# Margaret Beck

Margaret Beck (later Margaret Lockwood; 9 January 1952 – 21 May 2023) was a badminton player from England who ranked among the world's best during most of the 1970s.

## Early and personal life

Beck was born in Whitehaven, Cumbria. She married Ron Lockwood on 20 December 1975 in near London.

## Playing career

An exceptional junior talent, she represented England and won women's singles gold medal at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland, while still in her teens.
In 1973, Beck won the women's singles at the All-England Championships, which, aside from the international team championships (Uber Cup and Thomas Cup), was then the world's most prestigious tournament.
She shared the All-England women's doubles title with Gillian Gilks in 1974. She won singles at the World Invitation Tournament, a forerunner of the BWF World Championships, that was held in Jakarta, Indonesia in 1974. In 1974 she represented England and won a gold and silver medals in the doubles and singles, at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, New Zealand.
After marrying in 1975 she competed under her married name of Margaret Lockwood and reached the singles and doubles final at the 1976 All England Open Badminton Championships.
Her other international singles titles included the European Badminton Championships (1972), and the Canadian (1975), Irish (1971), Portuguese (1973), Scottish (1972, 1974), and South African (1976) Opens. She also won five English National singles titles (against opposition that included Gillian Gilks), and a dozen or more international doubles titles.
Noted for her rigorous fitness regimen, she developed a problem with her knee which was seriously aggravated during the first World Badminton Championships in 1977. The singles and doubles bronze medals that she earned there would be her last. Despite surgeries and attempted rehabilitation she never played serious competitive badminton again.

## Achievements
### World Championships

Women's singles :
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1977 | Malmö Isstadion, Malmö, Sweden | Lene Køppen | 6–11, 1–11 | Bronze |
Women's doubles :
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1977 | Malmö Isstadion, Malmö, Sweden | Nora Perry | Marjan Ridder Joke van Beusekom | 15–4, 6–15, 8–15 | Bronze |

### Commonwealth Games

Women's singles :
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1970 | Edinburgh, Scotland | Gillian Perrin | 5–11, 11–3, 11–8 | Gold |
| 1974 | Cowles Stadium, Christchurch, New Zealand | Gillian Gilks | 8–11, 8–11 | Silver |
Women's doubles :
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1974 | Cowles Stadium, Christchurch, New Zealand | Gillian Perrin | Margaret Boxall Susan Whetnall | 15–7, 15–5 | Gold |

### European Championships

Women's singles :
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1972 | Karlskrona, Sweden | Gillian Gilks | 11–0, 11–1 | Gold |
| 1974 | Vienna, Austria | Lene Køppen | 6–11, 12–10, 7–11 | Bronze |
| 1976 | Dublin, Ireland | Lene Køppen | 5–11, 5–11 | Bronze |
Women's doubles :
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1970 | Port Talbot, Wales | Gillian Perrin | Irmgard Latz Marieluise Wackerow | 13–15, 15–9, 3–15 | Bronze |
| 1972 | Karlskrona, Sweden | Julie Rickard | Gillian Gilks Judy Hashman | 11–15, 7–15 | Silver |
| 1974 | Vienna, Austria | Gillian Gilks | Nora Gardner Susan Whetnall | 15–10, 15–13 | Gold |
| 1976 | Dublin, Ireland | Nora Gardner | Gillian Gilks Susan Whetnall | 4–15, 8–15 | Silver |

### European Junior Championships

Girls' singles :
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1969 | Leidschendam-Voorburg, Netherlands | Anne Berglund | 11–6, 6–11, 11–12 | Silver |
Girls' doubles :
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1969 | Leidschendam-Voorburg, Netherlands | Carol Whightman | Marjan Luesken Joke van Beusekom | 5–15, 9–15 | Silver |
Mixed doubles :
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1969 | Leidschendam-Voorburg, Netherlands | Ray Stevens | Girt Perneklo Karin Lindquist | | Bronze |

### International tournaments

Women's singles :
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1970 | Wimbledon Open | Tyna Barinaga | 11–8, 11–1 | Winner |
| 1971 | Irish Open | | | Winner |
| 1971 | Swedish Open | Eva Twedberg | | Runner-up |
| 1971 | Scottish Open | Gillian Gilks | 9–11, 5–11 | Runner-up |
| 1972 | Scottish Open | Gillian Gilks | | Winner |
| 1973 | All England Open | Gillian Gilks | 11–8, 11–0 | Winner |
| 1973 | Jamaica International | Eva Twedberg | | Winner |
| 1973 | Portugal International | | | Winner |
| 1974 | German Open | Joke van Beusekom | 11–1, 11–4 | Winner |
| 1974 | Scottish Open | Gillian Gilks | | Winner |
| 1975 | Canadian Open | Joke van Beusekom | 11–4, 11–3 | Winner |
| 1975 | Dutch Open | Gillian Gilks | 7–11, 3–11 | Runner-up |
| 1976 | All England Open | Gillian Gilks | 0–11, 3–11 | Runner-up |
| 1976 | Canadian Open | Wendy Clarkson | 11–2, 5–11, 10–12 | Runner-up |
| 1976 | Scottish Open | Gillian Gilks | | Runner-up |
| 1977 | German Open | Brigitte Steden | | Winner |
Women's doubles :
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1970 | Wimbledon Open | Julie Rickard | Tyna Barinaga Nora Gardner | 6–15, 7–15 | Runner-up |
| 1971 | Irish Open | Julie Rickard | | | Winner |
| 1971 | Scottish Open | Gillian Gilks | Barbara Beckett Kay Nesbit | 15–6, 15–7 | Winner |
| 1972 | Swedish Open | Gillian Gilks | Anne Flindt Pernille Kaagaard | 15–8, 15–8 | Winner |
| 1972 | All England Open | Julie Rickard | Machako Aizawa Etsuko Takenaka | 15–9, 8–15, 12–15 | Runner-up |
| 1972 | Scottish Open | Helen Horton | Bridget Cooper Gillian Gilks | | Runner-up |
| 1973 | Swedish Open | Gillian Gilks | Marjan Luesken Joke van Beusekom | 15–8, 15–8 | Winner |
| 1973 | All England Open | Gillian Gilks | Machako Aizawa Etsuko Takenaka | 10–15, 15–10, 11–15 | Runner-up |
| 1973 | Canadian Open | Joke van Beusekom | Mimi Nilsson Judi Rollick | | Winner |
| 1973 | Jamaica International | Bridget Cooper | Jennifer Dakin Barb O'Brien | | Winner |
| 1974 | All England Open | Gillian Gilks | Margaret Boxall Susan Whetnall | 15–5, 18–14 | Winner |
| 1974 | German Open | Gillian Gilks | Brigitte Steden Marieluise Zizmann | 15–12, 12–15, 15–6 | Winner |
| 1974 | Scottish Open | Gillian Gilks | Margaret Boxall Susan Whetnall | | Runner-up |
| 1975 | Canadian Open | Joke van Beusekom | Barbara Welch Jane Youngberg | 12–15, 15–11, 15–4 | Winner |
| 1975 | Dutch Open | Gillian Gilks | Nora Gardner Susan Whetnall | 12–15, 17–14, 7–15 | Runner-up |
| 1976 | All England Open | Nora Gardner | Gillian Gilks Susan Whetnall | 10–15, 10–15 | Runner-up |
| 1976 | Canadian Open | Nora Gardner | Marjan Ridder Joke van Beusekom | 17–14, 15–9 | Winner |
| 1976 | Scottish Open | Nora Gardner | Gillian Gilks Susan Whetnall | | Runner-up |
| 1976 | Swedish Open | Gillian Gilks | | | Winner |
| 1977 | All England Open | Nora Perry | Etsuko Toganoo Emiko Ueno | 15–7, 3–15, 7–15 | Runner-up |
Mixed doubles :
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1972 | Scottish Open | Robert McCoig | Derek Talbot Gillian Gilks | | Runner-up |
| 1973 | Jamaica International | Mike Tredgett | Sture Johnsson Eva Twedberg | | Runner-up |