# North of England Championships

The North of England Championships and later known as the Rothmans Open North of England Championships (for sponsorship reasons), was a men's and women's grass court tennis tournament founded in 1884 as the North Yorkshire Tournament. It was mainly held at Scarborough, North Yorkshire, Great Britain from (1884–91, 1893–1903, 1905–1966, 1968). The tournament was discontinued in 1974 when it was staged at Hoylake.

## History

The North Yorkshire Tournament was first staged in 1884 at the South Cliff Lawn Tennis Club at Scarborough, North Yorkshire. In 1886 its name was changed to the North of England Championships. It was for a long period a popular summer tournament in the British lawn tennis calendar. In 1910 it changed venue to be played at the Yorkshire Lawn Tennis Club through until 1966. The only other places to host the North of England Championships was at Kingston-upon-Hull in 1892, then Harrogate in 1904. In 1967 the event temporarily moved to Hoylake in what was then Cheshire, before returning to Scarborough the following year. In 1969 the championships moved permanently back to Hoylake until 1974 when it was abolished
Notable winners of the men's singles included Ernest Browne (1886), Harry Sibthorpe Barlow, Laurie Doherty (1910), George Lyttleton Rogers (1937), Jaroslav Drobny (1949), Ashley Cooper (1958) and John Newcombe (1970). Previous women's singles champions included Alice Simpson Pickering (1899), Dorothea Douglass(1901), Elizabeth Ryan (1919), Joan Hartigan (1934), Ann Haydon (1956), Virginia Wade (1967), Margaret Smith Court (1968), Billie Jean Moffitt King (1971) and Evonne Goolagong (1972).
For the years 1892, 1894–1900 and 1904–1905 the tournament was also valid as the Yorkshire Championships. For the years 1960 and from 1967 the tournament was also valid as the Hoylake Open Championships.

## Sponsorship

In 1968 at the start of the open era the championships were sponsored by the newspaper the Liverpool Post and branded as the Liverpool Post North of England Championships. In 1969 the tobacco manufacturer Rothmans took over sponsorship of the event was then called the Rothmans Open North of England Championships until 1974.

## Locations

The championships were mainly held at Scarborough, North Yorkshire, Great Britain from (1884–91, 1893–1903, 1905–1966, 1968), but was also hosted at other locations including Ilkley (1885), Kingston-upon-Hull (1892), then Harrogate (1904), Sheffield (1905) and finally Hoylake (1967–69, 1970–74) when the event was discontinued.

## Finals
### Men's singles

(Incomplete roll)
| Year | Champion | Runner-up | Score |
| North Yorkshire Tournament ||||
| 1884 | Ernest Browne | Marmaduke Constable | 6–1, ret. |
| 1885 | Ernest Browne (2) | E.W. Fletcher | 6–2, 6–2, 6–4 |
| North of England Championships ||||
| 1886 | Ernest Browne (3) | Harry Grove | 6–3, 4–6, 6–3, 2–6, 6–2 |
| 1887 | Ernest Browne (4) | Marmaduke Constable | 6–2, 6–4, 6–2 |
| 1888 | Harry Grove | Henry Guy Nadin | 6–1, 6–1, 6–1 |
| 1889 | Percy Bateman Brown | David Davy | 5–7, 6–2, 6–4, 6–2 |
| 1890 | James Baldwin | Charles Henry Chaytor | 9-7, 6–0, 6–0 |
| 1891 | Harry Sibthorpe Barlow | James Baldwin | 6–3, 6–2, 2–6, 7–5 |
| 1892 | Harry Sibthorpe Barlow (2) | Grainger Chaytor | 6-7, 6–1, 6–2, 6–1 |
| 1893 | William Renshaw | Charles Gladstone Allen | w.o. |
| 1894 | Roy Allen | Joshua Pim | w.o. |
| 1895 | Grainger Chaytor | Harold Nisbet | 7-9, 4–6, 6–4, 9-7, 6–1 |
| 1898 | Grainger Chaytor (2) | Ernest Douglas Black | 6–2, 6–2, 4–6, 6–3 |
| 1900 | Grainger Chaytor (3) | Charles William Wade | 6–2, 6–2, 6–3 |
| 1905 | Roy Allen (2) | Charles Gladstone Allen | w.o. |
| 1907 | Walter Crawley | Arthur Lowe | 6–1, 6–3 |
| 1908 | Laurie Doherty | George Hillyard | 6–1, 6–4, 6–2 |
| 1909 | Laurie Doherty (2) | Gordon Lowe | 7–5, 6–1, 6–3 |
| 1910 | Laurie Doherty (3) | Gordon Lowe | 6–3, 6–2, 6–2 |
| 1914/1918 | Not held (due to world war one) | Not held (due to world war one) | Not held (due to world war one) |
| 1919 | Pat O'Hara Wood | Brian Norton | 4–6, 6–2, 6–1, 10–8 |
| 1920 | Thomas Yeo Sherwell | Clive Branfoot | 4–6, 6–4, 7–5 |
| 1921 | Brian Norton | D'Arcy McCrea | 6–4, 6–3, 1–6, 2–6, 6–4 |
| 1922 | Gordon Lowe | Randolph Lycett | 6–2, 5–7, 7–9, 6–1, 6–2 |
| 1923 | Sydney Jacob | D'Arcy McCrea | 6–3, 6–0, 6–2 |
| 1924 | Louis Raymond | Mohammed Sleem | 6–2, 6–3, 6–3 |
| 1925 | Charles Kingsley | Gordon Crole-Rees | 6–4, 3–6, 6–4, 6–3 |
| 1926 | Charles Kingsley (2) | Keats Lester | 10–8, 6–0, 1–6, 8-6 |
| 1927 | Colin Gregory | Randolph Lycett | 6-8, 12–10, 9-7 ret. |
| 1928 | Eskel Andrews | John Olliff | 7–5, 6–4, 6–1 |
| 1929 | Charles Kingsley (3) | Keats Lester | 7-9, 6–1, 6–1, 6–4 |
| 1930 | Eskel Andrews (2) | Colin Gregory | 6–0, 9-7 |
| 1931 | Vernon Kirby | Jack Chamberlain | 6–3, 6–3 |
| 1932 | George Lyttleton Rogers | Atri-Madan Mohan | 6–2, 3–6, 6–1 |
| 1933 | Alan Stedman | Keats Lester | 6–2, 7–5, 3–6, 6–3 |
| 1934 | Harry Hopman | Alan Stedman | 6–4, 6–2, 6–4 |
| 1935 | Alan Stedman (2) | George Lyttleton Rogers | 6–2, 6–3 |
| 1936 | Adrian Quist | Charles Hare | 6–1, 6–4, 6–2 |
| 1937 | George Lyttleton Rogers (2) | Pat Sherwood | 8-6, 6–3 |
| 1938 | Don Butler | Jimmy Jones | 6–2, 3–6, 6–3 |
| 1939 | Jack Deloford | Dennis Coombe | 6–2, 6–2 |
| 1940/1945 | Not held (due to world war two) | Not held (due to world war two) | Not held (due to world war two) |
| 1946 | Ignacy Tłoczyński | Don Butler | 10–8, 6–2 |
| 1947 | Ignacy Tłoczyński (2) | Ghaus Mohammed Khan | 7–5, 6–4, 2–6, 6–3 |
| 1948 | Franjo Kukuljević | Gerry Oakley | 3–6, 6–1, 6–3, 6–4 |
| 1949 | Jaroslav Drobný | Tony Mottram | 6–1, 6–1, 6–3 |
| 1950 | Bill Sidwell | Geoff Brown | 2–6, 6–4, 6–1, 6–2 |
| 1951 | Nigel Cockburn | Czeslaw Spychala | 7–5, 2–6, 6–1, 3–6, 6–1 |
| 1952 | Eric Sturgess | Budge Patty | 6–3, 3–6, 4–6, 6–1, 6–3 |
| 1953 | Bobby Wilson | Billy Knight | 6–3, 7–5 |
| 1954 | Bobby Wilson (2) | John Barry | 6–4, 6–2 |
| 1955 | Sven Davidson | Billy Knight | 4–6, 6–0, 8–6, 6–0 |
| 1956 | Bobby Wilson (3) | Tony Pickard | 6–3, 6–3 |
| 1957 | Alan Mills | Colin Hannam | 7–5, 3–6, 6–3 |
| 1958 | Ashley Copper | Mervyn Rose | 4–6, 7–5, 10–12, 6–1, 14–12 |
| 1960 | Mark Otway | John Roderick MacDonald | 6–3, 6–4 |
| 1961 | Lawrence Franklin Strong | R.A. Storey | 6–3, 7–5 |
| 1962 | Michael Waters | R.A. Storey | 6–4, 6–2 |
| 1963 | Colin McHugo | Harry Sheridan | 7–5, 6–2 |
| 1964 | Keith Wooldridge | Clay Iles | 9-7, 6–3, 6–3 |
| 1965 | Graham Stilwell | Keith Wooldridge | 6–4, 6–3 |
| 1966 | Brian Fairlie | Balaram Singh | 7–5, 6–3 |
| 1967 | Keith Wooldridge (2) | Haroon Rahim | 3–6, 6–4, 6–4 |
| Open era ||||
| Liverpool Post North of England Championships ||||
| 1968 | Mike Sangster | Herb Fitzgibbon | 2–6, 6–4, 12–10 |
| Rothmans Open North of England Championships ||||
| 1969 | Ray Ruffels | Brian Fairlie | 6–3, 6–3 |
| 1970 | John Newcombe | Owen Davidson | 4–6, 9–7, 6–4 |
| 1971 | Andrew Pattison | Jaidip Mukerjea | 6–2, 5–7, 6–2 |
| 1972 | Hank Irvine | Ray Keldie | 6–2, 4–6, 6–1 |
| 1973 | Bob Giltinan | Owen Davidson | 1–6, 6–3, 6–2 |
| 1974 | Bernie Mitton | John Yuill | 6–4, 6–4 |

### Women's singles

(Incomplete roll)
| Year | Champion | Runner-up | Score |
| North Yorkshire Tournament ||||
| 1884 | Constance Hodgson | Beatrice Wood | 7–5, 6–3 |
| 1885 | Mabel Boulton | Beatrice Wood | 6–2, 6–2 |
| North of England Championships ||||
| 1886 | Margaret Bracewell | Mabel Boulton | 6–4, 8-6 |
| 1887 | Margaret Bracewell (2) | Ann Dod | 6–0, 6–1 |
| 1888 | Margaret Bracewell (3) | Bertha Steedman | 1–6, 6–4, 9–7, 6–4 |
| 1889 | Edith Gurney | Beatrice Wood | 6–4, 8-6 |
| 1890 | Beatrice Wood | M. Crossley | 6–4, 6–4 |
| 1891 | Helen Jackson | Miss Pope | 6–3, 6–1 |
| 1892 | Helen Jackson (2) | Beatrice Wood Draffen | 6–0, ?, |
| 1892 | Beatrice Wood Draffen (2) | Kate Nunneley | 6–4, 7–5 |
| 1893 | L. Clark | May Arbuthnot | 6–4, 2–6, 6–2 |
| 1894 | Beatrice Wood Draffen (3) | Katherine Grey | 6–3, 6–1 |
| 1895 | Lucy Kendal | Marion Crosby Morton | 6–2, 6–1 |
| 1896 | Lucy Kendal (2) | Beatrice Wood Draffen | ? |
| 1897 | Lucy Kendal (3) | Muriel Robb | 6–3, 6–0 |
| 1898 | Katherine Grey | Alice Simpson Pickering | 6–4, 6–4 |
| 1899 | Alice Simpson Pickering | Bertha Holder | 6–1, 6–4 |
| 1900 | Alice Simpson Pickering (2) | Ethel Jessop | 6–0, 6–2 |
| 1901 | Dorothea Douglass | Alice Simpson Pickering | 4–6, 10–8, 6–1 |
| 1902 | Alice Simpson Pickering (3) | Lucy Kendal | 6–3, 6–4 |
| 1903 | Lucy Kendal (4) | Alice Simpson Pickering | 3–6, 6–0, 7–5 |
| 1904 | Lucy Kendal (5) | Gladys Eastlake-Smith | 6–0, 4–6, 6–4 |
| 1905 | Bertha Holder | N. Morton | 11-9, 6–1 |
| 1906 | Lucy Kendal (6) | Gladys Eastlake-Smith | 6–4, 6–1 |
| 1907 | Gladys Eastlake-Smith | Bertha Holder | 6–0, 6–2 |
| 1908 | Edith Boucher | Gladys Lamplough | 6–1, 6–1 |
| 1909 | Gladys Lamplough (2) | Helen Aitchison | 6–4, 6–3 |
| 1910 | Katie Slater Clegg | Rosamund Salusbury | 6–2, 6–4 |
| 1911 | Ethel Thomson Larcombe | Edith Hannam | 6–2, 6–1 |
| 1912 | Ethel Thomson Larcombe (2) | Violet Pinckney | 6–2, 4–6, 6–3 |
| 1913 | Elizabeth Ryan | Ethel Thomson Larcombe | 6–3, 6–3 |
| 1914/1918 | Not held (due to world war one) | Not held (due to world war one) | Not held (due to world war one) |
| 1919 | Elizabeth Ryan (2) | Lesley Cadle | 6–2, 6–1 |
| 1920 | Elizabeth Ryan (3) | Eleanor Rose | 6–1, 6–3 |
| 1921 | Elizabeth Ryan (4) | Winifred McNair | 6–3, 8-6 |
| 1922 | Kathleen McKane | Elizabeth Ryan | 6–2, 6–2 |
| 1923 | Dorothy Shepherd-Barron | Phyllis Satterthwaite | walkover |
| 1924 | Kathleen McKane (2) | Dorothy Holman | 6–2, 6–0 |
| 1925 | Geraldine Beamish | Claire Beckingham | 6–3, 6–2 |
| 1926 | Ruth Watson | Joan Ridley | 6–3, 6–1 |
| 1927 | Joan Austin Lycett | Claire Beckingham | 6–4, 3–6, 6–2 |
| 1928 | Dorothy Shepherd Barron | Claire Beckingham | 6–2, 6–3 |
| 1929 | Joan Fry | Dorothy Anderson | 6–3, 6–3 |
| 1930 | Mary Heeley | Joan Fry | 6–4, 6–3 |
| 1931 | Mary Heeley (2) | Freda James | 2–6, 6–1, 6–2 |
| 1932 | Sheila Hewitt | Freda James | 6–3, 5-5, retired |
| 1933 | Kay Stammers | Susan Noel | 10–8, 5–7, 6–0 |
| 1934 | Joan Hartigan | Susan Noel | 2–6, 6–1, 10–8 |
| 1935 | Mary Heeley (3) | Anita Lizana | 6–3, 6–8, 6–4 |
| 1936 | Mary Heeley (4) | Florence Ford | 5–7, 6–4, 6–2 |
| 1937 | Mary Heeley (5) | Denise Huntbach | 6–1, 6–1 |
| 1938 | Valerie Scott | Florence Ford | 6–2, 3–6, 6–3 |
| 1939 | Jean Nicoll | Zora Nechilova | 6–3, 6–2 |
| 1940/1945 | Not held (due to world war two) | Not held (due to world war two) | Not held (due to world war two) |
| 1946 | Jean Quertier | Betty Clements Hilton | 6–3, 6–1 |
| 1947 | Gem Hoahing | Valerie Cooper | 6–2, 6–0 |
| 1948 | Gem Hoahing (2) | Natalia Zinovieff | 6–2, 7–5 |
| 1949 | Gem Hoahing (3) | Joyce Fitch | 6–3, 6–2 |
| 1950 | Thelma Coyne Long | Jean Quertier | 6–4, 7–5 |
| 1951 | Billie Woodgate | Barbara Knapp | 4–6, 6–2, 6–1 |
| 1952 | Jean Walker-Smith | Beryl Penrose | 7–5, 6–2 |
| 1953 | Georgie Woodgate | Margaret Harrison | 6–1, 2–6, 6–4 |
| 1954 | Judy Burke | Angela Buxton | 4–6, 6–4, 6–4 |
| 1955 | Mary Carter | Beryl Penrose | 6–3, 4–6, 6–3 |
| 1956 | Ann Haydon | Elaine Watson | 6–2, 7–5 |
| 1957 | Georgie Woodgate (2) | Rosemary Deloford | 6–3, 4–6, 6–4 |
| 1958 | Heather Brewer-Segal | Mary Bevis Hawton | 6–1, 6–4 |
| 1959 | Elaine Shenton | Mrs C. Clark | 3–6, 6–2, 6–2 |
| 1960 | Susan Waters | Jenny Young | 5–7, 6–2, 6–3 |
| 1961 | Ann McAlpine | Vivienne Cox | 6–4, 7–5 |
| 1962 | J. Macintosh | E. Smith | 6–3, 6–4 |
| 1963 | E. Smith | Marilyn Greenwood | 7–5, 6–4 |
| 1964 | Robin Blakelock-Lloyd | Nell Truman | 6–4, 1–6, 7–5 |
| 1965 | Stephanie Percival | Sally Holdsworth | 6–3, 6–2 |
| 1966 | Elizabeth Starkie | Robin Blakelock-Lloyd | 6–1, 6–3 |
| 1967 | Virginia Wade | Judy Tegart | 6–3 6–4 |
| 1967 | Robin Blakelock-Lloyd (2) | Sally Holdsworth | 6–2, 6–2 |
| Open era ||||
| Liverpool Post North of England Championships ||||
| 1968 | Margaret Smith Court | Virginia Wade | 6–2, 6–4 |
| Rothmans Open North of England Championships ||||
| 1969 | Virginia Wade (2) | Christine Truman Janes | 0–6, 6–4, 8-6 |
| 1970 | Evonne Goolagong | Kerry Melville | 2–6, 6–2, 6–1 |
| 1971 | Billie Jean Moffitt King | Rosie Casals | 6–3 6–3 |
| 1972 | Evonne Goolagong (2) | Betty Stove | divided title |
| 1973 | Patti Hogan | Sharon Walsh | 11-9, 4–6, 6–4 |
| 1974 | Jackie Fayter | Patti Hogan | 6–0, 7–5 |

## Tournament records

* Most men's overall singles titles: Ernest Browne (4)
* Most men's NOE singles titles: Laurie Doherty & Charles Kingsley & Bobby Wilson (3)
* Most women's NOE singles titles: Lucy Kendal (6)