The Hull Open was annual men's and women's grass court tennis tournament founded as the Hull Westbourne Avenue Open Tournament in 1884.[1] From 1905 to 1914 the tournament was co-branded as the East Yorkshire Championships. The tournament was organised by the Hull Lawn Tennis Club, Kingston-Upon-Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The tournament ran until 1956.

Hull Open
Defunct tennis tournament
Founded1884; 140 years ago (1884)
Abolished1956; 68 years ago (1956)
LocationKingston upon Hull, Yorkshire, England
VenueWestbourne Avenue Grounds (1884–90)
Ferens Recretation Grounds (1921–1959)
SurfaceGrass

History

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In 1884 the Hull Westbourne Avenue Open Tournament[2] was organised by the Hull Lawn Tennis Club (f.1880),[3] and played at the Westbourne Avenue Grounds. In 1891 that tournament was renamed as the Hull Open Tournament a grass court tennis event. In 1905 the tournament was co-branded as the East Yorkshire Championships,[4] a county level event that lasted until 1914. Following World War I the tournament resumed under the name of the Hull Open.[5] Despite being discontinued because of World War II it resumed thereafter through till at least 1956.[6]

The men's event though consisting of mainly British Isles players, did attract international players, the women's event started to attract international players after the Second World War. Senior tour tennis ceased to be staged in Kingston-Upon-Hull until 2002 when an event for women was established called the Hull Indoor Tournament that ran until 2006.

Finals

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Men's Singles

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Incomplete Roll included[7][8][9]
Year Winner Runner-up Score
Hull Westbourne Avenue Open Tournament
1884   W.S. Wright   William Francis Wells-Cole w.o.
1885   William Henry Mahon   Gilbert Mahon w.o.
1886   William Henry Mahon (2)   L. Harrison 6–1, 6–2, 6–2
1887   Frederick T. Bradbury   L. Harrison 2–6, 8–6, 6–2
1890   William Henry Mahon (3)   Geoffrey Heathcote-Hacker 9–7, 6–3
Hull Open Tournament
1891   H.L. Winter   E.M. Samson w.o.
also valid as East Yorkshire Championships
1905   Ernest Watson   Sidney Watson 6–2, 6–3
1906   Ernest Watson (2)   Sidney Watson 7–5, 2–6, 6–4
1908   Ernest Watson (3)   Alec Smith 6–2, 6–0
1909   Les Poidevin   Sidney Watson 6–3, 6–4
1910   George Simond   Mark Day Hick 6–2, 6–1, 6–2
1915/1918 (Not held due to world war one)
Hull Open
1935   Clayton Lee (Teddy) Burwell[10]   Dave N. Jones 6–1, 6–4
1936   Ronald Shayes   Hans van Swol 6–3, 6–0
1937   Hans van Swol   Edmund John David 6–3, 9–7
1938   Jimmy Jones   Murray Deloford 6–3, 6–1
1939   Constantin Tanacescu   Jimmy Jones 6–2, 4–6, 6–2
1940/1946 (Not held due to world war two)
1947   Ghaus Mohammed Khan   K.L. Ahmed 6–4, 8–10, 6–4
1948   John B. Griffith   Teddy Tinling 6–4, 7–5
1949   George Godsell   Teddy Tinling 6–3, 6–2
1950   Geoff Brown   Brian W. Rooke 7–5, 6–0
1951   Nigel Cockburn   Peter Cawthorn 6–4, 6–1
1952   Peter Cawthorn   Steven Deaderick Potts[11] 6–2, 7–5
1953   Robert J. (Bob) Lee   Anthony Starte 7–5, 3–6, 6–3
1954   Jeffrey Ellis Robson   Islam Ahmad 6–3, 9–7
1955   Ivor Warwick   Arthur R. Gubb 6–4, 6–1
1956   Matt Rainey   J.S. Fluck 6–1, 8–6
Tournament ends

Women's singles

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Incomplete Roll
Year Winner Runner-up Score
Hull Westbourne Avenue Open Tournament
1886   Constance Hodgson   Miss Alfrey 6–3, 6–2
1887   Constance Hodgson (2)   Angel Smith 3–6, 6–4, 6–3
1889   Katherine Grey   Miss Barber 6–3, 6–1
1890   Katherine Grey (2)   E. Lee-Smith 6–1, 5–7, 9–7
Hull Open Tournament
1891   Catherine Crosby   G. Harrison w.o.
1892   Helen Jackson   Beatrice Draffen 6–0, 6–0
1901   Miss Robinson   Bertha Holder 6–1, 1–6, 6–3
also valid as East Yorkshire Championships
1906   Marion Crosby Morton   Mrs J.B. Perrett 2–6, 6–4, 6–2
1908   Bertha Holder   Eleanor Rose 6–1, 6–2
1910   Helen Aitchison   Bertha Holder 6–1, 6–4
1911   Eleanor Rose   Mrs F. Robinson 6–2, 6–2
1912   Eleanor Rose (2)   Kathleen Aitchison 7–5, 9–11, 6–2
1913   Eleanor Rose (3)   Kathleen Aitchison 1–6, 6–2 6–4
1914   Mrs J. Billyeald   Susannah Cadman Wilford 6–3, 6–2
1915/1920 (Not held due to world war one)
Hull Open
1921   Kathleen Aitchison   Norah Fosdick Middleton 6–2, 6–2
1922   Kathleen Aitchison (2)   Joan Austin 4–6, 8–6, 6–2
1923   Joan Austin   Eleanor Rose 6–3, 6–2
1924   Kathleen Aitchison (3)   Elsie Goodlass Holtby 6–3, 6–1
1925   Elsie Goodlass Holtby   Norah Fosdick Middleton 6–3, 6–3
1926   Betty Dix   Norah Fosdick Middleton 6–3, 6–2
1927   Dorothy Shaw   Kate Anningson 6–1, 6–0
1928   Betty Dix (2)   Kate Anningson 6–2, 6–3
1929   Dorothy Shaw Jameson   Betty Dix 6–1, 6–4
1930   Betty Dix (3)   Joan Reid-Thomas Strawson 6–4, 6–2
1931   Joan Reid-Thomas Strawson   Betty Dix 6–2, 6–2
1932   Edie Rudd   Nancy Hellewell 3–6, 6–1, 8–6
1933   Barbara Stampe   Gladys Clarke-Jervoise 1–6, 6–3, 6–4
1934   Edie Rudd Luxton (2)   Freda Scott 6–1, 6–2
1935   A. Sargent   Patricia Owen 6–4, 6–3
1936   Gladys Southwell   Gertruid Terwindt 6–4, 7–5
1937   Gertruid Terwindt   Ruth Armstrong Kirk 6–2, 6–3
1938   Ruth Armstrong Kirk   Mary Lincoln 6–3, 6–4
1939   Ruth Armstrong Kirk (2)   Mary Lincoln w.o.
1940/1946 (Not held due to world war two)
1947   Mrs Dowling   M. Dickenson 8–6, 7–5
1948   Mrs B. Scholten   S. Tickler 5–7, 7–5, 6–4
1949   Georgie Woodgate   Billie Woodgate 6–4, 6–4
1950   Sheila Speight   Mrs G. Brown 6–1, 6–3
1951   Jean Trower   Valerie Lewis 5–7, 7–5, 6–4
1952   Shirley Bloomer   Valerie Lewis 4–6, 6–4, 6–2
1953   Shirley Bloomer (2)   Valerie Lewis 6–1, 6–3
1954   Shirley Bloomer (3)   Jean Petchell 7–5, 6–2
1955   Valerie Lewis   Anthea Gibb 6–4, 6–1
1956   Mrs C. Dunn   Mrs M. Beecroft 7–5, 2–6, 6–2
Tournament ends

References

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  1. ^ "EAST YORKSHIRE CHAMPS/HULL OPEN TOURNAMENT: Rain was always in the air at Hull yesterday, but despite occasional showers good progress was made in the 28th annual open former Westbourne tournament of the Hull lawn Tennis Club". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. Leeds, Yorkshire, England: British Newspaper Archive. 21 July 1911. p. 10.
  2. ^ "LAWN TENNIS. HULL WESTBOURNE OPEN TOURNAMENT. FIRST DAY. With everything in its favour, the sixth annual tournament Hull Lawn Tennis Club was commenced on the Westbourne Avenue grounds yesterday afternoon. Prizes to be offered in the seven events to be played". Hull Daily Mail. Hull, Yorkshire, England: British Newspaper Archive. 12 July 1889. p. 3.
  3. ^ Lowerson, John (1993). Sport and the English Middle Classes, 1870–1914. Manchester: Manchester University Press. p. 106. ISBN 978-0-7190-4651-3.
  4. ^ "Yorkshire Doubles Champions: The Brothers Watson, the Yorkshire Doubles Champion, and the holders the new East Yorkshire championship, were both engaged in play at the Hull Tennis Club grounds yesterday". Hull Daily Mail. Hull, Yorkshire, England: British Newspaper Archive. 8 August 1906. p. 3.
  5. ^ "LAWN TENNIS: HULL OPEN – SUCCESSFUL MEETING CONCLUDED. Despite it being St. Swithin's, Hull was favoured with light though dull weather for the finals in one of the most successful tournaments ever held in the city". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. Hull, Yorkshire, England: British Newspaper Archive. 17 July 1922. p. 14.
  6. ^ "HULL OPEN TENNIS TOURNEY BE SAVED. The Lawn tennis tourney in the balance for the Hull tennis club. The committee meet the chairman today, it may be decided to curtail event to something a semi-local nature". Hull Daily Mail. Hull, Yorkshire, England: British Newspaper Archive. 22 October 1955. p. 6.
  7. ^ "Tournament – Hull Westbourne Avenue". www.tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  8. ^ "Tournament – Hull". www.tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  9. ^ "Tournament – East Yorkshire Championships". www.tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  10. ^ Patterson, Michael Robert (8 January 2023). "Clayton Lee "Teddy" Burwell – Lieutenant Commander, United States Navy Government Official, Lawyer, Tennis Player". arlingtoncemetery.net. Arlington National Cemetery. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  11. ^ "Obituaries in Nashville, TN : Stephen Deaderick Potts". The Tennessean. Nashville, Tennessee USA.: Gannett. 16 December 2019. Retrieved 10 January 2023.