1881 women's tennis season

1881 Women's tennis season

Details
Duration	19 April – 8 October
Edition	6th
Tournaments	39 (Amateur)
Categories	Important (1) National (0) Provincial/Regional/State (3) County (5) Regular (24)
Achievements (singles)
Most titles	Gertrude Gibbs (3)
Most finals	Gertrude Gibbs (3)
← 1880 1882 →

The 1881 Women's tennis season was a tennis circuit composed of 39 national, regional, county, and regular tournaments. The season began in April in Cheltenham, England, and ended in October in Queen's Park, Brighton, England.

Season summary

Prior to the creation of the International Lawn Tennis Federation and the establishment of its world championship events in 1913 the Wimbledon Championships, the U.S. National Championships, the Irish Lawn Tennis Championships and the Northern Championships were considered by players and historians as the four most important tennis tournaments to win. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

This year for women there would be a tennis circuit of sorts starting to form. ^[4] 1881 also sees the first indoor tournament for women the Cheltenham Covered Court Championships organised by the Cheltenham Lawn Tennis Club and played on wood courts at the Imperial Winter Gardens, Cheltenham, England. ^[5]

At the only major event to feature women's competition the Irish Championships ^[6] in Dublin the women's singles and doubles events were not held, but a mixed doubles event was staged won by Ireland's Mary Abercrombie and England's William Renshaw. In terms of draw size the Exmouth Open was the largest as far as women competitors were concerned with 26 in the main singles draw.

In May 1881 the first national tennis association is formed that being the United States Lawn Tennis Association. ^[7] At the first official U.S. National Championships there was no women's events and it would be eight years before there would be. ^[8] In Australia the University of Sydney Lawn Tennis Club formed in 1881 and officially incorporated in 1885, was the only venue in the country following admission of women undergraduates to have active players. ^[9]

At the 1881 Wimbledon Championships the world's first major tennis tournament, it still remained an all men's event, no women's events were staged. On 26 November 1881 indoor tennis was played inside the 7th Regiment Armory in New York City on with twelve courts for the use of women. ^[10] In 1913 the International Lawn Tennis Federation was created, that consisted of national member associations. The ILTF through its associated members then became responsible for supervising women's tour events.

Season results

Notes 1: Challenge Round: the final round of a tournament, in which the winner of a single-elimination phase faces the previous year's champion, who plays only that one match. The challenge round was used in the early history of tennis (from 1877 through 1921), ^[11] in some tournaments not all.

X Indicates challenge round final * Indicates doubles ** mixed doubles

This year 26 singles, 7 doubles and 20 mixed doubles events were held.

Key

Main events. [12] [13] [14] [15]

National events

provincial/state/regional events

County events

Regular events

January to March

No events

April

* (denotes doubles) ** (denotes mix doubles)

Ended	Tournament	Winner	Finalist	Semifinalist	Quarterfinalist
23 Apr. [16]	Cheltenham Covered Court Championships Imperial Winter Gardens Cheltenham, England Wood (i) Singles - Doubles - Mix Doubles	Marion Bradley 3-6, 6-2, 6-2	Florence Mardall	Mary Abercrombie Ellen Ramsay	Edith Atherley Mrs Hill Frances Morris Mrs H. Ramsay
		Clara Hill* Ellen Ramsay 6-1, 6-3	Mrs Dark Miss Jones
		Miss Williams** Ernest Browne default	Florence Mardall Henry Blane Porter

May

Date	Tournament	Winner	Finalist	Semi Finalist	Quarter Finalist
12 May [17]	Devonshire Park Championships (Spring) Devonshire Park LTC Eastbourne, England Grass Singles - Doubles - Mix Doubles	Agnes Watts 2 sets to 0	E Hudson
		Agnes Watts** Sidney Alfred Noon 2 sets to 0t	E Hudson E.R. Hudson
19 May [18]	North Northamptonshire LTC Tournament Kettering, England Grass Singles - Doubles - Mix Doubles -	Rose Collier 6-0, 6-5	M Blencowe
		Miss E. Hall * Miss H.B. Upcher Won
	West of England Championships [19] Lansdowne CC Bath, England Outdoor Grass Singles - Doubles	Gertrude Gibbs 6-0, 7-5	Annie Layard	Clara Hill	Georgina Kirkby Florence Mardall
		Florence Mardall** Henry Blane Porter 6-0, 8-6	Grace Gibbs William Bush-Salmon
28 May	Irish Championships Fitzwilliam LTC Dublin, Ireland Outdoor Grass Singles - Doubles	Mary Abercrombie ** William Renshaw 6–3, 5–7, 6–2, 6–3	Miss Costello Spencer Duncan Maul

June

** (denotes mix doubles)

Ended	Tournament	Winner	Finalist	Semi Finalist	Quarter Finalist
4 Jun	West of England Championships Lansdowne CC Bath, England Grass Singles - Doubles	Gertrude Gibbs 6-0, 7-5	Annie Layard	Clara Hill	Georgina Kirkby Florence Mardall
		Florence Mardall** Henry Blane Porter 6-0, 8-6	Grace Gibbs William J. Bush-Salmon
19 Jun. [20]	Liverpool Cricket Club Lawn Tennis Tournament Liverpool CLTC Liverpool II, England Grass Singles - Doubles	Miss Nixon * Miss Black Won	Miss F. Fitzroy Algernon Aylmer
26 Jun. [21]	North Northamptonshire LTC Tournament North Northants LTC Kettering II, England Grass Singles - Doubles	Miss A. Stobart * Miss E. Hunt Def	Miss E. Hall Miss F. Lightfoot
		Mrs Upcher Mr. A. Pulteney def	Miss Bell Mr H. Stockdale

July

* (denotes doubles) ** (denotes mix doubles)

Ended	Tournament	Winner	All comers' finalist	Semifinalist	Quarterfinalist
2 Jul [22]	Championship of the Sydney LTC Sydney LTC Bath II, England Grass Singles - Doubles	Miss Freeling Won	?
7 Jul. [23]	Ripon Club Tournament Ripon LTC Ripon, England Grass Singles - Doubles	Miss Healey ** Mr A.J. Wise 2–1 sets	Miss Springett Mr. J. L. Shann
11 Jul. [24]	Tonbridge LTC Tournament Tonbridge LTC Tonbridge, England Grass Singles - Doubles	Miss Gorham ** Mr C. Lachlan 2–1 sets	Miss Springett Mr. J. L. Shann
12 Jul. [25]	Bedfordshire LTC Tournament Bedfordshire LTC Blenham, England Grass Singles - Doubles	Miss L. Archdale Won	?
16 Jul	Staffordshire C.C.C. Tournament Staffordshire Lawn Tennis Club Lichfield, England Outdoor Grass Singles - Doubles - Mix Doubles -	Rose Collier 6-0, 6-5	M Blencowe
		M Blencowe** A. Blencowe 6-1, 6-3	Mrs Peters-Smith A Denton
23 Jul	Edgbaston Open Tournament Edgbaston, England Outdoor Grass Singles	Maud Watson 6-3 6-1 6-4	Lilian Watson	K. Stretton	K.H. Cartland Miss Chamberlain K. Holliday
		Lilian Watson* Maud Watson 6-1, 6-3	K. Cartland * L. Hutton
26 Jul. [26]	Norwich Open Norwich LTC Norwich, England Grass Singles - Doubles	Miss M. Raikes 6-3, 3-6, 6-2	Miss Burleigh
30 Jul	London Athletic Club Open Tournament Stamford Bridge, England Grass Singles - Doubles	M Raikes 5-0, 5-2	Miss Burleigh

August

(*denotes doubles) (**denotes mix doubles)

Ended	Tournament	Winner	Finalist	Semi Finalist	Quarter Finalist
1 Aug.	Hexham Tournament Hexham LTC Hexham, England Grass Singles - Doubles	Miss Gibson ** Jasper Gibson 2–0 sets	Mrs Peters-Smith Mr A Denton
4 Aug. [27]	Cirencester Park Lawn Tennis Tournament Earl Bathurst Estate Cirencester Park Cirencester, Gloucestershire, England Outdoor Grass Singles - Doubles	Gertrude Gibbs	Marian Smith
6 Aug	Darlington Association Tournament Darlington, England Grass Singles - Mix Doubles	Ethel Surtees 3-6, 6-3, 6-1	Alice Cheese	LML Turner	Minnie Congreve Winifred Fenwick Mrs JB Dale
		Alice Cheese ** J.B. Dale 9-7, 6-3	Winifred Fenwick Percival C. Fenwick
	County Kildare Championship [28] County Limerick CC Naas, Ireland Outdoor Grass Singles –	Miss C. Vesey Won	Miss F. Metcalfe
		Miss F. Metcalfe ** Algeron Aylmer won
	Waterford Annual Lawn Tennis Tournament Waterford Cricket Club Waterford, County Waterford, Ireland Grass Singles	May Langrishe 6-2, 6-1	Adela Langrishe	Ann Gallwey	Miss Hunt Beatrice Langrishe
8 Aug	Waterloo LTC Tournament Waterloo LTC Liverpool, England Grass Singles - Doubles	K. Rayner 6-0 6-0	L. Cheetham	H. Rayner	Alice Bagnall-Wild A. Barry
		A. Barry * F. Helder 6-2, 3-6, 6-1	Miss Jardine Miss Jones
		K. Rayner ** J.F. Carde 6-1, 12-10	Alice Bagnall-Wild E. Bucknell
10 Aug [29]	South Berkshire Tournament South Berks LTC Caversham, England Grass Singles –	Miss Stokes Won
12 Aug	Exmouth Tournament Exmouth, England Grass Singles	Lilian Cole 6-0, 6-0	Eveline Belfield	Maude Taylor	Mary Hoare M. Smith
		Georgiana Kindersley ** Henry Kindersley 2-6, 7-5, 7-5	Lilian Cole Thomas Arembery Tombe
	North of Ireland Championships [30] Cliftonville CC Belfast, Ireland Grass Singles - Doubles	Miss Charley ** C. Goldsmid 2–1 sets	Miss. Spunner Mr. C.H. Wright
19 Aug. [31]	Waterford Tournament Cliftonville CC Waterford, Ireland Grass Singles - Doubles	Miss Knox ** R Knox 2–1 sets	Beatrice Langrishe William Renshaw
21 Aug	South of Ireland Championships County Limerick CC Limerick, Ireland Grass Singles - Doubles	Marian Smith 8-6, 6-1	Miss Westropp	Mary Lysaght
26 Aug.	Teignmouth and Shaldon Tournament Teignmouth LTC Teignmouth, England Grass Singles - Doubles	Miss Power ** Charles Cole def	Miss Robinson Champion Russell
30 Aug	South Wales Championships Tenby LTC Tenby, Wales Grass Singles - Doubles	Miss Kemmis ** P.J. Ashe 8-6, 6-1	Miss Jones Mr Rock
31 Aug	Sittingbourne & Gore Court Ladies Open Gore Court LTC Sittingbourne, England Grass Singles –	Miss M Malden 6–3, 6–3	Miss Goodwin
	Aldershot Division Open [32] Aldershot Division LTC Aldershot, England Grass Singles –	Miss Draper 2–0 sets	Miss Pritchard

September

(* denotes doubles)

Ended	Tournament	Winner	Finalist	Semi Finalist	Quarter Finalist
2 Sep.	Vale of Clwyd CLTC Open Vale of Clwyd CLTC Denbigh, Wales Grass Singles - Doubles	Miss L Williams 5–3, 5–3	Miss Proctor
8 Sep	Highclere Park Tournament Highclere, England Grass Singles - Doubles	Miss Arkwright 6–4, 6–1	Miss Johnson
15 Sep.	St Leonards-on-Sea Tournament Saint Leonards LTC St Leonards-on-Sea, England Grass Singles - Doubles	Augusta Langley 4-6, 6-2, 6-3	Constance Smith	Miss Smith
17 Sep.	Torquay LTC Tournament Torquay LTC Torquay, England Grass Singles - Doubles	Miss Coulthard ** Mr.W. Ware 2–1 sets.	Lilian Cole Thomas A. Tombe
19 Sep.	White Rose York Tournament White Rose LTC York, England Grass Singles - Doubles	Miss Smith ** Mr Burke def.	Miss Smith Mr A. Hotham
24 Sep.	East Gloucestershire Championships Montpelier Gardens Cheltenham, England Outdoor Grass Singles	Gertrude Gibbs 6-4, 6-4	Miss Perry	Marion Bradley Clara Hill	Mary Abercrombie Florence Mardall Ellen Ramsay
		Clara Hill * Ellen Ramsay 6-1, 6-3	Mrs Dark Miss Jones

October

(*denotes doubles) (**denotes mix doubles)

Ended	Tournament	Winner	Finalist	Semi Finalist	Quarter Finalist
1 Oct.	Sussex County Lawn Tennis Tournament Brighton, England Grass Singles - Doubles	Edith Coleridge 6-5, 6-2	Leila Lodwick	M. Walker
		Miss Maltby * E. Munt 6-2, 6-2	Miss Saint-Clair M. Walker
		E. Munt ** H.B. Thornhill 6-3, 6-1	Leila Lodwick Orlando R. Coote
8 Oct.	Brighton Lawn Tennis Club Tournament Queen's Park, England Grass Singles	Edith Coleridge 6-5, 4-6, 6-2	Eva Adshead	Leila Lodwick
		Miss Munt ** H.B. Thornhill 6-3, 6-1	Leila Lodwick Orlando R. Coote

November to December

No events

Tournament Winners

Singles

This is list of winners sorted by number of singles titles (# and main titles in bold)

• Gertrude Gibbs (3) Bath, Cheltenham II, Cirencester
• Edith Coleridge (2) Brighton, Queens Park
• Miss M. Raikes (2) Norwich, Stamford Bridge
• Miss Draper (1) Aldershot
• Miss L. Archdale (1) Blenham
• Miss Stokes (1) Caversham
• Marion Bradley (1) Cheltenham
• Ethel Surtees (1) Darlington
• Miss L. Williams (1) Denbigh
• Agnes Watts (1) Eastbourne
• Maud Watson (1) Edgbaston–(1)
• Lilian Cole (1) Exmouth
• Miss Arkwright (1) Highclere
• Miss A. Jackson (1) Kettering
• Rose Collier (1) Lichfield
• Marian Smith (1) Limerick
• Kate Rayner (1) Liverpool
• Miss C. Vesey (1) Naas
• Miss M Malden (1) Sittingbourne
• M Raikes (1) Stamford Bridge
• Marion Langley (1) St. Leonards-on-Sea
• May Langrishe (1) Waterford

Doubles

This is list of winners sorted by number of doubles titles (# and main titles in bold)

• Clara Hill & Ellen Ramsay (2) Cheltenham, Cheltenham II
• Connie Butler & May Langrishe (1) Irish Championships
• Miss Maltby & E. Munt (1) Brighton
• Lilian Watson & Maud Watson (1) Edgbaston
• A. Barry & F. Helder (1)Liverpool–(1)

Mixed Doubles

This is list of winners sorted by number of mixed doubles titles (# and main titles in bold)

• Mary Abercrombie & William Renshaw (1) Irish Championships
• Miss Costello & Spencer D. Maul (1) Eastbourne
• Florence Mardall & Henry Blane Porter (1) Bath
• E. Munt & H.B. Thornhill (1) Brighton
• Alice Cheese & J.B. Dale (1) Darlington
• Miss Williams & Ernest Browne (1) Cheltenham
• Agnes Watts & Sidney Alfred Noon (1) Eastbourne
• Georgiana Kindersley & Henry Kindersley (1) Exmouth
• M Blencowe & A. Blencowe (1) Lichfield
• K. Rayner & J.F. Card (1) Liverpool
• Miss Munt & H.B. Thornhill (1) Queens Park
• Miss Coulthard * Mr.W. Ware (1) Torquay
• Miss Smith & Mr Burke (1) York

Statistical summary

• Total Tournaments–(39)
• Most Titles— Gertrude Beatrice Gibbs—(3)
• Most Finals— Gertrude Beatrice Gibbs–(3)
• Most Matches Played— Gertrude Beatrice Gibbs–(10)
• Most Matches Won— Gertrude Beatrice Gibbs–(10)
• Match Winning %— Gertrude Beatrice Gibbs—(100.0%)
• Most Tournaments Played— Gertrude Beatrice Gibbs–(5)
• Most Head to Head Meetings— Miss M. Raikes & Miss Burleigh–(6)

References

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8. Sclar
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27. Nieuwland, Alex. Edition – Cirencester Park Tournament 1881. Source: https://www.tennisarchives.com/edition/?v=26631 |website=www.tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives. 7 August 2023.
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31. Routledges Sporting Annual (1882) Lawn Tennis in 1881. George Routledge and Son. London. p.71.
32. "LAWN TENNIS TOURNAMENT AT ALDERSHOT. The third annual Aldershot Garrison Open Lawn Tennis Tournament commenced at the Club Grounds, Aldershot, on Tuesday, 30 August, and continued daily during the week". Aldershot Military Gazette. Aldershot, Hampshire, England: British Newspaper Archive. 10 September 1881. p. 5.