The East of England Championships also called the East of England Lawn Tennis Championships was a men's and women's grass court tennis tournament founded in 1885 as the Felixstowe Open Lawn Tennis Tournament. In 1889 the event had by this time become a regional level tournament that ran until 1983 when it lost its status as a senior international tour level event. However the championships are still being staged today as the East of England and an LTA British Tour (Premier Event).
History The Felixstowe Open Lawn Tennis Tournament hosted by the Felixstowe Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club became a regional level tour event called the East of England Championships in 1889. It was located Felixstowe, Suffolk, South East England. In 1890 the Felixstowe Open was revived as a stand alone event played alongside this one for two editions only until 1891.
The tournament was usually staged in mid-August, this later changed the middle or third week of July following the Wimbledon Championships. The East of England Championships ran for 98 years before it was discontinued in 1983 as a senior international tour level event. However the championships are still being staged today as the East of England an LTA British Tour (Premier Event).Felixstowe Lawn Tennis Club
This tournament became an interrelating regional event to the North of England Championships (f.1884), the South of England Championships (f.1881) and the West of England Championships (f.1881).
Notable winners of the men's singles championship title included Reggie Doherty (1906), Herbert Roper Barrett (1897-1899, 1901-1902, 1910), George Hillyard (1907-1908), Héctor Cattaruzza (1926), Jiro Yamagishi (1934-1935, 1937), George Worthington (1949), Jan Leschly (1957-1957), Mark Cox (1963, 1965-1967) and Saeed Meer (1977).
Former women's singles winners included Dorothea Douglass Chambers, (1902, 1906-1908, 1910), Geraldine Ramsey Beamish (1921-1922, 1926, 1933), Elsie Goldsack Pittman (1931-1932, 1938-1939), Jadwiga Jędrzejowska (1937, 1947), Shirley Bloomer (1954), Jill Blackman (1966), Patti Hogan (1967) and Greer Stevens (1973).
Finals Men's singles Incomplete roll included: Year Champion Runner up ScoreFelixstowe Open Lawn Tennis Tournament 1884 Francis William Monement Maurice Welldon6-4, 1-6, 6-11885 Francis William Monement (2) Herbert Davy Longe6-1, 6-01886 Alfred Penn Gaskell Charles Hoadley Ashe Ross5-6, 6-3, 6-31887 William Herbert Cohen Charles Sidney Cullingham6-3, 6-41888 Francis St. Barbe Haskett-Smith Herbert William Kersey6-1, 9-7, 6-3Eastern Counties Championships1889 William Nevill Cobbold Charles Gladstone Allen1-6, 6-5, 6-31890 Charles Gladstone Allen Francis Walter Eicke6-1, 1-6, 6-31891 Roy Allen William Nevill Cobbold6-4, 6-2, 6-21892 Roy Allen (2) Charles Gladstone Allenw.o.1893 Roy Allen (3) Herbert William Kersey6-4, 6-1, 10-8East of England Championships1894 Ernest Wool Lewis Rupert L. Hamblin-Smith6-0, 6-21895 Roy Allen (4) Sydney Howard Smith6-4, 1-6, 7-51896 Reginald Doherty Roy Allen6-4, 8-61897 Herbert Roper Barrett Charles Gladstone Allen7-5, 7-51898 Herbert Roper Barrett (2) Roy Allen3-6, 6-3, 6-11899 Herbert Roper Barrett (3) Roy Allen3-6, 8-6, 6-31900 Charles Percy Dixon Roy Allen3-6, 6-3, 6-21901 Herbert Roper Barrett (4) Charles Percy Dixon7-5, 6-8, 6-1, 6-31902 Herbert Roper Barrett (5) Charles Smeathman Hatton6-3, 6-3, 6-41903 Roy Allen (5) George Greville6-3, 6-3, 6-41904 Roy Allen (6) Herbert Roper Barrett6-3, 6-11907 George Hillyard Alfred Beamish6-2, 6-21908 George Hillyard (2) Alfred Beamish6-1, 6-21909 Alfred Ernest Beamish Dunstan Rhodes6-1, 6-1, 6-21910 Herbert Roper Barrett (6) George Hillyard 4-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-31914/1918Not held (due to world war one)1919 Charles Ernest Leonard Lyle Basil Henty6-4, 6-2, 6-31920 Hugh Walter Davies Charles Ernest Leonard Lyle2-6, 6-3, 6-11921 Thomas Bevan Charles Ernest Leonard Lyle6-2, 6-41922 Thomas Bevan (2) Charles Ernest Leonard Lyle9-7, 4-6, 6-11923 Sydney Jacob Donald Greig6-4, 6-4, 6-31924 Donald Greig Charles Ernest Leonard Lyle6-4, 7-5, 6-21925 Max Woosnam Charles Kingsley3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-21926 Héctor Américo Cattaruzza Ronaldo Boyd6-4, 6-4, 8-61927 Charles Herbert Kingsley Max Woosnam6-2, 6-2, 6-31928 Gordon Crole-Rees Sydney Jacob3-6, 8-6, 6-21929 Gordon Crole-Rees (2) G.R. Ashton6-2, 6-21930 Arthur W. Hill Gordon Crole-Rees6-0, 6-41931 Franz Matejka Charles Frederick Scroope6-2, 6-31932 George Godsell George S. Fletcher8-6, 6-31933 Henry Scriven Burrows Alan Stedman6-4, 1-6, 6-41934 Jiro Yamagishi Charles Aeschlimann6-4, 6-01935 Jiro Yamagishi (2) George Lyttleton Rogers6-3, 6-31936 Richard (Dickie) Ritchie Eikichi Itoh6-4, 6-31937 Jiro Yamagishi (3) Henry Billington 6-1, 6-41938 Lawrence Shaffi P. Martinelli2-6, 6-3, 6-21939 Constantin Tanacescu Eric Filby4-6, 6-4, 6-31940/1946Not held (due to world war one)1947 Jeff Robson John Barry6-2, 6-41948 Zoltan Katona R.J.E. Mayers6-8, 6-0, 6-21949 George Worthington Naresh Kumar6-2, 6-8, 6-41950 Anthony (Tony) Starte Bobby Nicholl 2-6, 7-5, 6-11951 Torben Ulrich Derrick Leyland8-6, 6-21952 Gerry Oakley Ivo Rinkel2-6, 6-4, 6-01953 Geoff Ward Nigel Lowe8-6, 6-3 1954 Jeff Robson (2) Geoff Ward8-6, 9-7 1955 Ivor Warwick Khwaja Saeed Hai14-16, 6-4, 6-4 1957 Jan Leschly Gordon Lawrence Talbot1-6, 6-2, 6-3 1958 Jan Leschly (2) Claus Storm Pallesen6-0, 6-0 1959 John Kebble Tariq Afridi7-5, 6-1 1962 Robert G. Clarke Mark Cox6-4, 6-3 1963 Mark Cox Geoff Bluett6-4, 6-3 1964 Keith Wooldridge Graham Stilwell6-2, 6-0 1965 Mark Cox (2) Gerald Battrick4-6, 7-5, 6-3 1966 Mark Cox (3) Lew Gerrard5-7, 7-5, 6-4 1967 Mark Cox (4) Keith Wooldridge6-2, 6-4 1968 Stanley Matthews Keith Wooldridge10-12, 7-5, 7-5 Open eraEast of England Open Championships 1969 Bob Giltinan Byron Bertram8-6, 1-6, 8-6 1970 Bob Giltinan (2) Syd Ball7-5, 6-2 1971 Alvin Gardiner Jeff Simpson5-7, 7-5, 6-4 1972 John Feaver Tony Fawcett9-8, 6-4 1973 Armistead Neely Larry Parker5-7, 6-4, 8-6 East of England Championships 1974 Willem Prinsloo Dave Segal6-3, 6-0 1975 Mike Collins Saeed Meer3-6, 6-3, 9-71976 Mark Farrell Stephen Alger6-3, 6-4 1977 Saeed Meer Ali Kahn2-6, 6-4, 9-7 1978 Willie Davies Dean Mathias6-3, 6-4 1979 Rob Hak Willie Davies9-8, 3-6, 6-3 1980 John Paish Willie Davies6-1, 6-4 1981 Ian Currie Martin Guntripw.o. 1982 Willie Davies (2) John Paish3-6, 6-1, 6-2
Women's singles (Incomplete roll) Year Champion Runner up ScoreFelixstowe Open Lawn Tennis Tournament 1886 A. Ridley Helen Kersey 6-1, 6-51887No women's event 1888 Nellie Turner Freda Green 4-6, 6-2, 10-8 Eastern Counties Championships 1889 Ivy Arbuthnot Helen Kersey 6-3, 6-4 1890 Florence Noon Thompson Winifred Kersey 6-3, 6-4 1891 Winifred Kersey C. Tidbury 6-4, 6-21892No women's event 1893 Elsie Lane Henrietta Horncastle6-3, 11-9 1894 M. Burton E. Burton 6-3, retired. 1895 Elsie Lane (2) A. Inge 6-1, 6-3 1896 Emma Ridding Henrica Ridding divided prizes East of England Championships 1897 Mrs White Henrietta Horncastle6-3, 6-3 1898 Edith Austin Miss Tootell 6-1, 6-2 1899 Beryl Tulloch Elsie Lane 6-8, 6-2, 6-4 1900 Beryl Tulloch (2) Winifred Kersey 4-6, 6-0, 6-2 1901 Connie Wilson Hilda Lane 6-2, 6-4 1902 Dorothea Douglass Winifred Longhurst6-3, 4-6, 9-7 1903 Alice Greene Connie Wilson6-3, 3-6, 7-5 1904 Connie Wilson (2) Agnes Morton 6-3, 6-3 1905 Alice Greene (2) Marion Colbatch-Clark 8-6, 6-2 1906 Dorothea Douglass (2) Connie Wilson 14-14, retired 1907 Dorothea Douglass Chambers (3) Agnes Morton6-2, 6-2 1908 Dorothea Douglass Chambers (4) Agnes Morton 6-1, 6-3 1909 Agnes Morton Mary Gray Curtis-Whyte 6-0, 6-1 1910 Dorothea Douglass Chambers (5) M. Messom 6-0, 6-2 1911 Dorothy Holman Winifred McNair 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 1912 Agnes Morton (2) Dorothea Douglass Chambers 5-7, 6-3, retired 1913 Winifred McNair Elizabeth Ryan 7-5, 7-51914-18Not held (due to World War I) 1919 Muriel Ledger Hextall Mrs F.W. Hodges 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 1920 Mabel Davey Clayton Phyllis Carr Satterthwaite 6-4, 6-3 1921 Geraldine Ramsey Beamish Mabel Davey Clayton 6-3, 7-5 1922 Geraldine Ramsey Beamish (2) Mabel Davey Clayton 6-0, 6-2 1923 Mabel Davey Clayton (2) Geraldine Ramsey Beamish 1-6, 6-2, 10-8 1924 Ermyntrude Harvey Claire Beckingham 6-4, 6-1 1925 Claire Beckingham Geraldine Ramsey Beamish 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 1926 Geraldine Ramsey Beamish (3) Elsie Goldsack 6-4, 6-2 1927 Joan Ridley Geraldine Ramsey Beamish 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 1928 Joan Ridley (2) Geraldine Ramsey Beamish 6-4, 6-3 1929 Joan Ridley (3) Elsie Goldsack 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 1930 Nancy Lyle Elsie Goldsack Pittman 6-4, 6-3 1931 Elsie Goldsack Pittman Joan Ridley6-2, 6-2 1932 Elsie Goldsack Pittman (2) Ermyntrude Harvey 6-0, 8-6 1933 Geraldine Ramsey Beamish (4) Lucy Bond Pretty 6-1, 6-1 1934 Freda Scott Joan Ridley 12-10, 8-8, retired 1935 Leila Row Freda Scott 6-3, 6-2 1936 Audrey de Smidt Allister Nancy Palmer 6-2, 6-2 1937 Jadwiga Jędrzejowska Audrey Wright 6-1, 6-4 1938 Elsie Goldsack Pittman (3) Rosemary Thomas 7-5, 9-7 1939 Elsie Goldsack Pittman (4) Iris Hutchings 2-6, 6-1, 6-31940-46Not held (due to World War I) 1947 Jadwiga Jędrzejowska (2) Bibi Gullbrandsson6-1, 6-2 1948 Jean Nicoll-Bostock Jean Quertier 11-9, 6-2 1949 Patricia Ward Joey Physick David 7-5, 6-2 1950 Margaret Emerson Anne Shilcock 6-2, 6-2 1951 Anne Shilcock Joey Physick Lloyd 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 1952 Jean Quertier Rinkel Baba Lewis6-1, 4-6, 6-2 1953 Lucille van der Westhuizen D. Midgley 6-0, 6-3 1954 Shirley Bloomer Heather Redwood Robson6-3, 6-1 1955 Bea Walter Anthea Gibb 6-4, 6-2 1956 Elaine Becroft Christine Truman 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 1957 Patricia Hird Inge Overgaard6-2, 6-0 1958 A. Hardwick Pia Balling 7-5, 6-2 1959 Sheila Griffin Bramley J. Stedman 6-3 6-2 1960 Sheila Griffin Bramley (2) Elaine Watson Shentondivided title 1961 J. Watts Sheila Griffin Bramley 7-5, 1-6, 6-3 1962 Judy Davidson Elizabeth Terry6-2, 6-3 1963 Alison Stroud Mrs S. Stevenson 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 1964 Elizabeth Starkie Deidre Catt 9-7, 4-6, 6-4 1965 Rita Bentley Elizabeth Starkie 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 1966 Jill Blackman Laura Rossouw6-3, 6-4 1967 Patti Hogan Lynn Abbes6-2, 6-3 1968 Janice Townsend Jenny Staley Hoad11-9, 6-1Open eraEast of England Open Championships 1969 Anita van Deventer Brenda Kirk 6-2, 6-4 1970 Corinne Molesworth Robin Blakelock Lloyd 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 1971 Jill Cooper Corinne Molesworth 6-3, 6-2 1972 Patricia Coleman Wendy Turnbull7-5, 8-6 1973 Greer Stevens Diane Riste 6-2, 6-1East of England Championships 1974 Gwen Stirton Lois Raymond 6-3 7-5 1975 Lindsay Blachford Annette Coe 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 1976 J. Wilton Julia Lloyd 6-3, 7-5 1977 Linda Geeves Jill Cottrell 6-2, 6-4 1978 Deborah Stewart Hagit Zubary6-2, 9-7 1979 Phyllis Blackwell E. Sharp 6-4, 6-3 1980 Elizabeth Little Sonia Davies 6-1, 6-1 1981 Deborah Stewart (2) Jane Plackett 6-3, 6-3 1982 Joy Tacon Belinda Cordwell4-6, 6-3, 6-2 1983 Jane Langstaff Paulette Moreno7-6, 6-0
Tournament records Most Men's Singles Titles– Herbert Roper Barrett & Roy Allen (6) Most Men's Singles Finals– Roy Allen (10) Most Women's Singles Titles– Dorothea Douglass Chambers & Geraldine Ramsey Beamish & Elsie Goldsack Pittman (4) Most Women's Singles Finals– Geraldine Ramsey Beamish (8)
Notes In the late 1880s an East of England tournament was established in Filey, North Yorkshire, but was predominantly a local tennis meeting only.
Event names Felixstowe Open Lawn Tennis Tournament (1885-87) Eastern Counties Championships (1889-96) East of England Championships (1897–1967) East of England Open Championships (1968–72) East of England Tournament (1973) East of England Championships (1974–82)
References
Sources Daily Mail Year Book. (1966) London: Associated Newspapers Groups. Events. clubspark.lta.org.uk. Felixstowe Lawn Tennis Club. The Ipswich Journal. (14 August 1886) Ipswich, Suffolk, England. The Sketch: (1924) A Journal of Art and Actuality. Ingram brothers. 110: 127.