Bedford Open Explained

Bedford Open
Type:defunct
Location:Bedford, Berkshire, England
Venue:Bedford Lawn Tennis Club

The Bedford Open[1] also known as the Bedford Lawn Tennis Open Tournament [2] was men's and women's grass court tennis tournament established in 1880 as the Bedfordshire LTC Tournament.[3] It was held at the Bedford Lawn Tennis Club, Bedford, Berkshire, England and ran through until 1974 when it was abolished.[4]

History

The first Bedfordshire Lawn Tennis Club evolved out of a croquet club established in June 1871 by the Brooks family of Flitwick Manor.[5] The first tournament tennis was played there on 29 August 1876, one year before the first Wimbledon Championships were held.[6] Records show that the field consisted of six pairs, the final grouping included a Mr G. Tylecote and Miss P. Hodgson who beat Mr. and Mrs. Cobbe in the mixed doubles.[7]

By 1879 at least two lawn tennis clubs had been established in Bedfordshire, the South Bedfordshire Lawn Tennis Club (LTC), that usually staged tennis events at Flitwick Manor, Wrest Park, Silsoe and Cranfield Court.[8] The North Bedfordshire LTC had courts at Sutton Manor, Sutton and Sandye Place.[9] Between 1884 and 1885 both the North and South Bedfordshire LTCs had ceased to operate.[10] Between 1882 and 1884 a new Bedfordshire LTC was established at Bedford on land next to Bedford College.[11] The current Bedford LTC based at Bradgate Road (f.1890), is thought to be the successor club to Bedfordshire LTC.[12]

From 1880 the South Bedfordshire LTC organised three recorded tournaments held at Fairfield Park, Stotfold, and two editions at Blunham House, Blunham, Bedford.[13] In July 1882 a second edition of a Bedfordshire tournament was held on 18 July that year.[14] On 28 August the Bedfordshire LTC had concluded an tournament the gentleman's singles was won by Mr. A. Payne, the ladies singles was won by Miss. A. Lindsell and the veteran's singles was won by a Reverend H. B. Allen.[15]

In 1891 the Bedford Open was founded.[16] In July 1939 the tournament held its 48th annual open event.[17] this event ran through till 1966 before it ceased. In 1974 the tournament was revived for one edition only.[18] This highly popular event was a regular stop on the senior worldwide tour for many years. Former winners of the men's single's title has included; Alan Stedman, Nigel Sharpe, John Bromwich,[19] Erik Bjerre, Ignacy Tłoczyński, Peter Cawthorn, Czeslaw Spychala,[20] Mike Davies,[21] Bobby Wilson, Frew McMillan,[22] Keith Diepraam, Alan Mills[23] and Alberto Esplugas. The previous winners of the women's singles title has included; Evelyn Blencowe, Ruth Pennington-Legh Winch, Phyllis Satterthwaite, Phoebe Holcroft Watson, Elsie Goldsack Pittman, Gem Hoahing,[24] Lorna Cornell,[25] Rita Bentley,[26] and Angela Mortimer.[27]

Venue

The Bedford Open Tennis Tournament was held continuously for 76 years at the Bedford Lawn Tennis Club. In the late 1990s Bedford LTC which then consisted of 10 grass courts and 2 hard courts, had to move from its Bradgate road grounds due to the land being redeveloped.[28] The club moved to new premises at Chester Road, Bedford, where it still operates today.[29]

Finals

Men's Singles

(incomplete roll)

YearWinnerRunner-upScore
Bedfordshire LTC Tournament
1880 Robert James Lindsell Frederick Willis ?
1881 Cecil Henry Polhill-Turner R. Hughes 6-4, 6–4, 6–5
1882 E. Horley R. Hughes ?
1883 S. Burton A.A. Cooper ?
Bedford Open
1899 Harold L. Whale Bernard Wood-Hill 3–6, 6–4, 6–4
1909 Charles Bernard Besly Yule6–1, 6–4
1914/1918Not held (due to World War I)
1934 Alan Stedman6–1, 7–5
1935 Roland O. Williams Frederic Robin Kipping 6–1, 6–1
1936 Derek Bouquet 6–8, 6–1, 6–1
1937 Nigel Sharpe (2) Lawrence Shaffi7–9, 6–4, 6–3
1938 Nigel Sharpe (3) Lawrence Shaffi7–5, 6–3
1940/1946Not held (due to World War I)
1947 Owen Murray Bold A. Dawes 6–3, 6–1
1948 John Bromwich Czesław Spychała6–3, 6–2
1949 Erik Bjerre9–7, 3–6, 6–2
1950 Tony Starte7–5, 6–1, 7–5
1951 Peter Cawthorn Dick Guise6–0, 6–3
1952 Czesław Spychała John Horn3–6, 6–3, 6–0
1953 David Moss 6-2, 6–2
1954 Mike Davies (2) David H. Williams6-3, 6–4
1955 Alan Mills7–5, 6–4
1956 John F. O'Brien3–6, 6–1, 6–2
1957 Gerry Oakley (2) Peter Frankland 6–4, 7–5
19596–3, 6–1
1960 Michael Sangster7-5, 6–1
1962 Keith Diepraam6–4, 6–2
1966 Alberto Esplugas Jorge Marfa 6–2, 6–4
Open era
1974 Bobby Wilson (2) T.E. Mabbitt 6–1, 6–0

Women's Singles

(incomplete roll)

YearWinnerRunner-upScore
Bedford Open
1892 Evelyn Blencowe 6-3, 6–2
1909 Mrs Cole M.T. Gross w.o.
1910 Miss Scott 6-4, 6–0
1911 Ruth Winch (2) E.M. White6–1, 6–2
1912 Ruth Winch (3) A. Sargent 6-2, 6–4
1913 E.M. White Miss Sargent 3-6, 6–3, 3-0 ret.
1914 6-1, 6–1
1915/1918Not held due to World War I
1921 Ruth Winch (4) Miss Dalton 6-4, 6–0
1922 Ruth Winch (5) A. Sargent 6-2, 6–1
1924 R. Fletcher A. Wells 6-3, 10–8
1925 Phoebe Holcroft Betty Boas6–3, 6–0
1926 Phoebe Holcroft Watson (2)6-2, 6–1
1927 D. Haines6-2, 6–4
1928 E. Howes 6-2, 6–4
1929 Naomi Trentham (2)6-4, 7–5
1930 Margaret Walsh Mellows Sylvia Mayne 8-6, 6–4
1931 Freda Scott E. Howes 6-2, 6–3
1932 Freda Scott (2) Ruth Armstrong Kirk 6-4, 6–3
1933 N.C. Case Helen Foster Dyson 9-7, 6–1
1934 N. Hill M. MacTier 6-3, 1–6, 6–3
1935 N. Hill (2) M. MacTier 8-6, 6–3
1936 Effie Hemmant Peters 6-3, 6–3
1937 Betty Batt5–7, 6–3, 6–4
1938 Elsie Goldsack Pittman6-0, 6–4
1939 Event divided between 4 players
1940/1946Not held due to World War II
1947 M. Smith 6-0, 6–1
1948 Gem Hoahing (2)6-1, 6–2
1949 Gem Hoahing (3) Edith Middleton 6-3, 6–1
1950 Jean Knight M. Graham 6-4, 6–3
1951 6-4, 6–2
1952 Elaine Watson Joyce Reid6–1, 6–1
1953 Evelyn Attwood Jean Knight 6-0, 6–2
1954[30] Jean Knight Evelyn Attwood6-2, 6–2
1955 Sheila Armstrong Rita Bentley6-1, 6–4
1956 Jean Knight (2) E. Tudor 6-0, 6–0
1957 Rita Bentley Margaret R. O'Donnell6–3, 6–2
1958 Rita Bentley (2) Margaret R. O'Donnell 6-3, 6–3
1959 Margaret R. O'Donnell8–6, 6–3
1960 Angela Mortimer (2) Shirley Bloomer Brasher6–2, 6–1
1961 Honor Durose 6-3, 8–10, 7–5
1962 Diane Tuckey 6-4, 6–2
1963 Heather Allen Carole Rosserdivided title
1964 Heather Allen (2)w.o.
1965 Jean Haskew6–3, 6–1
1966 Sue Tutt (2) Anthea Rigby 6-2, 6–4
Open era
1974 Sandra Coe E. Evans6–3, 6–4

Notes and References

  1. News: THE BEDFORD OPEN TENNIS TOURNAMENT. Opened on Wednesday, a lunch-hour thunderstorm, which delayed play for hour, the Bedford Lawn Tennis Open Tournament has been blessed with continuous sunshine, and splendid progress was possible with a heavy programme. . Bedfordshire Times and Independent . British Newspaper Archives . 29 July 1927 . Bedford, Bedfordshire, England . 15.
  2. Bedfordshire Times and Independent (1927)
  3. Routledges Sporting Annual (1882) Lawn Tennis in 1881. George Routledge and Son. London. p.69.
  4. Web site: Nieuwland . Alex . Tournament – Bedford . www.tennisarchives.com . Tennis Archives . 13 December 2022.
  5. Web site: Newsletters: Tennis in Bedfordshire . bedsarchives.bedford.gov.uk . Bedfordshire Archives . 13 December 2022 . 19 May 2020.
  6. Bedfordshire Archives
  7. Bedfordshire Archives
  8. Bedfordshire Archives
  9. Bedfordshire Archives
  10. Bedfordshire Archives
  11. Bedfordshire Archives
  12. Bedfordshire Archives
  13. Web site: Nieuwland . Alex . Tournament – Beds LTC . www.tennisarchives.com . Tennis Archives . 13 December 2022.
  14. Web site: Nieuwland . Alex . Tournament – Bedfordshire . www.tennisarchives.com . Tennis Archives . 13 December 2022.
  15. Routledges Sporting Annual (1883) Lawn Tennis Principle Meetings of 1882: . George Routledge and Son. London. p.117
  16. BEDFORD OPEN TOURNAMENT The forty-eighth annual open tournament of the Bedford Lawn Tennis Club takes place at the Bradgate Road courts during the whole of next week. Bedfordshire Times and Independent (Friday 28 July 1939). British Newspaper Archives. Bedford, Bedfordshire. England. p.15.
  17. Bedfordshire Times and Independent (1939) p.15.
  18. Tennis Archives
  19. Web site: Smith . Margaret . Bedford+County: History . www.badmintonbedford.co.uk . Bedford Badminton Club . 13 December 2022.
  20. Bedford Badminton Club
  21. Bedford Badminton Club
  22. Bedford Badminton Club
  23. Bedford Badminton Club
  24. Bedford Badminton Club
  25. Bedford Badminton Club
  26. Bedford Badminton Club
  27. Bedford Badminton Club
  28. Bedford Badminton Club
  29. Web site: Tennis Association . Lawn . History: Bedford Lawn Tennis Club . clubspark.lta.org.uk . LTA . 13 December 2022.
  30. Web site: Series of photographs taken during the Bedford Open Tennis Tournament, 1954 (1) Billie... . discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ . The National Archives . 8 May 2023 . Kew, Richmond . English . 1954.