Westgate-on-Sea Tournament

The Westgate-on-Sea Tournament also known as the St. Mildred's Tournament was a men's and women's hard asphalt court tennis tournament founded in 1881 at the Westgate-on-Sea Lawn Tennis Club, St. Mildred's Courts, St. Mildreds Bay, Westgate-on-Sea, Kent, England.[1] The tournament ran annually until 1938 before the start of World War II.

Westgate-on-Sea Tournament
Defunct tennis tournament
Founded1881
Abolished1938
LocationSt. Mildred's Courts, St. Mildreds Bay, Westgate-on-Sea, Kent, England.
VenueWestgate-on-Sea LTC
SurfaceHard (asphalt)

History

edit

The Westgate-on-Sea Tournament was a men's and women's annual tennis tournament founded in 1881 that continued to stage events through until 1938. The winner of the inaugural tournament was held from 9 to 13 September that year with men's singles being won by Mr. G. G. Dineley.[2] The men's doubles was won by Mr. T. Sopwith and Mr. S. Winkley.[3] In 1938 the final edition of this tournament was played from 22 to 27 August. The final men's singles event was by John Olliff.

Finals

edit
 

The image right taken in 2008 is St Mildred's Bay. The built up area center right is St. Mildred's Gardens, and slightly to the upper left of center, you can see the Westgate-on-Sea tennis courts site of the old St. Mildred's courts, the courts today are made from hard cement with a tarmac surface.

Men's Singles

edit
Incomplete Roll
Year Winner Runner-up Score
1881.[4]   G. G. Dineley   T. Sopwith ?
1905.   Philip Rufford Hewlett   Henry Biddle 6–4, 6–4
1908.   Henry Biddle   A.P. Twigg 6–8, 7–5, 6–3
1921.   Hugh Cyril Eltringham   Norman Dicks 6–4, 1–6, 6–4, 6–1
1922.   Gerald Sherwell   Basil Henty 6–2, 6–4, 7–5
1923.   Gerald Sherwell   Hugh Cyril Eltringham 6–3, 3–6, 9–7
1932.[5]   Henry Billington ?
1933.[6]   Patrick Sherwood   Guy I. Pettigrew ?
1935.   Patrick Sherwood   H.D. Nicholson 6–2, 6–1
1936.   Patrick Sherwood   John A.S. Collins 6–4, 3–6, 8–6
1937.   John Olliff   John A.S. Collins 3–6, 6–4, 6–3
1938.   John Olliff   Algernon Kingscote 7–5, 6–3

Men's Doubles

edit
Year Winner Runner-up Score
1881.[7]   T. Sopwith
  S. Winkley
  G.G. Dineley
  E. Warren
def.

Women's singles (spring)

edit
Incomplete Roll
Year Winner Runner-up Score
1927   Mrs Morison   Peggy Ingram Bouverie 6-4, 8-6
1928   F B Hensman   Mrs A M B Foreshew 6-2, 6-1
1929   Madeleine Pearson   Agnes Steer-Watkins 6–3, 6-3
1930   Aurea Edgington   Joan Ingram 6-1, 6-0
1932   Betty Holly   Alexandra McOstrich 6-3, 3–6, 6-3

Women's Singles (Summer)

edit
Year Winner Runner-up Score
1922   Mrs Fletcher   M E Pilcher 4–6, 6–1, 6–0
1923   Joan Austin   Joan Reid-Thomas 8–6, 7–5
1924   Joan Reid-Thomas   M Coles 6–1, 6–4
1925   E. Kelsey   Betty Nuthall 1–6, 8–6, 6–2
1926   Dorothy Holman   Peggy Ingram Bouverie 6–1, 6–3
1927   Nancy Lyle   Mrs MacLeod 6–4, 2–6, 6–3
1928   Joan Ridley   Nancy Lyle 6–4, 6–1
1929   Nancy Lyle   Alida Klemantaski 6–0, 6–4
1930[8]   Joan Ingram   Agnes Steer-Watkins 6–1, 6–2
1931   Jeanette Morfey   Alida Klemantaski 6–4, 6–2
1932   Madge Valantine List   Olga Greenwood 6–4, 6–4
1933   Sheila Chuter   W E Murphy 7–5, 6–2
1935   Gladys Southwell   J M Notley 3–6, 6–4, 6–2
1937   G F Mathias   Alida Taylor 6–1, 6–3
1938   Barbara Costerton   G F Mathias 6–4, 6–3

Mix Doubles

edit
Year Winner Runner-up Score
1881.[9]   T. Sopwith
  Miss A. Townsend
  Mr. C. Leigh Clare
  Miss. I. Bouverie
def.

Notes

edit

This tournament in some other sources is known as the St. Mildreds Tournament Westgate on Sea.

References

edit
  1. ^ Routledges Sporting Annual (1882) Lawn Tennis in 1881. George Routledge and Son. London. p.72.
  2. ^ Routledges Sporting Annual (1882)
  3. ^ Routledges Sporting Annual (1882)
  4. ^ Routledges Sporting Annual (1882)
  5. ^ Thanet Advertiser (8 September 1933). p.167.
  6. ^ "Westgate Tennis Finals. The annual open tournament of Westgate-on-Sea Lawn Tennis Club was held the club courts* Canterbury-road, last week. P. V. V. Sherwood, the holder of the men's singles championship, retained his title by beating G. I. Pettigrew". Thanet Advertiser. Thanet, Kent, England. 8 September 1933. p. 167.
  7. ^ Routledges Sporting Annual (1882)
  8. ^ "Tennis Westgate Finals. The Westgate on Sea tennis tournament concluded at the St. Mildred's courts Saturday". Thanet Advertiser. Thanet , Kent, England. 17 April 1930. p. 3.
  9. ^ Routledges Sporting Annual (1882)

Sources

edit
  • Routledges Sporting Annual (1882) George Routledge and Son. London.
  • Thanet Advertiser. (17 April 1930) Thanet, Kent, England.
  • Thanet Advertiser. (8 September 1933) Thanet, Kent, England.