The Suffolk Championships was an open international tennis tournament for both men and women held at Saxmundham, Suffolk, England founded in 1883 as the Saxmundham Lawn Tennis Tournament. In 1893 it was elevated to a county-level event and renamed as the Suffolk County Championships. The championships ran until 1968 when it ceased to be part of ILTC worldwide tennis circuit.
History On 12 August 1883 an annual open Saxmundham Lawn Tennis Tournament was established at Hurts Hall Park, Saxmundham, Suffolk, England that ran until 1893. that was a featured event on the Men's 1883 Tennis Tour. The winner of the first men's singles title was William Bolding Monement who defeated J.M. Wilkinson in straight sets.
Also in August 1883 an annual Framlingham Tennis Tournament was also established by the Framlingham LTC, and played on the Hurts Hill Courts, Hurts Hill Park, Saxmundham, Suffolk, England that ran until 1914. It was not staged throughout World War One. It resumed in 1919 and that event also carried the title of Suffolk Championships for that year, and in 1922. The Framlingham event continued to be held at Hurts Hall Park, Saxmundham until 1936, when it was moved to the tennis courts of the Framlingham College Grounds at Framlingham (a distance of 17 miles) until the start of World War Two.
In 1884 the Saxmundham Lawn Tennis Tournament women's singles event was won by Miss M. Marriott who beat Miss G. Rant in two straight sets. In 1893 the event was renamed the Suffolk Championships, the first official winners of the men's single title was Mr Rupert L. Hamblin-Smith, and the women's singles tile Miss Alice Simpson Pickering.
From 1915 the championships being organised and staged by the Saxmundham LTC were not held until 1920 due to World War One. From 1923 until the out break of World War Two in 1939 championships continued to be held in Saxmundham. After World War Two the Framlingham LTC took over responsibility for organising the Suffolk Championships at Framlingham College until 1983. The Framlingham Open Lawn Tennis Tournament a distinct event was staged alongside this event until 1981. The event is still played today under its original name, but is no longer a senior tour level event.
In the men's singles event Herbert Roper Barrett was the most successful player he won 17 titles, out of 18 finals between 1898 and 1921 which remains today an all time record for most finals at a single tennis tournament.
Finals Men's singles Incomplete roll included: YearChampionsRunners-upScoreSaxmundham LTC Tournament1883 William Bolding Monement M. Wilkinson6-1, 6-11884 Francis William Monement Maurice Welldon6-4, 1-6, 6-11885 Charles Richard Longe Herbert Davy Longe6-1, 6-01886 William Herbert Cohen Oswald Milne7-5, 7-51887 Benjamin Arthur Cohen George K. Barnabas Norman 3-6, 6-4, 6-21888 George K. Barnabas Norman A. Hewetson6-1, 6-41889 Lionel James Easton John David Wallich6-4, 5-6, 6-31890 Charles Gladstone Allen Roy Allen7-5, ret.1891 Charles Gladstone Allen Roy Allen w.o.1892 Mr. G. Williams Charles Gladstone Allen ?Suffolk County Championships1893 Mr. G. Williams Roy Allen6-4, 6-1, 10-81894 Rupert L. Hamblin-Smith Robert Baldock Scott6-2, 6-2, 6-51895 Roy Allen Sydney Howard Smith5-7, 6-3, 6-3, ret.1896 Roy Allen (2) Rupert L. Hamblin-Smith6-0, 6-21897 Laurie Doherty Jack Ridding 6-3, 8-6, 4-6, 6-11898 Herbert Roper Barrett Charles Percy Dixon6-2, 6-4, 6-31899 Herbert Roper Barrett (2) Charles Percy Dixon6-3, 6-2, 6-31900 Charles Percy Dixon Roy Allen7-5, 5-7, 7-5, 6-41901 Charles Percy Dixon (2) Charles O. S. Hatton6-1, 5-7, 6-0, 6-21902 Herbert Roper Barrett (3) Charles Percy Dixon6-2, 6-3, 4-6, 8-61903 Roy Allen (3) Herbert Roper Barrett6-4, 1-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-21904 Herbert Roper Barrett (4) Roy Allen6-4, 6-41905 Herbert Roper Barrett (5) Roy Allen6-2, 6-3, 6-11906 Herbert Roper Barrett (6) C.E. Hunter6-4, 6-1, 6-21907 Herbert Roper Barrett (7) Alfred Beamish6-4, 6-2, 6-21908 Herbert Roper Barrett (8) Frank Roe6-1, 6-01909 Herbert Roper Barrett (9) Charles S. Gordon-Smith6-1, 6-1, 6-11910 Herbert Roper Barrett (10) Oswald Charles Johnson6-3, 6-4, 6-21914/1918Not held (due to World War One)Suffolk Championships1919 Herbert Roper Barrett (11) Frank Herbert Jarvis6-2, 6-21920 Herbert Roper Barrett (12) Hugh Davies6-0, 6-21921 Herbert Roper Barrett (13) Axel Berg Gravem6-2, 6-11922 Randolph Lycett Axel Berg Gravem6-2, 6-11923 Randolph Lycett (2) Michael Drone6-1, 6-01924 Randolph Lycett (3) Donald McNeil Greig7-5, 7-51925 Randolph Lycett (4) Bunny Austin6-3, 6-31926 Bunny Austin Randolph Lycett6-2, 9-9 ret.1927 Randolph Lycett (5) Colonel Penn6-2, 6-11928 Randolph Lycett (6) F.C. Dawnay8-6, 6-21929 Norman Horace Latchford P.H. Sidney6-4, 6-21930 Norman Horace Latchford (2) M. Barrington6-3, 6-41931 Norman Horace Latchford (3) Victor Alexander Cazalet7-5, 3-6, 6-21932 Jimmy Redall Brian Finnigan2-6, 6-4, 6-41933 Jimmy Redall (2) Charles Edgar Hare6-4, 5-7, 6-21934 Jimmy Redall (2) Cecil H. Elkington-Betts6-4, 5-7, 6-21935 Charles Edgar Hare Jimmy Redall13-11, 6-11936 Murray Deloford E.A. Pearce6-2, 6-11937 Choy Wai-Chuen Harold A. Hare6-1, 9-71938 Jack Piercy John T. Bouverie Leader6-3, 6-01939 Gordon Fitt John T. Bouverie Leader6-0, 6-41940/1946Not held (due to world war one)1947 Gordon Fitt (2) Raymond Victor Fontes7-5, 4-6, 6-01948 C.M. Rudland A.H. Boar6-2, 6-21949 Percy Rosberg Teddy Bostock6-3, 7-51950 V. Schmidt Bo Andersson4-6, 6-4, 6-21951 Freddie Beer L.E. Ahlberg9-7, 12-101952 L. Garfoe Robert (Bobby) Nicholl2-6, 8-6, 6-3Open era1968 J.S. Wootton Dick Knight6-3, 9-11, 6-3
Women's singles (Incomplete roll) YearChampionsRunners-upScoreSaxmundham LTC Tournament1883 Georgina Rant Laura Davy6-0, 6-21884 May Marriott Georgina Rant 6-1, 6-11885 Georgina Rant (2) Edith Austin 4-6, 6-3, 6-31886 Georgina Rant(3) A. Forster 6-4, 6-51887 Kate Barkley Edith Austin 6-2, 6-41888 Miss Norman Edith Austin 6-1, 6-21889 Winifred Kersey Helen Kersey6-1. 6-51890 Edith Coleridge Cole Alice Parr6-4, 6-21891 Winifred Kersey (2) Miss Carter6-2, 4-6, 6-2Suffolk County Championships1893 Elsie Lane Henrietta Horncastle6-3, 6-1 1894 Alice Simpson Pickering Alice Parr 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 1895 Elsie Lane Alice Simpson Pickering 6-2, 7-5 1896 Henrietta Horncastle Henrica Ridding 0-6, 7-5, 6-3 1897 Mrs Horace White Constance Bloxsome 6-4, 6-4 1898 Henrietta Horncastle Miss Bush 1-6, 8-6, 7-5 1899 Beryl Tulloch Mrs A. Paine6-2, retd. 1900 Winifred Longhurst Beryl Tulloch 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 1901 Winifred Longhurst (2) Ruth Dyas Durlacher 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 1902 Connie Wilson Agnes Morton 7-5, 6-3 1903 Connie Wilson (2) Edith Austin Greville 6-4, 6-2 1904Connie Wilson (3) Alice Greene 6-2, 7-5 1905 Miss Tootell Mrs C.E. Hunter 6-0, 6-3 1906 Agnes Morton Connie Wilson walkover 1907 Agnes Morton (2) E. Boyce 6-0, 6-2 1908 Agnes Morton (3) E. Boyce 6-3, 6-2 1909 Agnes Morton (4) Dorothy Holman 6-1, 6-1 1910 Agnes Morton (5) Madeline Fisher O'Neill 6-1, 6-2 1911 Agnes Morton (6) Daisy Clark Kercheval-Hole 6-1 6-4 1912 Agnes Morton (7) Elizabeth Ryandivided prizes 1913 Agnes Morton (8) Elizabeth Ryan8-6, 6-0 1914 Agnes Morton (9) Geraldine Ramsey Beamish 6-1, 6-41915/1918Not held (due to world war one)Suffolk Championships 1919 Phyllis Carr Satterthwaite Dorothy Shepherd 6-4, 6-0 1920 Dorothy Kemmis-Betty Mrs J.E. Vere Elliott 6-1, 7-5 1921 Dorothy Holman E. Tanner 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 1922 Dorothy Holman (2) Ermyntrude Harvey 6-1, 6-1 1923 Dorothy Holman (3) Ermyntrude Harvey 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 1924 Ermyntrude Harvey Joan Ridley 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 1925 Joan Austin Lycett Elieen Bennett 7-5, 8-6 1926 Ermyntrude Harvey (2) Betty Nuthall 6-4, 6-3 1927 Joan Austin Lycett Dorothy Biddle 5-7, 6-4, 7-5 1928 Ermyntrude Harvey (3) Joan Austin Lycett 6-1, 6-3 1929 C. Turner Mrs P. Carthew 10-8, 7-5 1930 Freda Scott Ermyntrude Harvey 6-8, 7-5, 6-2 1931 Freda Scott (2) Ermyntrude Harvey9-7, 6-3 1932 Freda Scott (3) Dorothy Biddle de Winton 6-0, 6-1 1933 Dorothy Biddle de Winton M. Cleland 6-4, 11-9 1934 Nancy Kidson Freda Scott 6-2, 6-0 1935 Joan Ridley Nancy Kidson Fontes 6-2, 6-1 1936 Nancy Kidson Fontes (2) Nancy Palmer Edwards 10-8, 7-5 1937 Mrs H.J. Edwards J. Rudland 6-2, 7-9, 6-1 1938 Freda Scott Underwood (3) Betty Batt 8-6, 6-31940/1945Not held (due to world war one) 1947 D. Gaskell D. Sutcliffe 6-8, 6-2, 6-4 1948 Jean Nicoll Bostock Wendy Stork 6-1, 6-2 1949 Wendy Stork D. Gaskell 6-4, 6-2 1950 Joan Ross-Dilley Andrea Ross-Dilley 11-9, 9-11, 6-3 1951 Joan Ross-Dilley (2) Andrea Ross-Dilley 8-10, 6-4, 9-7 1952 D E Gaskell Mrs T E Burrows 5-7, 6-1, 11-9 1953 Elaine Watson Gladys Southwell Lines 6-0, 6-4 1954 C. Vincent D. Gaskell 7-5, 6-4 1955 Valerie Pitt Christine Truman 6-1, 0-6, 6-2 1956 Jill Rook Christine Truman6-4, 7-5 1957 Jill Rook (2) Jean Nicoll-Bostock 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 1958 Norma Marsh Jean Knight 6-2, 6-3 1959 Joan Stedman Mrs A. Robinson 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 1960 Vivienne Cox Honor Durose 6-2, 6-2 1961 Margaret H. O'Donnell Vivienne Cox 6-1, 6-4 1962 Elizabeth Terry B. Nicholson 6-1, 6-1 1963 Robin Blakelock-Lloyd Nell Truman 6-2, 6-2 1964 Nell Truman Janet French 6-2 6-2 1965 Stephanie Percival Janet French 7-5, 6-4 1966 Joan Stedman Penny Hardgrave4-6, 6-4, 6-2 Open era 1969 Marjorie Love Sue Minford1-6, 6-4, 6-2 1970 Shirley Bloomer Brasher Penny Hardgrave 10-8, 6-1 1973 Diane (Di)Riste Mrs L. Fulcher6-2, 6-2 1974 Marjorie Love (2) Julia Lloyd 6-2, 6-2 1975 Julia Lloyd R. Hassell 3-6 6-1, 6-2 1976 Julia Lloyd Jacqueline Boothman6-2, 6-2 1977 Jo Sheridan Mrs L. Fulcher 3-6 6-1 6-1 1978 Elizabeth Locke Mrs G. Chambers 6-1, 6-2 1979 J. Lilley A. Loughrey 7-5, 6-3 1980 Christa Pickwick A. Loughrey 6-0, 6-2 1981 Z. Kent J. Lilley 6-0, 7-6 1983 J. Stamper A. Loughrey 6-7, 6-1, 10-8
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