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1881 women's tennis season

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1881 Women's tennis season
Details
Duration19 April – 8 October
Edition6th
Tournaments39 (Amateur)
CategoriesImportant (1)
National (0)
Provincial/Regional/State (3)
County (5)
Regular (24)
Achievements (singles)
Most tournament titlesEngland Gertrude Gibbs (3)
Most tournament finalsEngland 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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

No events

April

[edit]
* (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
England Marion Bradley
3-6, 6-2, 6-2
England Florence Mardall England Mary Abercrombie
England Ellen Ramsay
England Edith Atherley
England Mrs Hill
England Frances Morris
England Mrs H. Ramsay
England Clara Hill*
England Ellen Ramsay
6-1, 6-3
England Mrs Dark
EnglandMiss Jones
England Miss Williams**
Ireland Ernest Browne
default
England Florence Mardall
England Henry Blane Porter

May

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

June

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

July

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

August

[edit]

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

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

September

[edit]

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

October

[edit]

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

November to December

[edit]

No events

Tournament Winners

[edit]

Singles

[edit]
This is list of winners sorted by number of singles titles (# and main titles in bold)
  • England Gertrude Gibbs (3) Bath, Cheltenham II, Cirencester
  • England Edith Coleridge (2) Brighton, Queens Park
  • England Miss M. Raikes (2) Norwich, Stamford Bridge
  • United Kingdom Miss Draper (1) Aldershot
  • England Miss L. Archdale (1) Blenham
  • England Miss Stokes (1) Caversham
  • England Marion Bradley (1) Cheltenham
  • England Ethel Surtees (1) Darlington
  • Wales Miss L. Williams (1) Denbigh
  • England Agnes Watts (1) Eastbourne
  • England Maud Watson (1) Edgbaston–(1)
  • Ireland Lilian Cole (1) Exmouth
  • England Miss Arkwright (1) Highclere
  • England Miss A. Jackson (1) Kettering
  • England Rose Collier (1) Lichfield
  • England Marian Smith (1) Limerick
  • England Kate Rayner (1) Liverpool
  • Ireland Miss C. Vesey 1) Naas
  • England Miss M Malden (1) Sittingbourne
  • England M Raikes (1) Stamford Bridge
  • England Marion Langley (1) St. Leonards-on-Sea
  • Ireland May Langrishe (1) Waterford

Doubles

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

Mixed Doubles

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

Statistical summary

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

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Robertson, Max (1974). The Encyclopedia of Tennis. London: Allen & Unwin. pp. 266, 267. ISBN 9780047960420.
  2. ^ Meyers, A. Wallis (1903). Lawn Tennis at Home and Abroad. New York: Charles Scribner and Sons. p. 55.
  3. ^ Lake, Robert J. (2014). A Social History of Tennis in Britain. Routledge. p. 49. ISBN 9781134445578.
  4. ^ Berry, David (2020). "2: Feminists". A people's history of tennis. London: Pluto Books. p. 27. ISBN 978-0745339658.
  5. ^ Lawn Tennis, The Field, 23 April 1881
  6. ^ Irish TV Documentary (4 Jul 2016). The True Tale Of The Irish Tennis Murderer. Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTE). Dublin. Ireland.
  7. ^ Sclar, Ari F. (15 April 2015). Beyond Stereotypes: American Jews and Sports. West Lafayette, Indiana, United States: Purdue University Press. p. 45. ISBN 978-1-61249-356-5.
  8. ^ Sclar
  9. ^ Sherington, Geoffrey; Georgakis, Steve (2008). Sydney University Sport 1852–2007: More Than a Club. Sydney: Sydney University Press. p. 64. ISBN 978-1-920898-91-5.
  10. ^ "Timeline of Women in Sports". faculty.elmira.edu. Elmira, New York, United States: Elmira College. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  11. ^ "Abolition of Challenge Rounds". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. EVENING POST, VOLUME CIII, ISSUE 65, 20 March 1922. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  12. ^ Nauright, John; Parrish, Charles (2012). Sports Around the World: History, Culture, and Practice. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO. p. 198. ISBN 9781598843002.
  13. ^ Gillmeister, Heiner (1998). Tennis:Cultural History. London: A&C Black. p. 199. ISBN 9780718501952.
  14. ^ Mazak, Karoly (2017). The Concise History of Tennis. Independently published. pp. 5–36. ISBN 9781549746475.
  15. ^ Lake, Robert J. (2014). A Social History of Tennis in Britain: Volume 5 of Routledge Research in Sports History. Routledge. p. 48. ISBN 9781134445578.
  16. ^ Routledges Sporting Annual (1882) Lawn Tennis in 1881. George Routledge and Son. London. p.67.
  17. ^ Routledges Sporting Annual (1882) Lawn Tennis in 1881. George Routledge and Son. London. p.67.
  18. ^ Routledges Sporting Annual (1882) Lawn Tennis in 1881. George Routledge and Son. London. p.68.
  19. ^ Routledges Sporting Annual (1882) Lawn Tennis in 1881. George Routledge and Son. London. p.67.
  20. ^ Routledges Sporting Annual (1882) Lawn Tennis in 1881. George Routledge and Son. London. p.68.
  21. ^ Routledges Sporting Annual (1882) Lawn Tennis in 1881. George Routledge and Son. London. p.68.
  22. ^ Routledges Sporting Annual (1882) Lawn Tennis in 1881. George Routledge and Son. London. p.69.
  23. ^ Routledges Sporting Annual (1882) Lawn Tennis in 1881. George Routledge and Son. London. p.69.
  24. ^ Routledges Sporting Annual (1882) Lawn Tennis in 1881. George Routledge and Son. London. p.70.
  25. ^ Routledges Sporting Annual (1882) Lawn Tennis in 1881. George Routledge and Son. London. p.70.
  26. ^ Routledges Sporting Annual (1882) Lawn Tennis in 1881. George Routledge and Son. London. p.70.
  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.
  28. ^ Routledges Sporting Annual (1882) Lawn Tennis in 1881. George Routledge and Son. London. p.71.
  29. ^ Routledges Sporting Annual (1882) Lawn Tennis in 1881. George Routledge and Son. London. p.71.
  30. ^ Routledges Sporting Annual (1882) Lawn Tennis in 1881. George Routledge and Son. London. p.71.
  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.