The Dorchester Kingston Park Tournament a late Victorian era grass court tennis tournament staged first staged in August 1879.[1][2] The tournament was organised by the Kingston Park Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club, and held on the cricket grounds, Kingston Park, Kingston Maurward House, Dorchester, Dorset, England.[3] The tournament was held to at least 1885.[4]
| Dorchester Kingston Park Tournament | |
|---|---|
| Defunct tennis tournament | |
| Event name | |
| Founded | 1879 |
| Abolished | 1885 |
| Location | Kingston Park, Dorchester, Dorset, England |
| Venue | Kingston Maurward House |
| Surface | Grass |
History
edit
(Kingston Maurward House and grounds, in 2008 the location of this tournament)
In August 1879 the Kingston Park Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club held a lawn tennis tournament on the cricket grounds of Kingston Park, Kingston Maurward House, Dorchester, Dorset, England.[5] The club continued to hold a number of annual tournaments in the spring,[6] summer, and autumn,[7] through till 1885.[8] The inaugural gentleman's singles was won by Montague Hankey, who competed at the 1877 and 1880 Wimbledon Championships.[9]
Although this tournament was abolished the Kingston Park Lawn Tennis Club reestablished a new tennis event during the 1920s called the Kingston Park Invitation Open Tennis Tournament. In 1928 Prince George of Greece and Denmark played in the tournament that year.[10] It was still being held till the mid 1930's.[11]
In 1937 Kingston Park Lawn Tennis Club hosted the Dorset County Tennis Championships.[12]
References
edit- ^ "National Sports". The Illustrated London News. London: Elm House. 1879. p. 175.
- ^ Nieuwland, Alex. "Tournament – Dorchester". www.tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
- ^ "Lawn Tennis: Dorchester Kingston Park. The lawn tennis tournament that was played on the cricket grounds of Kingston Park, was concluded on Saturday last". Bridport News. Bridport, Dorest, England: British Newspaper Archives. 22 August 1879. p. 4.
- ^ "Lawn Tennis Dorchester: On Wednesday last there was a pleasant gathering at Kingston Park for the annual lawn tennis tournament, the member's of Kingston Park club attended a tennis party given by the officers quartered in Dorchester to their friends and other residents in the neighbourhood". Poole Telegram. Poole, Dorset, England: British Newspaper Archives. 24 August 1885.
- ^ Bridport News (22 August 1879)
- ^ "Dorchester: Kingston Park Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club. The club's lawn tennis spring tournament, will be held at Dorchester on Friday and Saturday, July 2nd and 3rd, on the Kingston Park Cricket Ground. Play will commence at 2.p.m.". Southern Times and Dorset County Herald. Weymouth, Dorset, England: British Newspaper Archives. 26 June 1880.
- ^ "Dorchester: Kingston Park Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club. The autumn tournament took place on Thursday and Friday last under most favourable circumstances". Southern Times and Dorset County Herald. Weymouth, Dorset, England: British Newspaper Archives. 17 September 1881.
- ^ Poole Telegram
- ^ "Player Profile". www.wimbledon.com. AELTC. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
- ^ "Lawn Tennis at Dorchester: The Kingston Park Tennis Tournament. Prince George of Denmark was among the competitors the annual Kingston Park Invitation Open Tennis Tournament which opened at Kingston Park". Western Gazette. Yeovil, Somerset, England.: British Newspaper Archives. 2 August 1928. p. 2.
- ^ "Dorchester Tennis Tourney. County Captain's Successes. Winners of Open Singles. The annual invitation tournament of the Kingston Park Lawn Tennis Club was concluded at Kingston Maurward Park, near Dorchester, Sunday last week". Western Gazette. Yeovil, Somerset, England.: British Newspaper Archives. 9 August 1935. p. 2.
- ^ "DORSET TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS: MISS STEWART AGAIN WINS TITLE MEN'S CHAMPION BEATEN: The Dorset men's and women's singles championships were decided at Kingston Maurward, Dorchester, on Saturday". Western Gazette. Yeovil, Somerset, England.: British Newspaper Archives. 6 August 1937. p. 2.
Sources
edit- Bridport News. (22 August 1879) Bridport, Dorest, England: British Newspaper Archives.
- National Sports. (1879) The Illustrated London News. London:
- Nieuwland, Alex. "Tournament – Dorchester". www.tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives.
- Player Profile: Montague Hankey. www.wimbledon.com. AELTC.
- Poole Telegram. (24 August 1885) Poole, Dorset, England: British Newspaper Archives.
- Southern Times and Dorset County Herald. (26 June 1880) Weymouth, Dorset, England: British Newspaper Archives.
- Southern Times and Dorset County Herald. (17 September 1881) Weymouth, Dorset, England: British Newspaper Archives.
- Western Gazette. (2 August 1928) Yeovil, Somerset, England.: British Newspaper Archives.
- Western Gazette. (9 August 1935) Yeovil, Somerset, England.: British Newspaper Archives.
- Western Gazette. (6 August 1937) Yeovil, Somerset, England.: British Newspaper Archives.