Beatrice Mary Ann Draffen[1] (1865 – 13 July 1962) (nee Beatrice Wood) was a British tennis player from Ackworth, West Riding of Yorkshire, England active from 1884 to 1897. She was a two time semi finalist in the women's singles at the 1895 Wimbledon Championships and 1896 Wimbledon Championships. She won 10 career singles titles.
| Full name | Beatrice Mary Ann Draffen |
|---|---|
| Country (sports) |  GBR |
| Born | 1865 Ackworth, West Riding of Yorkshire, England |
| Died | 13 July 1962 England |
| Turned pro | 1884 (amateur tour) |
| Retired | 1907 |
| Singles | |
| Career titles | 10 |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Wimbledon | SF (1895, 1896) |
| Doubles | |
| Career titles | 1 |
| Career titles | 1 |
Career
editBeatrice was born in 1865 in Ackworth, West Riding of Yorkshire, England.[2] She played her first tournament at the Northern Championships held at the Liverpool Cricket Club grounds in June 1884 in Liverpool where she lost to Ann Dod in the first round. In major tournament singles events she played at the 1892 Wimbledon Championships under the name of Mrs G.A. Draffen and reached the quarter-finals before losing to Blanche Hillyard.[3]
At the 1894 Wimbledon Championships she reached the quarter-finals stage of the competition before she was beaten in straight sets by Constance Bryan.[4] At the 1895 Wimbledon Championships she progressed to the semi-finals, but lost to Charlotte Cooper.[5] She played the Championships one more time in 1896, and again reached the semi-finals losing in three sets to Alice Pickering.[6]
Her other career singles highlights include winning the Ilkley Open Tournament three times (1886, 1888, 1890), and the Sheffield and Hallamshire Tournament twice (1890–1891). North of England Championships two times in (1892, 1894). She also won the Badsworth Hunt Tournament at Pontefract (1886), the Yorkshire Open Championships in (1894) and the Tyndale Open Tournament in (1896).
She was also finalist at the prestigious Northern Championships three times (1890, 1891, 1894), the North Yorkshire Tournament two times in (1884, 1885), the Yorkshire Lawn Tennis Tournament two times (1884, 1885), the Ilkley Open (1889), the East Gloucestershire Championships (1890), the Derbyshire Championships (1891), the Hull Westbourne Avenue Open Tournament in (1892) and North of England Championships (1896).
In doubles play she won titles at the Ilkley Open (1886) partnering Miss Tannett. In mixed doubles she won Chapel Allerton LTC Tournament (1886) with Arthur H Meysey-Thompson. She retired from playing singles tennis in 1897, she did occasionally take part in doubles and mixed doubles up to the early 1900s.[7]
Personal life
editShe was born in 1865 as Beatrice Mary Ann Wood the daughter of Dr. John Wood of Ackworth, West Riding of Yorkshire.[8] She married Captain George Algernon Draffen on 26 April 1892 at Ackworth, West Riding[9] he was the youngest son of Colonel W. Pitt Draffen,[10] and later had two children .
References
edit- ^ "Player Profile: Beatrice Draffen". www.wimbledon.com. AELTC. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
- ^ "HOLE AND CORNER BUSINESS". Dewsbury Chronicle and West Riding Advertiser. Yorkshire, England: British Newspaper Archive. 30 April 1892. p. 2. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
- ^ "Draws Archive 1892". www.wimbledon.com. AELTC. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
- ^ "Draws Archive 1894". www.wimbledon.com. AELTC. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
- ^ "Draws Archive 1895". www.wimbledon.com. AELTC. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
- ^ "Draws Archive 1896". www.wimbledon.com. AELTC. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
- ^ "Lawn Tennis: Carlisle:Fourth round: Miss Morton and Miss Rimington beat Mrs. Draffen and Miss Garfit, 6-3, 6-4". Manchester Courier. Lancashire, England: British Newspaper Archive. 31 August 1907. p. 8. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
- ^ Dewsbury Chronicle and West Riding Advertiser
- ^ "MARRIAGE. MR. G. A. DRAFFEN AND MISS BEATRICE WOOD". Carlisle Journal. Cumberland, England: British Newspaper Archive. 26 April 1892. p. 2. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
- ^ "MANY PERSONS INJURED: ACKWORTH. On Saturday tho village of Ackworth (the home of tho Hunt Lawn Tennis Club) was gay in celebration of the marriage of Miss Beatrice M. A. Wood to Mr. George Algernon Draffen, son of Col. Pitt-Dralfen, of 64. Lowndes Square, London". Barnsley Chronicle. Yorkshire, England: British Newspaper Archive. 30 April 1892. p. 8. Retrieved 31 March 2023.