Edgbaston Open

Last updated
Edgbaston Open
Defunct tennis tournament
Founded1881
Abolished1908
Location Edgbaston, Warwickshire, England
VenueEdgbaston Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club
SurfaceGrass

The Edgbaston Open [1] was an early Victorian era men's and women's grass court tennis tournament first staged in June 1881, [2] at the Edgbaston Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club, Edgbaston, Warwickshire, England. This distinct tournament ran until 1908.

Contents

History

The Edgbaston Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club was founded in 1878 and continued to stage both events the Edgbaston Open tournament until 1908, and the Midland Counties Championships until November 1964. [3] The Priory Lawn Tennis Club founded in 1865 and in May 1963 the Priory Club was destroyed by a fire, [4] talks about merger took place of the coming months with the Edgbaston C.L.T.C. [5] In December 1964 the new club was formed the Edgbaston Priory Club, [6] which continued to host the Midland Counties event until 1977.

The Edgbaston Open tournament was established on 21 July 1881, [7] and first staged at the ground of Edgbaston Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club, in Hall Hill Road, Edgbaston.

A description of the event that concluded on 23 July 1881:

On July 20th, 21st and 22nd, the Edgbaston Open Tournament was held with four competitions. Ladies' Singles went to Miss. M. Watson; Doubles, Miss. Watson and Miss. M. Watson. Gentleman's singles was won by W.W. Chamberlain; Doubles, by J.G. and W.W. Chamberlain, beating F. Goodacre and F.W. Rawlinson.

Lawn Tennis in 1881, Routledge's Sporting Annual (1882). p. 69.

On 5 September 1882 the second edition of the Edgbaston Open lawn tennis tournament was held, on the same dates and venue a dual tournament was staged called the Midland Counties Lawn Tennis Tournament (1882-1977), [8] the men's singles was won by Mr. R.W. Smith, and the Edgbaston Open Tournament was won by George Reston Brewerton. This tournament continued to be held separately to that of the counties championship until 1908.

Edgbaston Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club was in the early decades of the two clubs the more socially prestigious and nationally high-profile, and better resourced. The focus of the Priory Club was more local but its growth was similarly impressive. The Priory Club's tournaments and prizes were more restrained than Edgbaston's. Priory Club tournaments, and was played on six courts rather than the Edgbaston's twelve courts.

The History of Edgbaston Priory Club (2013) by Dr. Matt Cole: Historian Edgbaston Priory Club. Page 2. [9]

Finals

Incomplete Roll

Men's Singles

YearWinnerRunner-upScore
1881 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Walter William Chamberlain Flag of the United Kingdom.svg F.S. Goodwin6-3, 6-1, 6-4
1882 Flag of England.svg George Reston Brewerton Flag of England.svg John Redfern Deykin 6-8, 6-4, 6-0, 6-2
1883 Flag of England.svg Charles Walder Grinstead Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Teddy Williams 6-3, 6-3
1884 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Teddy Williams Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Walter William Chamberlain 8-6, 6-2, 6-3
1885 Saint Patrick's Saltire.svg Alfred Henry Betham Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Walter William Chamberlain 6-1, 6-3, 8-6
1886 Flag of England.svg John Redfern Deykin Flag of the United Kingdom.svg C.H. Rossbentshared title
1887 Flag of England.svg Percy Bateman Brown Flag of the United Kingdom.svg G.E. Lowe6-3, 7-5, 6-2
1888 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg James Baldwin Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Charles Hoadley Ashe Ross 7-9, 6-0, 6-2, 6-4
1889 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg James Baldwin (2) Flag of England.svg John Redfern Deykin 6-4, 6-4, 6-4
1890 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg James Baldwin (3) Flag of England.svg Ernest Crawley 6-3, 6-3, 6-0
1891 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg R.A. Bennett Flag of England.svg John Redfern Deykin ?
1892 Flag of England.svg Henry Guy Nadin Flag of the United Kingdom.svg G.F. Goodman6-2, 6-2, 6-2
1893 Saint Patrick's Saltire.svg George Ball-Greene Flag of Scotland.svg Henry Lawrence Fleming6-8, 6-1, 6-0, 6-3
1894 Flag of England.svg Wilfred Baddeley Flag of England.svg Harry Sibthorpe Barlow 6-2, 4-6, 0-6, 6-4, 6-4
1895 Flag of England.svg Sydney Howard Smith Flag of England.svg Roy Allen 5-7, 6-3, 9-7
1897 Flag of England.svg George Hillyard Flag of England.svg Sydney Howard Smith divided title
1906 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg E.V. Jones Flag of England.svg Ernest George Bisseker6-0, 6-1, 6-2
1908 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg E.V. Jones (2) Flag of England.svg Frederick A. L'Estrange Burgess6-2, 6-1, 6-1

References

  1. Routledges Sporting Annual (1882) Lawn Tennis in 1881. George Routledge and Son. London. p.70.
  2. Routledges Sporting Annual (1882)
  3. "Heritage". edgbastonpriory.com. Edgbaston Priory Club. 2021. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  4. Edgbaston Priory Club
  5. Edgbaston Priory Club
  6. Edgbaston Priory Club
  7. Routledges Sporting Annual (1882).
  8. Birmingham Daily Post. Thursday 23 August 1883. Midland Counties Lawn Tennis Tournament. The second annual lawn tennis tournament in connection with the Edgbaston Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club was commenced yesterday, on the club ground, Hall Hill Road.
  9. Cole, Dr. Matt (2013). "History" (PDF). edgbastonpriory.com. Edgbaston Priory Club. p. 3. Retrieved 29 November 2022.

Sources