The 1883 Women's tennis season was a tennis circuit composed of 25 national, regional, county, and regular tournaments. The season began in May in Dublin, Ireland, and ended in October in Staten Island, United States.
Season summary Prior to the creation of the International Lawn Tennis Federation and the establishment of its world championship events in 1913 the Wimbledon Championships, the U.S. National Championships, the Irish Lawn Tennis Championships and the Northern Championships were considered by players and historians as the four most important tennis tournaments to win.
1883 sees a decrease in the number women's singles events being held as the tennis circuit continues to form.Berry. David (2020). A people's history of tennis. (2) Feminists. Pluto Books London . p.29. In May 1883 at the first major event of the year the Irish ChampionshipsIrish TV Documentary (4 Jul 2016). The True Tale Of The Irish Tennis Murderer. Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTE). Dublin. Ireland. in Dublin, Ireland. In the women's Ireland's May Langrishe wins the singles title defeating her sister Beatrice Langrishe, she also picks up the mixed doubles title with Ernest Browne. In terms of draw size the West of England Championships was the largest tournament of the year with a draw of 46 across three events.
In June 1883 at the second major tournament of the year the Northern Championships in Manchester featured a full schedule of events the singles title going to Edith Coleridge, she also picks up the doubles title with Rose Collier, whilst the mixed event is won by the pairing of Clara Fletcher and Ernest Browne (himself winning both mixed titles at both major tournaments).
At the 1883 Wimbledon Championships the world's first major tennis tournament, it still remained an all men's event, no women's events were staged. At the U.S. National Championships there was still no women's championship events held. In October 1883 the first official event for women is held at the Staten Island Cricket Club organised by the Brighton Ladies Club for Outdoor Sports, the event is known as the Camp Washington Ladies Tournament a Miss Goodwin defeats Adeline Robinson in the singles final, however she wins the doubles title with a Miss Grandy. In 1913 the International Lawn Tennis Federation was created, that consisted of national member associations. The ILTF through its associated members then became responsible for supervising women's tour events.
Season results Notes 1: Challenge Round: the final round of a tournament, in which the winner of a single-elimination phase faces the previous year's champion, who plays only that one match. The challenge round was used in the early history of tennis (from 1877 through 1921), in some tournaments not all.* Indicates challenge round final
Key Important. National Provincial/State/Regional County Local
Results included:
January to April No events
May Mix doubles (**) EndedTournamentWinnerFinalistSemifinalistQuarterfinalist27 May.Irish ChampionshipsFitzwilliam LTCDublin, IrelandOutdoorGrassSingles - Doubles May Langrishe6-0, 6-1 Beatrice Langrishe Connie Butler E. Esmonde Miss Bayley Mrs Clarke Lena Rice Miss Shaw May Langrishe** Ernest Browne6-3, 6-2, 6-0 Lena Rice Peter Aungier
June EndedTournamentWinnerFinalistSemi FinalistQuarter Finalist2 June.West of England ChampionshipsLansdowne Cricket ClubBath, EnglandOutdoorGrassSingles - Doubles Maud Watson6-1, 6-2 N. Pope Clara Hill Georgina Kirkby Florence Mardall N. Pope Lilian Watson* Maud Watson6-3, 5-6, 6-3 Edith Davies Grace Gibbs 9 June. East Gloucestershire Championships Montpelier Gardens Cheltenham, EnglandOutdoorGrassSingles Maud Watson6-3, 6-0 F Davies Edith Davies Miss Cornford Florence Mardall Lilian Watson * Maud Watson6-1, 6-1 Kate Cornford F Davies 21 June. Leicester OpenLeicester, EnglandOutdoorGrassSingles - Doubles Agnes Watts 2-6, 6-1, 6-1, 6-2 Miss Noon 22 June.County Kilkenny TournamentArchersfield, IrelandOutdoorGrassSingles - Doubles May Langrishe6-1, 6-2, 6-0 Mary Lysaght 30 June.Northern Championships Manchester, EnglandOutdoorGrassSingles - Doubles Edith Coleridge 6-3, 9-7 Miss Eckersley Miss L Cheetham Emily Fletcher N. Garnett A. McLaren B. McLaren K. Mitchell Edith Coleridge * Rose Collier6-3, 9-7 Miss L Cheetham Miss Eckersley
July * (denotes doubles) ** (denotes mix doubles)x DateTournamentWinnerFinalistSemifinalistQuarterfinalist7 Jul.Leamington Open TournamentLeamington Spa, EnglandGrassSingles - Doubles No Ladies Singles Lilian Watson * Maud Watson6-4, 6-4, 6-4 Miss Noon Agnes Watts 21 Jul.Staffordshire C.C.C. TournamentStaffordshire Lawn Tennis ClubLichfield, EnglandGrassSingles - Doubles Mrs Peter Smith2-6, 6-4, 6-5 Rose Collier 25 Jul.Norwich OpenNorwich, EnglandGrassSingles - Doubles G Rant6-1, 6-2 J.Hartoup
August EndedTournamentWinnerFinalistSemifinalistQuarterfinalist1 AugFramlingham OpenFramlingham, EnglandGrassSingles - Doubles Miss G Want6-2, 6-0 Miss Davey 4 Aug Worcestershire CCC OpenWorcester, EnglandGrassSingles - Doubles Florence Mardall6-2, 6-4 Miss Hill 8 Aug West Somersetshire TournamentTaunton, EnglandGrassSingles - Doubles Georgina Woodhouse6-5, 6-2 Mary Spurway 9 Aug Victoria Park Lawn Tennis TournamentExeter, EnglandGrassSingles - Doubles Lilian Cole6-2 6-1 Miss Cobbold 16 Aug.South Wales Championships Tenby, WalesGrassSingolare - Doppio C Jones6-2 3-6 6-4 E Fletcher 17 Aug East Grinstead Lawn Tennis TournamentEast Grinstead, EnglandGrassSingles - Doubles Leila Lodwick6-2 6-1 Miss Cobbold 18 Aug.Exmouth TournamentExmouth, EnglandGrassSingles - Doubles Maud Watson6-4 6-2 Lilian Cole 23 Aug.Teignmouth and Shaldon OpenTeignmouth, EnglandAsphaltSingles - Doubles Florence Mardall6-3, 2-6, 6-3 Lilian Watson 25 Aug.South of Scotland ChampionshipsMoffat, ScotlandGrassSingles - Doubles Jane Meikle6-3 2-6 6-3 A Forest Midland Counties ChampionshipsEdgbaston, EnglandGrassSingles - Doubles Miss Hutton6-5 8-6 L Sanders 29 AugMid Devon Lawn Tennis TournamentEggesford, EnglandGrassSingles - Doubles Leila Lodwick6-2 6-1 Miss Cobbold
September EndedTournamentWinnerFinalistSemifinalistQuarterfinalist5 Sep.Bournemouth Lawn Tennis Club TournamentBournemouth, EnglandGrassSingles - Doubles Mrs Hornby5-6 6-3 6-1 M Richards 8 SepDevonshire Park ChampionshipsEastbourne, EnglandGrassSingles - Doubles M Leslie10-8 6-4 Miss Congreve 12 SepPortishead Open Lawn Tennis TournamentPortishead, EnglandGrassSingles - Doubles Miss Bryant6-2 6-3 J. Carter 14 SepSaxmundham LTC Tournament Saxmundham, EnglandGrassSingles - Doubles G. Rant6-0 6-2 L. Davy
October EndedTournamentWinnerFinalistSemifinalistQuarterfinalist5 Oct. Camp Washington Ladies Lawn Tennis TournamentStaten Island, United StatesGrassSingles - Doubles Miss Goodwin6-2 4-6 6-5 Adeline Robinson
November to December No events
Tournament winners (singles) This is a list of winners by the total number of singles titles won for 1883: Maud Watson – Bath, Cheltenham, Exmouth, (3) May Langrishe – Archersfield, Irish Championships, (2) Edith Coleridge – Northern Championships, Leicester (2) Florence Mardall – Teignmouth, Worcester, (2) Leila Lodwick – East Grinstead, Eggesford (2) G. Rant – Norwich, Saxmundham, (2) Miss Goodwin – Staten Island, (1) Mrs Peter Smith – Lichfield, (1) Miss G Want – Framlingham, (1) Georgina Woodhouse – Taunton, (1) Lilian Cole – Exeter, (1) C Jones – Tenby, (1) Jane Meikle – Moffat, (1) Miss Hutton – Edgbaston, (1) Mrs Hornby – Bournemouth, (1) M Leslie – Eastbourne, (1) Miss Bryant – Portishead, (1)
Statistical summary Singles Total Tournaments (25) Most Titles: Maud Watson (3) Most Finals: Maud Watson (3) Most Matches Played: Maud Watson (11) Most Matches Won: Maud Watson (11) Match Winning %: Maud Watson (100%) Most Tournaments Played: Maud Watson (3)
Doubles Total Tournaments (9) Most Titles: Lilian Watson & Maud Watson (3) Most Finals: Lilian Watson & Maud Watson (3)
Mix doubles Total Tournaments (16) Most Titles: Florence Mardall & Maud Watson (2) Most Finals: Florence Mardall & Maud Watson (2)
References