The Bedford Open also known as the Bedford Lawn Tennis Open Tournament Bedfordshire Times and Independent (1927) was men's and women's grass court tennis tournament established in 1880 as the Bedfordshire LTC Tournament.Routledges Sporting Annual (1882) Lawn Tennis in 1881. George Routledge and Son. London. p.69. It was held at the Bedford Lawn Tennis Club, Bedford, Berkshire, England and ran through until 1974 when it was abolished.
History The first Bedfordshire Lawn Tennis Club evolved out of a croquet club established in June 1871 by the Brooks family of Flitwick Manor. The first tournament tennis was played there on 29 August 1876, one year before the first Wimbledon Championships were held.Bedfordshire Archives 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.Bedfordshire Archives
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.Bedfordshire Archives The North Bedfordshire LTC had courts at Sutton Manor, Sutton and Sandye Place.Bedfordshire Archives Between 1884 and 1885 both the North and South Bedfordshire LTCs had ceased to operate.Bedfordshire Archives Between 1882 and 1884 a new Bedfordshire LTC was established at Bedford on land next to Bedford College.Bedfordshire Archives The current Bedford LTC based at Bradgate Road (f.1890), is thought to be the successor club to Bedfordshire LTC.Bedfordshire Archives
From 1880 the South Bedfordshire LTC organised three recorded tournaments held at Fairfield Park, Stotfold, and two editions at Blunham House, Blunham, Bedford. In July 1882 a second edition of a Bedfordshire tournament was held on 18 July that year. On 28 August the Bedfordshire LTC had concluded a 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.Routledges Sporting Annual (1883) Lawn Tennis Principle Meetings of 1882: . George Routledge and Son. London. p.117
In 1891 the Bedford Open was founded.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. In July 1939 the tournament held its 48th annual open event.Bedfordshire Times and Independent (1939) p.15. this event ran through till 1966 before it ceased. In 1974 the tournament was revived for one edition only.Tennis Archives 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, Erik Bjerre, Ignacy Tłoczyński, Peter Cawthorn, Czeslaw Spychala,Bedford Badminton Club Mike Davies,Bedford Badminton Club Bobby Wilson, Frew McMillan,Bedford Badminton Club Keith Diepraam, Alan MillsBedford Badminton Club 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,Bedford Badminton Club Lorna Cornell,Bedford Badminton Club Rita Bentley,Bedford Badminton Club and Angela Mortimer.Bedford Badminton Club
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.Bedford Badminton Club The club moved to new premises at Chester Road, Bedford, where it still operates today.
Finals Men's Singles (incomplete roll) YearWinnerRunner-upScoreBedfordshire 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 Yule Leslie Poidevin 6–1, 6–4 1914/1918Not held (due to World War I)1934 Alan Stedman George Godsell 6–1, 7–5 1935 Roland O. Williams Frederic Robin Kipping 6–1, 6–1 1936 Nigel Sharpe Derek Bouquet 6–8, 6–1, 6–1 1937 Nigel Sharpe (2) Lawrence Shaffi 7–9, 6–4, 6–3 1938 Nigel Sharpe (3) Lawrence Shaffi 7–5, 6–3 1940/1946Not held (due to World War I)1947 Owen Murray Bold A. Dawes 6–3, 6–1 1948 John Bromwich Czesław Spychała 6–3, 6–2 1949 Erik Bjerre David Samaai 9–7, 3–6, 6–2 1950 Ignacy Tłoczyński Tony Starte 7–5, 6–1, 7–5 1951 Peter Cawthorn Dick Guise 6–0, 6–3 1952 Czesław Spychała John Horn 3–6, 6–3, 6–0 1953 Mike Davies David Moss 6-2, 6–2 1954 Mike Davies (2) David H. Williams6-3, 6–4 1955 Gerry Oakley Alan Mills 7–5, 6–4 1956 John F. O'Brien Khwaja Saeed Hai 3–6, 6–1, 6–2 1957 Gerry Oakley (2) Peter Frankland 6–4, 7–5 1959 Alan Mills Michael Sangster 6–3, 6–1 1960 Bobby Wilson Michael Sangster7-5, 6–1 1962 Keith Diepraam Alan Mills 6–4, 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-upScoreBedford Open 1892 Evelyn Blencowe Henrietta Horncastle 6-3, 6–2 1909 Mrs Cole M.T. Gross w.o. 1910 Ruth Winch Miss Scott 6-4, 6–0 1911 Ruth Winch (2) E.M. White 6–1, 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 Phyllis Satterthwaite Ruth Winch 6-1, 6–11915/1918Not 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 Boas 6–3, 6–0 1926 Phoebe Holcroft Watson (2) Claire Beckingham 6-2, 6–1 1927 Betty Boas D. Haines6-2, 6–4 1928 Naomi Trentham E. Howes 6-2, 6–4 1929 Naomi Trentham (2) Joan Ridley 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 Billie Yorke 6-3, 6–3 1937 Elsie Goldsack Pittman Betty Batt 5–7, 6–3, 6–4 1938 Valerie Scott Elsie Goldsack Pittman6-0, 6–4 1939 Event divided between 4 players1940/1946Not held due to World War II 1947 Gem Hoahing M. Smith 6-0, 6–1 1948 Gem Hoahing (2) Betty Batt Passingham 6-1, 6–2 1949 Gem Hoahing (3) Edith Middleton 6-3, 6–1 1950 Jean Knight M. Graham 6-4, 6–3 1951 Lorna Cornell Elaine Watson 6-4, 6–2 1952 Elaine Watson Joyce Reid 6–1, 6–1 1953 Evelyn Attwood Jean Knight 6-0, 6–2 1954 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'Donnell 6–3, 6–2 1958 Rita Bentley (2) Margaret R. O'Donnell 6-3, 6–3 1959 Angela Mortimer Margaret R. O'Donnell 8–6, 6–3 1960 Angela Mortimer (2) Shirley Bloomer Brasher 6–2, 6–1 1961 Pat Stewart Honor Durose 6-3, 8–10, 7–5 1962 Carole Rosser Diane Tuckey 6-4, 6–2 1963 Heather Allen Carole Rosserdivided title 1964 Heather Allen (2) Sue Tutt w.o. 1965 Sue Tutt Jean Haskew 6–3, 6–1 1966 Sue Tutt (2) Anthea Rigby 6-2, 6–4Open era 1974 Sandra Coe E. Evans 6–3, 6–4
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