The Llandudno Open[1] was a grass court tennis tournament first established by the Craigside Hydro Badmington and Tennis Club in 1890,[2] and held at the Craigside Hydro Hotel, Llandudno, Caernarfonshire, North Wales. The tournament ran until 1914 when it was discontinued due to World War One.

Llandudno Open
Defunct tennis tournament
TourILTF Circuit
Founded1890; 134 years ago (1890)
Abolished1914; 110 years ago (1914)
LocationCraigside, Llandudno, Wales
VenueCraigside Hydro Badmington and Tennis Club
SurfaceGrass

History

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The name “Craigside” is that of a small headland to the west side of the Little Orme, laying east of Llandudno, North Wales. It is still separated from the main Llandudno built-up area by a small tract of farmland now occupied by Bodafon Farm Park.[3]

Craigside was the location of the “Craigside Hydropathic Hotel or Craigside Hydro” opened in 1888[4] by John Smith, as a “hydrotherapy” health resort establishment,[5] in which visitors could consult the resident physician, Dr John Miles Chambers.[6] The tournament was staged until 1914 when it was discontinued due to World War One. During World War II the hotel was used as government offices. The hotel was demolished during the 1970s for redevelopment.[7]

The hotel hosted a series of “Craigside” Tennis Tournaments including this tournament the Llandudno Open, as well as the national Welsh Covered Court Championships that were also played at the Craigside Hydro Indoor Covered Courts.[8][9]

Finals

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Men's singles

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(Incomplete roll).[10]

Year Champions Runners-up Score
1891   Manliffe Goodbody   Tancred Disraeli Cummins 6–2, 6–8, 6–1, 6–2.[10]
1892   Manliffe Goodbody (2)   James Herbert Crispe 6–1, 6–2, 6–2.[10]
1893   Manliffe Goodbody (3)   George Ball-Greene 1–6, 6–4, 6–3, 6–2.[10]
1894   George Miéville Simond   James Herbert Crispe 1–6, 6–3, 6–2.[10]
1896   Charles Gladstone Allen   Edward Roy Allen w.o.[10]
1900   Henry Gillibrand Elwin Evered   G. Slater 6–2, 6–2.[10]
1905   Henry Alfred Wallis Chiswell   Philip H. Stokes 6–0, 5–7, 6–8, 6–4, 6–3.[10]
1906   Norman Cecil Frye   E. Warnant 6–3, 6–2, ret.
1908   Leslie Poidevin   George Watt 6–1, 6–0, 6–1.[10]
1909   Frederick Canning   C. Whitehouse 4–6, 10–8, 6–3, 6–4.[10]
1910   S. Ernest Charlton[11]   W.G. Posnett 6–3, 6–4, 6–3.[10]

Womens singles

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(Incomplete roll).

Year Champions Runners-up Score
1890   Ida Cressy   K. Grant 7–5, 6–1
1893   Ellen Cressy   Ida Cressy divided prizes
1896   Winifred Longhurst   Emma Ridding 6–0, 6–2
1898   Miss Golding   Mrs Carson 6–2, 7–5
1899   Ida Cressy (2)   Miss Pollen ?
1900   Miss Slater   Ellen Evered 6–2, 6–3
1901   Mrs E. Gardner   Charlotte Everard 6–2, 6–1
1902   Mrs E. Gardner (2)   Mrs J.B. Perrett 5–7, 9–7, 6–0
1903   Ellen Gardner   Katherine Pick 6–2, 6–2
1904   Mrs E. Gardner (3)   Katherine Pick 6–1, 6–2
1905   K.I. Manning   C. Duerden 8–6, 6–8, 6–0
1907   A. Reeves   C. Duerden 6–0, 6–4
1908   Elizabeth Lunt Heatley   Charlotte Everard 6–0, 6–1
1909   M. Fergus   Elizabeth Lunt Heatley 4–6, 6–2, 6–1
1911   Ethel Tanner   M. Smith 6–2, 7–5
1912   M.K. Smith   Elizabeth Lunt Heatley 7–9, 6–3, 6–1
1913   Dorothy Boadle   Charlotte Everard 6–2, 6–4
1914   M.K. Smith (2)   Charlotte Everard 6–4, 6–2

References

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  1. ^ "lLlandudno Open Tournament: This tournament was resumed at the Craigside Hydro, Craigside , Llandudno. yesterday. Owing to rain some remaining matches were played in the covered indoor courts. Result: Gentlemen' Open. Singles.— Norman C. Fry beat E. Warnam. (6-3, 6-2)". The Sportsman. London, England: British Newspaper Archive. 3 August 1906. p. 3. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  2. ^ "TENNIS: CRAIGSIDE (LLANDUDNO) SEVENTH ANNUAL TENNIS OPEN TOURNAMENT". North Wales Times. Denbighshire, Wales: British Newspaper Archive. 1 August 1896. p. 3. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  3. ^ Draper, Christopher; Lawson-Reay, John (15 September 2010). "Craigside Hydro". Llandudno Through Time. Stroud, Gloucestershire: Amberley Publishing Limited. ISBN 978-1-4456-2925-4.
  4. ^ Draper, Christopher; Lawson-Reay, John (15 September 2010).
  5. ^ "Llandudno". The English Review. 48. London: Duckworth and Company: 374. 1929.
  6. ^ The English Review
  7. ^ "The Lost Hotels Of Conwy County!". mscolwynbay.com. Colwyn Bay: My Colwyn Bay Ltd. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  8. ^ The Daily Post Wales. 3 April 2008. Recalling life at the Hydro after the war Source:http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/local-news/recalling-life-hydro-after-war-2836264. Website: dailypost.co.uk. Accessdate 9 May 2023.
  9. ^ The Sportsman
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Tournaments:Llandudno". The Tennis Base. Tennismem SL. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  11. ^ "S.Ernest Charlton: Overview". ATP Tour. Association of Tennis Professionals. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
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  • The Craigside Hydro Hotel The 3rd image shows the hotel at Craigside with Llandudno in the background, the hydro's outside grass tennis courts are in front of the hotel and it's famous indoor covered courts building can be seen to the right of the hotel.