. Tennis New Zealand. p. 13. Retrieved 4 October 2022. Chapter: National Championships
  4. ^ "Derbyshire Lawn Tennis Association". Derbyshire Tennis Association. LTA. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  5. ^ Derbyshire Lawn Tennis Association
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd Nieuwland, Alex (2011–2022). Source: https://www.tennisarchives.com/tournament/Buxton-Derbyshire Championships. Search tournament by name. Tennis Archives. Netherlands.
  7. ^ "Colin Ritchie - Overview - ATP Tour". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 27 March 2023.

Sources

  • "Derbyshire Lawn Tennis Association". Derbyshire Tennis Association. LTA.
  • The History of Tennis in Buxton, Buxton Tennis Club. Buxton. England http://www.buxtontennisclub.co.uk/history.
  • Lake, Robert (2015). A social history of tennis in Britain. Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. ISBN 9781134445578.
  • "Tennis New Zealand 2012: Chapter: National Championships" (PDF). Tennis Kiwi. Tennis New Zealand. Retrieved 4 October 2022. Chapter: National Championships