The Edgbaston OpenRoutledges Sporting Annual (1882) Lawn Tennis in 1881. George Routledge and Son. London. p.70. was an early Victorian era men's and women's grass court tennis tournament first staged in June 1881,Routledges Sporting Annual (1882) at the Edgbaston Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club, Edgbaston, Warwickshire, England. This distinct tournament ran until 1908.
History The Edgbaston Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club was founded in 1878 and continued to stage both events the Edgbaston Open tournament until 1908, and the Midland Counties Championships until November 1964. The Priory Lawn Tennis Club founded in 1865 and in May 1963 the Priory Club was destroyed by a fire,Edgbaston Priory Club talks about merger took place of the coming months with the Edgbaston C.L.T.C.Edgbaston Priory Club In December 1964 the new club was formed the Edgbaston Priory Club,Edgbaston Priory Club which continued to host the Midland Counties event until 1977.
The Edgbaston Open tournament was established on 21 July 1881,Routledges Sporting Annual (1882). and first staged at the ground of Edgbaston Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club, in Hall Hill Road, Edgbaston.
A description of the event that concluded on 23 July 1881:
On 5 September 1882 the second edition of the Edgbaston Open lawn tennis tournament was held, on the same dates and venue a dual tournament was staged called the Midland Counties Lawn Tennis Tournament (1882-1977),Birmingham Daily Post. Thursday 23 August 1883. Midland Counties Lawn Tennis Tournament. The second annual lawn tennis tournament in connection with the Edgbaston Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club was commenced yesterday, on the club ground, Hall Hill Road. the men's singles was won by Mr. R.W. Smith, and the Edgbaston Open Tournament was won by George Reston Brewerton. This tournament continued to be held separately to that of the counties championship until 1908.
Finals Incomplete Roll Men's Singles YearWinnerRunner-upScore1881 Walter William Chamberlain F.S. Goodwin6-3, 6-1, 6-4 1882 George Reston Brewerton John Redfern Deykin6-8, 6-4, 6-0, 6-2 1883 Charles Walder Grinstead Teddy Williams6-3, 6-3 1884 Teddy Williams Walter William Chamberlain8-6, 6-2, 6-3 1885 Alfred Henry Betham Walter William Chamberlain6-1, 6-3, 8-6 1886 John Redfern Deykin C.H. Rossbentshared title 1887 Percy Bateman Brown G.E. Lowe6-3, 7-5, 6-2 1888 James Baldwin Charles Hoadley Ashe Ross7-9, 6-0, 6-2, 6-4 1889 James Baldwin (2) John Redfern Deykin6-4, 6-4, 6-4 1890 James Baldwin (3) Ernest Crawley6-3, 6-3, 6-01891 R.A. Bennett John Redfern Deykin? 1892 Henry Guy Nadin G.F. Goodman6-2, 6-2, 6-2 1893 George Ball-Greene Henry Lawrence Fleming6-8, 6-1, 6-0, 6-3 1894 Wilfred Baddeley Harry Sibthorpe Barlow6-2, 4-6, 0-6, 6-4, 6-4 1895 Sydney Howard Smith Roy Allen5-7, 6-3, 9-7 1897 George Hillyard Sydney Howard Smithdivided title 1906 E.V. Jones Ernest George Bisseker6-0, 6-1, 6-2 1908 E.V. Jones (2) Frederick A. L'Estrange Burgess6-2, 6-1, 6-1
References
Sources Birmingham Daily Post. Thursday 23 August 1883. Birmingham, Warwickshire. England. Cole, Dr. Matt (2013). "History" (PDF). edgbastonpriory.com. Edgbaston Priory Club, Edgbaston, Birmingham, England. Heritage, (2021). edgbastonpriory.com. Edgbaston, Birmingham, England.