The Bedford Open^[1] also known as the Bedford Lawn Tennis Open Tournament ^[2] was men's and women's grass court tennis tournament established in 1880 as the Bedfordshire LTC Tournament.^[3] It was held at the Bedford Lawn Tennis Club, Bedford, Berkshire, England and ran through until 1974 when it was abolished.^[4]

History

The first Bedfordshire Lawn Tennis Club evolved out of a croquet club established in June 1871 by the Brooks family of Flitwick Manor.^[5] The first tournament tennis was played there on 29 August 1876, one year before the first Wimbledon Championships were held.^[6] 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.^[7]

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.^[8] The North Bedfordshire LTC had courts at Sutton Manor, Sutton and Sandye Place.^[9] Between 1884 and 1885 both the North and South Bedfordshire LTCs had ceased to operate.^[10] Between 1882 and 1884 a new Bedfordshire LTC was established at Bedford on land next to Bedford College.^[11] The current Bedford LTC based at Bradgate Road (f.1890), is thought to be the successor club to Bedfordshire LTC.^[12]

From 1880 the South Bedfordshire LTC organised three recorded tournaments held at Fairfield Park, Stotfold, and two editions at Blunham House, Blunham, Bedford.^[13] In July 1882 a second edition of a Bedfordshire tournament was held on 18 July that year.^[14] On 28 August the Bedfordshire LTC had concluded an 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.^[15]

In 1891 the Bedford Open was founded.^[16] In July 1939 the tournament held its 48th annual open event.^[17] this event ran through till 1966 before it ceased. In 1974 the tournament was revived for one edition only.^[18] 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,^[19] Erik Bjerre, Ignacy Tłoczyński, Peter Cawthorn, Czeslaw Spychala,^[20] Mike Davies,^[21] Bobby Wilson, Frew McMillan,^[22] Keith Diepraam, Alan Mills^[23] 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,^[24] Lorna Cornell,^[25] Rita Bentley,^[26] and Angela Mortimer.^[27]

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.^[28] The club moved to new premises at Chester Road, Bedford, where it still operates today.^[29]

Finals

Men's Singles

(incomplete roll)

Year	Winner	Runner-up	Score
Bedfordshire 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
1914/1918	Not 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
1940/1946	Not 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. Williams	6-3, 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 Sangster	7-5, 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)

Year	Winner	Runner-up	Score
Bedford 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, 6-1
1915/1918	Not 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. Haines	6-2, 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 Pittman	6-0, 6-4
1939	Event divided between 4 players
1940/1946	Not 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[30]	Jean Knight	Evelyn Attwood	6-2, 6-2
1955	Sheila Armstrong	Rita Bentley	6-1, 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 Rosser	divided 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, 6-4
Open era
1974	Sandra Coe	E. Evans	6-3, 6-4

References