The Whitby Open^[1] was men's and women's grass court tournament founded in 1884 as the Whitby Open Lawn Tennis Tournament.^[2] The tournament was organsised by Whitby Lawn Tennis Club, and first played at the Congress Hall Grounds, Whitby, North Riding of Yorkshire, England. until 1902.^[3]

History

The Whitby Tournament was an outdoor grass court men's and women's tennis event established in 1884 at Whitby, North Riding of Yorkshire, England.^[3] In 1887 the Whitby Open also featured the Yorkshire Lawn Tennis Championships that year.^[4] The tournament was staged annually until 1902 when it was discontinued.^[3] The mens singles title was won by a G.W. Brook who defeated H. Anderson.^[3]

The tournament also featured some notable Wimbledon players such as Marmaduke Strickland Constable the 1883 singles quarter finalist, George Richmond Mewburn and E.W. Fletcher the 1885 Northern Championships semi finalist. Margaret Bracewell a Yorkshire born player and winner of the Yorkshire Championshships and Midland Counties Championships played mixed doubles at this event, she was also mixed doubles champion at the Irish Championships in with Ernest Wool Lewis.

Venues

The first two editions were held at the Congres Hall Grounds, the Congress Hall was a wooden building with a capacity of 2000 people it was first constructed in York by the Church of Congress, then was transferred to Whity in 1867 and opened by the Constantine Phipps, the Earl Mulgrave.^[5] The 1886 edition was played on land belonging to Sir George Elliot, 1st Baronet.^[6] In 1887 and until the remainder of its run the tournament was staged at the West Cliff Lawn Tennis Courts.

Finals

Mens Singles

Year	Winner	Finalist	Score
1884	Arthur Godfrey Pease	George E. Newby	6-5, 4–6, 3–6, 6–2, 6-5[3]
1885	James Herbert Crispe	Arthur Godfrey Pease	3-6, 6–1, 6–3, 6-5[3]
1886	Philip Leslie Hirst	George Reston Brewerton	6-0, ret.[3]
1887	E.W. Fletcher	George Reston Brewerton	6-3, 7–5, 9–7.[3]
1900	Alexander H. Wolff	John A. Wolff	6-2, 6–3, 6–2.[7]

Mens Doubles

Year	Winner	Finalist	Score
1884	Arthur Godfrey Pease J. Theo Richardson	John Charles Kay Harold Stapylton Greenwell	6-5, 6–1, 6-5[3]
1885	Arthur Godfrey Pease George Richmond Mewburn	James Herbert Crispe Leonard William Greenwell	6-5, 6–1, 6-5[3]
1886	Arthur Godfrey Pease W.S. Wright	Francis Joseph Hirst Philip Leslie Hirst	6-5, 6–1, 6-5[3]
1887	George Richmond Mewburn Arthur Godfrey Pease	} James Baldwin M. Pole	6-1, 10–12, 6–4, 7-5[3]

Women's Singles

Year	Winner	Finalist	Score
1884	L. Cheetham	A.J. Osmond	6-3, 6-4

Mixed Doubles

Year	Winner	Finalist	Score
1884	John Charles Kay Miss D. Radcliffe	C. Richardson Miss L. Cheetham	6-0, 6-3[3]
1885	Arthur Godfrey Pease Miss Wood	George Richmond Mewburn Miss Scott	6-3, 6-1[3]
1886	Wilfrid T. Rivett-Carnac Miss Walters	A. Herbert Miss Wood	6-3, 6-1[3]
1887	Francis Joseph Hirst Miss Margaret Bracewell	M. Pole Miss Walters	8-6, 6-3[3]

See also

• Whitby

References