Bessie Staples

Bessie Staples
Personal information
Country	England
Born	c.1915
Died	unknown
Medal record Representing   England All England Open Badminton Championships 1939 London mixed

Bessie M Staples married name Bessie Shearlaw (c.1915-date of death unknown), was a female England badminton international. ^[1]

Badminton career

Staples was a winner of the All England Open Badminton Championships. She won the mixed doubles in the 1939 All England Badminton Championships with Ralph Nichols. ^[2] Staples also won a Denmark Open title with Nichols. ^[3]

After marrying James Shearlaw in 1945 she competed in her married name and won the Irish Open, Scottish Open and the Scottish Individual Championships.

Achievements

International tournaments (5 titles, 2 runners-up)

Women's doubles

Year	Tournament	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1939	Denmark Open	Diana Doveton	Queenie Allen Ruth Dalsgaard	15–12, 10–15, 11–15	Runner-up
1947	Scottish Open	C. B. Alison	Elizabeth Armstrong E. W. Greenwood	15–8, 15–10	Winner

Mixed doubles

Year	Tournament	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1938	All England Open	Ralph Nichols	Raymond M. White Betty Uber	10–15, 9–15	Runner-up
1939	All England Open	Ralph Nichols	James Rankin Mavis Macnaughton	15–10, 6–15, 15–8	Winner
1939	Denmark Open	Ralph Nichols	Raymond M. White Diana Doveton	17–14, 15–7	Winner
1947	Scottish Open	Ralph Nichols	J. S. Millar Elizabeth Armstrong	15–7, 15–5	Winner
1947	Irish Open	Ralph Nichols	Thomas Boyle W. Swann	15–8, 15–3	Winner

References

1. "History". All England Badminton.
2. Matthews/Morrison, Peter/Ian. The Guinness Encyclopaedia of Sports Records and Results . Guinness Superlatives Ltd. pp.  74-78. ISBN   0-85112-492-5.
3. "De Stærke Danske Badmintonspillere" [The Strong Danish Badminton Players]. reader.nordjyske.dk (in Danish). Aalborg Stiftstidende. 11 April 1939. Retrieved 11 August 2025.