The North of England Hard Court Championships, later known as the Wilson North of England Hard Court Tennis Championships for sponsorship reasons, was a combined men's and women's clay court tennis tournament established in 1913 and ran until 1988.

History The North of England Hard Court Championships was a combined men's and women's clay court tennis tournament first established in 1913 at the Yorkshire Lawn Tennis Club. Scarborough, Yorkshire, England. In 1956 the tournament changed location to the Argyle Lawn Tennis Club, Southport, England for the duration of its run until 1988.Liverpool Echo, The British Newspaper Archive, 24 March 1988, p.73.

In 1941 the Argyle Lawn Tennis Club established the Southport Easter Open tournament, and from 1956 that tournament was incorporated jointly with the North of England Hard Court Championships.Liverpool Echo 6 April 1966. p.24. From 1981 to 1984 the championships were sponsored by the paint company 'Weatherall' and was known as the Weatherall North of England Hard Court Championships. In 1985 the company Wilson Sporting Goods took over sponsorship of the event and was known as the Wilson North of England Hard Court Tennis Championships until 1988 then was discontinued.Liverpool Echo, The British Newspaper Archive, 24 March 1988, p.73.

Finals Men's singles (Incomplete roll) YearChampionRunner-upScoreNorth of England Hard Court Championships1920 Mark Hick Ralph Douglas Watson 6–2, 7–5, 6–41922 Ernest Bisseker Jack Hillyard 6–3, 5–7, 6–8, 6–2, 6-31931 Arthur W. Hill Lionel Antrobus 6-1, 6-41933 John Colin Gregory Donald MacPhail6-4, 7-51934 Vernon Kirby Alan Martin Wedd6-3, 6-41935 Raymond Tuckey Pat Sherwood6-3, 6-3 1936 Raymond Tuckey (2) Pat Sherwood6-4, 8-61937 Raymond Tuckey (3) Ronald Alfred Shayes 6–4, 2–6, 6–31938 Murray Deloford Harold Hare 6–3, 4–6, 6–11939 George Godsell Pat Sherwood6-2, 6-21940/1945Not held (due to world war two)1946 Ignacy Tłoczyński Jack Harper 8–6, 3–6, 6–1 1947The Advocate Ignacy Tłoczyński (2) Tony Mottram6-4, 6-3 1948 Ignacy Tłoczyński (3) George Godsell7-5, 6-01949 Ignacy Tłoczyński (4) Bobby Meredith6-0, 6-01950 Ignacy Tłoczyński (5) Derrick Leyland6-0, 6-11951 Czeslaw Spychala Donald Butler 6–4, 4–6, 7–51952 Staffan Stockenberg Czeslaw Spychala6-4, 6-41953 John Barrett Ignacy Tłoczyński6-4, 6-41954 Ignacy Tłoczyński (6) Matthew Farhang Mohtadi 6–3, 3–6, 6–11955 Ivor Warwick Ian A. Macdonald 6-2, 6-31956 John Horn Mike Hann 7–5, 4–6, 6–41957 Robert Bédard Alan Mills6-2, 6-31959 Alan Mills Malcolm Gracie6-1, 6-21960 Lew Gerrard Alan Mills 4–6, 6–2, 6–41961 Tony Pickard Mike Hann6-4, 6-31962 Jimmy Tattersall Trevor Adamson 4–6, 6–2, 6–1 North of England Hard Court Lawn Tennis Championships1963 Jimmy Tattersall (2) Malcolm Gracie8-6, 6-21964 Clay Iles Mark Cox7-5, 6-21965 G.B. Jones Geoff Stubbs7-6, 6-21966 Billy Knight John Roderick Mcdonald6-1, 6-21967 Billy Knight (2) John Roderick Mcdonald6-3, 6-4Open era North of England Hard Court Open Championships1968 Geoff Stubbs David Gunson6-3, 6-31969 Clay Iles (2) Robert G. Clarke6-4, 6-31970 Allan McDonald Ken Weatherley 6–2, 4–6, 6–41972 Robert G. Clarke John Howarth 1973 John Marnoch Robert Armytage6-4, 6-11974 Geoffrey Paish Willem Prinsloo 6–1, 6–7, 7–51976 Roger Webb Antony Fawley7-6, 6-41977 Neil Rayner Nigel Sears 6–2, 1–6, 6–21978 Andrew Jarrett Trevor Heath6-1, 6-01979 Harvey Becker Kevin Harris 0–6, 7–6, 6–21980 Keith Gilbert Nigel Sears6-0, 6-2Weatherall North of England Hard Court Tennis Championships 1981 Nick Brown Simon Ickringill1982 Michael Appleton Neil Rayner6-3, 7-61983 Neil Rayner Harvey Becker 6–4, 4–6, 6–1

Women's singles (Incomplete roll) YearChampionRunner-upScoreNorth of England Hard Court Championships 1913 Mary Gray Welsh Jessie Green 6-1, 6-1 1914 Mrs E. Wilkinson Mary Gray Welsh 6–3, 3–6, 6–21915/1918Not held (due to world war one) 1919 Phyllis Satterthwaite Mrs A. Wilkinson 6-1, 6-2 1920 Elsie Goodlass Holtby Mrs Hobson 2–6, 6–2, 6–2 1921 Elsie Goodlass Holtby (2) Mrs Hobson 6–4, 6–3 1922 Phyllis Satterthwaite (2) Joan Austin 6-1, 6-3 1923 Norah Fosdick Middleton Mary Gray Welsh 6–2, 5–7, 7–5 1924 Ruth Watson Lesley Cadle 6–4, 7–9, 6–4 1925 Ruth Watson (2) Elsie Goodlass Holtby 6-2, 6-1 1926 Ruth Watson (3) Mrs Wormald 6–1, 5–7, 6–1 1927 Aurea Edgington Eileen Connell 6-4, 6-2 1928 Elsie Goldsack Aurea Edgington 6-3, 6-4 1929Elsie Goldsack (2) Dorothy Anderson 6-3, 8-6 1930 Dorothy Anderson Janet Lawson 6-1, 6-2 1931 Dorothy Anderson (2) R. Bray 6-2, 7-5 1932 Freda James Janet Lawson Walker 6-2, 7-5 1933 Freda James (2) Edie Rudd Luxton 6-3, 6-4 1934 Doris Bullock Nancy Kidson 2–6, 6–2, 6–3 1935 Joan Hartigan Rosemary Smith 6-2, 6-2 1936 Nina Brown Rosemary Smith 3–6, 6–2, 6–2 1937 Thelma Jarvis Denise Huntbach 6-3, 6-2 1938 Gladys Southwell Nina Brown 6-4, 4-0 ret. 1939 Suzy Kormoczy Nora Maingay 6-3, 6-21940/1945Not held (due to world war two) 1946 Jean Quertier Sheila Barraclough 6-1, 7-5 1947 Joan Curry Joy Gannon 6-3, 6-2 1948 Joan Curry (2) Peggy Dawson-Scott6-0, 6-1 1949 Joan Curry (3) Lesley Hunter Fulton 6-0, 6-1 1950 Thelma Coyne Long Jean Quertier 6-4, 7-5 1951 Susan Partridge Helen Fletcher 6-3, 3–6, 10-8 1952 Jean Petchell Valerie Lewis6-3, 7-5 1953 Pat Harrison Jean Petchell6-3, 6-2 1954 Barbara Knapp Jean Petchell7-5, 6-3 1955 Georgie Woodgate Barbara Knapp6-1, 6-3 1956 Angela Buxton Elaine Watson 6-0, 6-1 1958 Angela Buxton (2) Margaret R. O'Donnell6-2, 6-3 1959 Shirley Bloomer Margaret H. O'Donnell 6-3, 6-3 1960 Shirley Bloomer Brasher (3) Elaine Shenton6-3, 6-1 1961 Shirley Bloomer Brasher (4) Margaret R. O'Donnell 7-5, 6-2 1962 Margaret Cooper E. Smith 6-1, 6-4North of England Hard Court Lawn Tennis Championships 1963 Margaret R. O'Donnell E. Smith 4–6, 6–2, 6–4 1964 Nell Truman Heather Allen 2–6, 6–2, 6–1 1965 Margaret R. O'Donnell (2) J. Hope 7-5, 6-3 1966 Margaret R. O'Donnell (3) Alex McAlpine 6–1, 5–7, 6–0 1967 Rita Bentley Jitka Volavková9-7, 6-3Open era North of England Hard Court Open Championships 1968 Janice Townsend C. Penndivided title 1969 Shirley Bloomer Brasher (5) Janice Townsend 6–1, 3–6, 6–0 1970 Evonne Goolagong Joyce Barclay Williams 6-2, 6-3 1972 Veronica Burton Shirley Bloomer Brasher 6-1, 6-3 1973 R. Allen A. Morris 4–6, 6–0, 6–3 1974 Lindsey Beaven Corinne Molesworth 6-0, 6-4 1976 Michelle Tyler Corinne Molesworth 6-1, 6-1 1977 Anthea Cooper Debbie Jevans 6–4, 3–6, 6–2 1978 Corinne Molesworth Annette Coe 6–7, 7–6, 6–3 1979 Cathy Drury Jane Plackett 7-5, 7-6 1980 Belinda Thompson Joy Tacon 2–6, 6–1, 6–0Weatherall North of England Hard Court Tennis Championships 1981 Lisa Pennington Denise Parnell 6-1, 6-2 1982 Michelle Tyler (2) Kate Brasher 3–6, 6–4, 6–2 1983 Kate Brasher Sara Gomer 6–3, 2–6, 6–4

Event name North of England Hard Court Championships (1913–1962) North of England Hard Court Lawn Tennis Championships (1963–1967) North of England Hard Court Open Championships (1968–1980) Weatherall North of England Hard Court Tennis Championships (1981–1984) Wilson North of England Hard Court Tennis Championships (1985–1988)

Locations and Venues The championships were held at the Yorkshire Lawn Tennis Club. Scarborough, Yorkshire, England from 1913 to 1955. In 1956 event was transferred to the Southport Argyle Lawn Tennis Club, Southport, Merseyside until 1988.

Tournament records Men's Most Singles Titles: Ignacy Tłoczyński (6) Most Singles Finals: Ignacy Tłoczyński (7)

Women's Most Singles Titles: Shirley Bloomer Brasher (5) Most Singles Finals: Shirley Bloomer Brasher (6)

See also North of England Championships (grass court tournament)

References