The Shropshire Championships[1] or Shropshire Open Championship[2] or Shropshire County Championships was a men's and women's grass court tennis tournament first established in 1903 as the Championship of Shropshire. It was first held at the Severnside Lawn Tennis Club (f. 1897) Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England. The tournament was staged annually until 1959.
| Shropshire Championships | |
|---|---|
| Defunct tennis tournament | |
| Tour | ILTF Circuit |
| Founded | 1903 |
| Abolished | 1959 |
| Location | Newport Shrewsbury |
| Venue | Severnside Lawn Tennis Club |
| Surface | Grass |
History edit
In 1897 the Severnside Lawn Tennis Club was formed. In 1903 the club established the first Championship of Shropshire.[3] In 1905 the Shropshire Lawn Tennis Association was formed,[4] it became responsible for organising and promoting the county championships.
The tournament was staged annually until 1914 when it was suspended because of World War I it resumed thereafter. The event was held in Shrewsbury for 32 years until 1939. It was suspended again between 1940 and 1945 due to World War II. Following the second world war the tournament was moved Newport, Shropshirefor the next 12 years until 1960 when it was discontinued as part of the ILTF Circuit.
The Shropshire County Championships (Closed) is still being held today only open to residents and players from Shropshire.[5]
Finals edit
Men's singles edit
(incomplete roll)[6]
| Year | Winners | Runners-up | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1904[7] |  Anthony Wilding |
 E.V. Jones |
4-6, 9–7, 8–6, ret. | |
| 1905 | Edward Roy Allen |
E.V. Jones |
6-4, 6–4, 6-2 | |
| 1906[8] | Anthony Wilding (2) |
Edward Roy Allen |
5-7, 6–0, 6–1, 3–6, 6-4 | |
| 1907 | Edward Roy Allen (2) |
Ernest George Parton[9] |
6-2, 6–3, 6-0 | |
| 1908 | Edward Roy Allen (3) |
 Wylie Grant |
6-3, 6–3, 6-3 | |
| 1909 | Theodore Mavrogordato |
Edward Roy Allen |
5-7, 6–1, 8–10, 6–1, 6-3 | |
| 1910 | Theodore Mavrogordato (2) |
Frank H. Pearce[10] |
6-0, 6–3, 6-0 | |
| 1920 | George Stoddart |
Gerald (Gerry) Millard |
6-1, 6–2, 3–6, 6-1 | |
| 1921 | William D. Radcliffe |
Samuel Ernest Charlton[11] |
6-1, 6-4 | |
| 1915/1919 | Not held (due to World War I) | |||
| 1931[12] |  Ryuki Miki |
Cam Malfroy |
5-7, 7–5, 6-2 | |
| 1940/1945 | Not held (due to World War II) | |||
| 1949[13] |  David Samaai |
 Milan Matous |
6-4, 6-4 | |
| 1953 | Mike Davies |
B. Smith |
6-2, 6-1 | |
| 1954 | L.M. Kilby |
D.J.W. Richards |
7-5, 6-1 | |
| 1955 | Louis Surville |
John Stewart |
7-5, 6-2 | |
| 1959 | Edward (Ted) Beards |
Trevor A. Adamson |
6-0, 6-2 | |
Women's singles edit
(incomplete roll)
| Year | Winners | Runners-up | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1903[14] | Winifred Longhurst |
Eva Steedman |
walkover | |
| 1904 | Maude Garfit |
C. Jones |
6-4, 8-6 | |
| 1905 | Maude Garfit (2) |
Violet Pinckney |
7-5, 6-3 | |
| 1906 | Violet Pinckney |
Maude Garfit |
1-6, 6–4, 6-3 | |
| 1907 | Maude Garfit 3) |
Edith Boucher |
5-7, 6–4, 6-1 | |
| 1908 | Maude Garfit (4) |
Mabel Squire Parton |
4-6, 6–2, 6-0 | |
| 1909 | Maude Garfit (5) |
Mabel Squire Parton |
6-3, 6-4 | |
| 1910 | Maude Garfit (6) |
Mabel Squire Parton |
7-5, 3–6, 6-4 | |
| 1911 | Mabel Squire Parton |
Winifred Longhurst |
6-4, 6-4 | |
| 1912 | Marie Hazel |
Mrs Rosendale-Lloyd |
6-2, 7-5 | |
| 1913 | Marie Hazel (2) |
Mrs Rosendale-Lloyd |
6-2, 6-3 | |
| 1914 | Mrs Rosendale-Lloyd |
Mrs E. Wilkinson |
6-3, 1–6, 6-3 | |
| 1915/1919 | Not held (due to World War I) | |||
| 1920 | Mrs Spoor |
Marie Hazel |
2-6, 6–0, 8-6 | |
| 1921 | Marie Hazel (3) |
Mrs Rosendale-Lloyd |
6-1, 6-3 | |
| 1924 | Joan Fry |
F. Holden |
6-1, 6-3 | |
References edit
- ^ "SHROPSHIRE CHAMPIONSHIPS: The Shropshire lawn tennis championships tournament opened on the courts of the Severnside Lawn Tennis Club, Shrewsbury, yesterday in fine weather". Birmingham Daily Gazette. Warwickshire, England: British Newspaper Archive. 15 July 1924. p. 8. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
- ^ "SHROPSHIRE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP". Wellington Journal. Shropshire, England: British Newspaper Archive. 7 July 1906. p. 1. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
- ^ "Shropshire Lawn Tennis Tournament: A very large number of entries have been received for the Championship of Shropshire open tennis meeting to be held on Monday, Tuesday, and the morning of Wednesday next week". Shrewsbury Chronicle. Shropshire, England: British Newspaper Archive. 14 August 1903. p. 5. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
- ^ "About Tennis Shropshire". www.tennisshropshire.co.uk. LTA/Shropshire LTA. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
- ^ "Shropshire County Championships a huge success as number of entries go up again - Tennis Shropshire". www.tennisshropshire.co.uk. Tennis Shropshire. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
- ^ "Tournament – Shropshire Championships". www.tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
- ^ Huka (10 September 1904). "Lawn Tennis". Evening Post. Vol. LXVIII, no. 62. PapersPast. p. 14.
- ^ "Personal Notes From London". Auckland Star. PapersPast. 27 August 1906. p. 3.
- ^ "Ernest Parton: Overview". ATP Tour. Association of Tennis Professionals. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
- ^ "Frank Pearce: Overview". ATP Tour. Association of Tennis Professionals. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
- ^ "S.Ernest Charlton: Overview". ATP Tour. Association of Tennis Professionals. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
- ^ "LAWN TENNIS:Empire of Japan player R. Miki wins Shrops Championships". Staffordshire Sentinel. Staffordshire, England: British Newspaper Archive. 17 June 1931. p. 8. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
- ^ "SPORTING NEWS". Birmingham Daily Post. Birmingham, Warwickshire: British Newspaper Archive. 19 July 1949. p. 4. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
- ^ "Lawn Tennis Results 1903". Hazell's Annual. London: Hazell, Watson and Viney. 1904. p. 722.