Middlesex Championships

The Middlesex Championships.[1] or Middlesex Lawn Tennis Championships[2] and also known as the Middlesex Open Tennis Championships was a men's and women's grass court tennis founded at the Chiswick Park Lawn Tennis Club,Chiswick Park, Chiswick, Middlesex, Great Britain in 1884 and known as the Chiswick Park Club Open Lawn Tennis Tournament [3] during the early editions of the event. The tournament was staged annually until 1949.[4]

Middlesex Championships
Defunct tennis tournament
TourPre open era
Founded1884
Abolished1949
LocationChiswick Park, Chiswick, Middlesex, Great Britain
VenueChiswick Park Lawn Tennis Club
SurfaceGrass

History

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Chiswick Park, House and gardens from the air (2016) the location of this tournament.

In 1883 William Cavendish, 7th Duke of Devonshire decided to lease some of his land, with a low annual ground rent for the residents Chiswick who wanted to establish a sports club.[4] This new sports ground staged bowls, cricket, football, and lawn tennis. In Chiswick Park Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club was formed and established a Middlesex County Championship tennis tournament.[4] The championships were usually held annually at the end of July through to the third week August.[4] In 1887 "Challenge Cups" were presented to the winners of the men's and women's singles events. In 1893 the scheduling of the tournament was altered to start at the end of May through to early June.

The Chiswick Park Lawn Tennis Club continued to stage the annual Championship of Middlesex,[5] making the venue second only to Wimbledon in importance. In 1925 the land lease arrangement came to end due it expiring, however by this point the former tennis and cricket clubs had by this point formed into a business entity the Chiswick Cricket and Lawn Tennis Company. The tournament was not held during World War One and was postponed again in 1939 following the outbreak of World War Two. In 1946 the tournaments grounds were issued with a compulsory purchase by Brentford and Chiswick Urban District Council.[4] After this tournament staged only three more times for the men's events, the women's events ended in 1946.[4] The Middlesex Championships ran for 59 years, and was quite successful in attracting attract top players to four championships until 1949 when it was abolished.

Notable winners of the men's singles included Charles Walder Grinstead (1884), Ernest Wool Lewis (1886–1890, 1892),[6] Athar-Ali Fyzee, (1921), Henry Mayes (1926) Daniel Prenn (1935), Czeslaw Spychala (1946) and Ghaus Mohammad (1947). Previous women's singles champions included Maud Shackle (1891–1893), Edith Austin Greville (1894, 1905), Molla Bjurstedt Mallory (1926) and Jadwiga Jędrzejowska (1938).

Finals

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Men's singles

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Harold Mahony won 6 singles titles.
 
Ernest Wool Lewis won 4 consecutive singles titles.

(incomplete roll)

Year Champion Runner Up Score
1884   Charles Walder Grinstead   Donald Charles Stewart 6-1, 4–6, 12–10, 6–3.[1]
1885   Herbert Chipp   Donald Charles Stewart 7-5, 7–5, 6–3.[1]
1886   Harry Grove   Edward Lake Williams 6-3, 6–2, 6–3.[1]
1887   Ernest Wool Lewis   Ernest George Meers 7-5, 3–6, 6–2, 6–3.[1]
1888   Ernest Wool Lewis (2)   Ernest George Meers 6-2, 6–2, 6–2.[1]
1889   Ernest Wool Lewis (3)   Harry S. Barlow 6-3, 6–3, 8–6.[1]
1890   Ernest Wool Lewis (4)   Harold Mahony 6-1, 6–4, 6–2.[1]
1891   Ernest George Meers   Ernest Wool Lewis w.o.[1]
1892   Ernest Wool Lewis (5)   Ernest George Meers 6-3, 6–4, 6–2.[1]
1893   Harold Mahony   Ernest Wool Lewis w.o.[1]
1894   Harry S. Barlow   Harold Mahony 3-6, 6–3, 7–5, 6–1.[1]
1895   Harry S. Barlow (2)   George Greville 6-4, 7–5, 4–6, 6–2.[1]
1896   Harold Mahony   Harry S. Barlow w.o.[1]
1897   George Greville   Harold Mahony 6-4, 10–8, 5–7, 1–6, 6–1.[1]
1898   Harold Mahony (2)   George Greville 4-6, 6–4, 7–5, 6–2.[1]
1899   Harold Mahony (3)   George Greville 5-7, 2–6, 6–1, 6–1, 6–4.[1]
1900   Harold Mahony (4)   Arthur Gore 6-2, 6–4, 6–2.[1]
1901   George Greville (2)   Harold Mahony 7-5, 6–1, 4–6, 6–3.[1]
1902   George Greville (3)   Roderick McNair 6-2, 6–0, 6–2.[1]
1903   Harold Mahony (5)   Brame Hillyard 3-6, 6–2, 6–3, 3–6, 6–3.[1]
1904   Harold Mahony (6)   Frederick William Payn 3-6, 6–1, 6–2, 6–4.[1]
1905   George Miéville Simond   Henry Pollard 9-7, 3–6, 10–8.[1]
1906   Major Ritchie   George Miéville Simond 6-1, 6–2, 6–4.[1]
1907   Major Ritchie (2)   Granville Gilbert Sharp 6-3, 4–6, 6–0, 6–1.[1]
1908   Major Ritchie (3)   Sydney Harman Adams 6-4, 6–1, 6–1.[1]
1909   Charles P. Dixon   Percival Davson 6-4, 7–5, 6–3.[1]
1910   Major Ritchie (4)   George Alan Thomas 7-5, 6–0, 6–0.[1]
1915/1918 Not held (due to World War I)
1919   Louis Bosman Raymond   Brian Norton 6-2, 6–1, 6–2.[1]
edition 1920   Randolph Lycett   Major Ritchie 6-1, 9–7, 6–8, 6–3.[1]
1921   Athar-Ali Fyzee   Frank Hunter 4-6, 6–1, 6–3, 6–4.[1]
1922   Randolph Lycett (2)   Brian Gilbert 6-2, 6–2, 6–2.[1]
1923   Brian Norton   Donald Greig 8-6, 6–2.[1]
1924   Pat Spence   Louis Raymond 6-2, 6–3.[1]
1925   Noel Turnbull   Teddy Higgs 6-1, 3–6, 4–6, 6–1, 6–4.[1]
1926   Henry Mayes   Pat Hughes 8-6, 10–8, 6–1.[1]
1927   Jack Hillyard   Frank Crosbie 6-3, 6–3.[1]
1928   Randolph Lycett (2)   Pat Spence 2-6, 7–5, 7–5, 6–4.[1]
1929   William Powell   Ryuki Miki 6-1, 4–6, 2–6, 6–3, 6–1.[1]
1930   Fred Perry   Atri Madan Mohan 7-5, 6–0.[1]
1931   Ted Avory   William Powell 6-4, 6–3.[1]
1932   Kenneth Dower   David H. Williams 6-3, 6–8, 6–2.[1]
1933   Iwao Aoki[7]   Pat Spence 3-6, 7–5, 6–2.[1]
1934   Frank Wilde   Colin Ritchie 6-4, 6–3.[1]
1935   Daniel Prenn   George Lyttleton-Rogers 6-4, 6–3.[1]
1936   David Jones   Jimmy Jones 6-4, 6–2.[1]
1937   Jimmy Jones   Murray Deloford 6-1, 6–1.[1]
1938   Choy Wai-Chuen   Eric Filby 6-2, 6–4.[1]
1939   Choy Wai-Chuen (2)   Eric Filby 6-4, 6–4.[1]
1940/1945 Not held (due to World War II)
1946   Czeslaw Spychala   Choy Wai-Chuen 6-8, 6–2, 6–4.[1]
1947   Ghaus Mohammed Khan   Howard Walton 6-2, 6–2.[1]
1948   Tim Lewis   Bernard Crouch 6-1, 6–3.[1]
1949   Headley Baxter   Cliff Hovell 6-1, 7–5.[1]

Women's singles

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Dorothea Douglass-Chambers won 9 singles titles.
 
Charlotte Cooper won 4 consecutive singles titles.

(incomplete roll)

Year Champion Runner Up Score
1884   Blanche Bingley   Miss Wing 6-3, 6-3
1885   Edith Gurney   Blanche Bingley 1-6, 7–5, 6–0, retd.
1886   Miss Douglas   May Jacks 6-4, 6-0
1887   D. Patterson   Edith Gurney 6-0, 4–6, 7-5
1888   Blanche Hillyard (2)   D. Patterson 6-2, 6-4
1889   Mary Steedman   Bertha Steedman 6-4, 7-5
1890   Mary Steedman (2)   May Jacks 6-2, 6-2
1891   Maud Shackle   Edith Austin 6-0, 6-1
1892   Maud Shackle (2)   Edith Austin 6-4, 6-0
1893   Maud Shackle (3)   Edith Austin 6-3, 6-4
1894   Edith Austin   A. Brown 6-3, 6-3
1895   Charlotte Cooper   Edith Austin 6-3, 7-5
1896   Charlotte Cooper (2)   Edith Austin 6-4, 6-2
1897   Charlotte Cooper (3)   Edith Austin 1-6, 6–4, 6-4
1898   Charlotte Cooper (4)   Edith Austin 6-3, 3–6, 7-5
1899   Edith Austin (2)   Charlotte Cooper 7-5, 6-4
1900   Charlotte Cooper (5)   Edith Austin Greville 6-3, 9-7
1901   Charlotte Cooper Sterry (6)   Toupie Lowther 6-3, 6-2
1902   Charlotte Cooper Sterry (7)   Edith Bromfield 6-1, 6-0
1903   Dorothea Douglass   Edith Bromfield 6-4, 9-7
1904   Dorothea Douglass (2)   Charlotte Cooper Sterry 4-6, 6–1, 6-3
1905   Edith Austin Greville (3)   Mabel Squire 6-4, 7-5
1906   Dorothea Douglass (3)   Charlotte Cooper Sterry 6-1, 6-0
1907   Dorothea Chambers (4)   Maud Brown 6-3, 6-1
1908   Dorothea Chambers (5)   Alice Greene 7-5, 6-4
1909   Beryl Tulloch   Agnes Daniell Tuckey 6-3, 4–6, 7-5
1910   Dorothea Chambers (6)   M. Messom 6-2, 6-2
1911   Dorothea Chambers (7)   Mabel Parton 6-3, 6-2
1912   Dorothy Holman   Mabel Squire Parton 6-2, 4–6, 7-5
1913   Dorothea Chambers (8)   Dora Boothby 6-2, 6-3
1914   Dorothea Chambers (9)   Aurea Edgington walkover
1915/1918 Not held (due to World War I)
1919   Elizabeth Ryan   Geraldine Beamish 6-2, 4–6, 6-4
1920   Elizabeth Ryan (2)   Dorothea Chambers 7-5, 6-2
1921   Elizabeth Ryan (3)   Geraldine Beamish 6-3, 6-4
1922   Irene Bowder Peacock   Geraldine Beamish 6-1, 1–6, 6-2
1923   Kathleen McKane   Molla Bjurstedt Mallory 6-3, 6-2
1924   Kathleen McKane (2)   Elizabeth Ryan 6-4, 6-4
1925   Elizabeth Ryan (4)   Geraldine Beamish 6-4, 6-0
1926   Molla Bjurstedt Mallory   Gwen Sterry 6-3, 1–6, 6-1
1927   Elizabeth Ryan (5)   Joan Fry 6-0, 4–6, 6-2
1928   Ermyntrude Harvey   Madge Valantine List 6-1, 6-3
1929   Peggy Saunders Michell   Margaret McKane Stocks 6-3, 6-1
1930   Betty Nuthall   Jenny Sandison 9-7, 6-3
1931   Elsie Goldsack Pittman   Peggy Saunders Michell 9-7, 6-2
1932   Nancy Lyle   Irene Bowder Peacock 6-4, 6-4
1933   Violet Chamberlain Owen   Elsie Goldsack Pittman 6-4, 6-2
1934   Elsie Goldsack Pittman (2)   Joan Ridley 6-4, 6-4
1935   Susan Noel   Elsie Goldsack Pittman 6-1, 8-6
1936   Mary Hardwick   Nancy Lyle 4-6, 7–5, 7-5
1937   Anita Lizana   Alice Marble 9-7, 9-7
1938   Jadwiga Jędrzejowska   Dorothy Bundy 7-5, 6-2
1939   Jean Saunders   A. Cardinall 6-4, 6-3
1940/1945 Not held (due to World War I)
1946 Women's event (discontinued)

Tournament records

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Source:[1]

Women

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb "Tournaments: Middlesex Championships". The Tennis Base. Tennismem SL. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  2. ^ "Tennis Championships". Kalgoorlie Miner. Trove: National Library of Australia. 31 May 1922. p. 5. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  3. ^ "Lawn Tennis. — The Chiswick Park Club Open Lawn Tennis Tournament". London Evening Standard. London, England: British Newspaper Archive. 21 July 1886. p. 8. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Clegg, Gill. "Entertainment :Chiswick Park Lawn Tennis Club". brentfordandchiswicklhs.org.uk. Brentford and Chiswick Local History Society. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  5. ^ Baily's Magazine of Sports & Pastimes. London: Vinton and Co Limited. 1896. p. 80.
  6. ^ Heathcote, J. M. Heathacote: C. G. (1890). Tennis; Lawn Tennis. London: Spottiswoode, Ballantyne & co. ltd. p. 481.
  7. ^ "Iwao Aoki: Overview". ATP Tour. ATP.

Sources

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  • Baily's Magazine of Sports & Pastimes. London: Vinton and Co Limited. 1896.
  • Clegg, Gill. "Entertainment :Chiswick Park Lawn Tennis Club". brentfordandchiswicklhs.org.uk. Brentford and Chiswick Local History Society. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  • Heathcote, J. M. Heathacote: C. G. (1890). Tennis; Lawn Tennis. London: Spottiswoode, Ballantyne & co. ltd.
  • Tennis Championships. Kalgoorlie Miner. Trove: National Library of Australia. 31 May 1922. Retrieved 4 October 2022.