Kent All-Comers’ Championships 1886-1996
“Dress Rehearsal For Wimbledon”
In early June, from 1886 to 1996, Beckenham Cricket Club hosted an international grass-court tennis tournament.
The Kent All-Comers’ Championships became affectionately known as the “Dress Rehearsal for Wimbledon”.
Roll of Honour PDFs: Gentleman’s | Ladies
There were 33 ‘double’ winners of Beckenham and Wimbledon titles.
Gentleman’s Singles Roll of Honour (1886-1996)
| YEAR | CHAMPION | RUNNER-UP | SCORE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1886 | Herbert Chipp | Edward J. Avory | 64 36 63 26 63 |
| 1887 | Frederick A. Bowlby | Herbert Chipp | 16 86 64 61 |
| 1888 | Ernest G. Meers | Frederick A. Bowlby | 57 36 97 63 62 |
| 1889 | Harry S. Barlow | Ernest G. Meers | 64 16 62 97 |
| 1890 | Ernest G. Meers | Harry S. Barlow | 57 86 63 63 |
| 1891 | Ernest G. Meers | Arthur W. Gore | 60 62 62 |
| 1892 | Harry S. Barlow | Ernest G. Meers | 46 26 86 62 63 |
| 1893 | Harry S. Barlow | William Renshaw | 26 63 61 64 |
| 1894 | Horace A. B. Chapman | Harry S. Barlow | 36 36 63 64 63 |
| 1895 | Harry S. Barlow | Horace A. B. Chapman | 26 63 63 46 63 |
| 1896 | Manliffe F. Goodbody | Harry S. Barlow | 61 62 26 60 |
| 1897 | George Greville | Manliffe F. Goodbody | 46 63 46 64 64 |
| 1898 | Wilberforce V. Eaves | George Greville | 60 60 61 |
| 1899 | Harold S. Mahoney | Wilberforce V. Eaves | 61 61 68 36 86 |
| 1900 | Arthur W. Gore | Harold S. Mahoney | 64 64 64 |
| 1901 | H. Lawrence Doherty | Arthur W. Gore | 61 63 36 64 |
| 1902 | H. Lawrence Doherty | George M. Simond | 64 60 63 |
| 1903 | H. Lawrence Doherty | Arthur W. Gore | 61 63 36 64 |
| 1904 | Harold S. Mahoney | Brame Hillyard | 63 86 79 46 63 |
| 1905 | Norman Brookes (AUS) | Arthur W. Gore | 63 97 62 |
| 1906 | Arthur W. Gore | A. L. Bentley | 60 62 61 |
| 1907 | Anthony F. Wilding (NZL) | Arthur W. Gore | 97 62 36 06 61 |
| 1908 | H. Roper Barrett | Charles P. Dixon | 60 97 62 |
| 1909 | H. Roper Barrett | Major J. G. Ritchie | Postponed (Rain) |
| 1910 | Beals C. Wright (USA) | H. Roper Barrett | 46 75 1210 64 |
| 1911 | Anthony F. Wilding (NZL) | Major J. G. Ritchie | 60 60 63 |
| 1912 | Anthony F. Wilding (NZL) | H. Roper Barrett | 62 46 62 16 62 |
| 1913 | Alfred E. Beamish | George A. Thomas | 63 63 36 75 |
| 1914 | Algernon R. F. Kingscote | Hope Crisp | 75 26 36 62 62 |
| 1915-18 | Not Held | World War I | |
| 1919 | Algernon R. F. Kingscote | Frank M. B. Fisher (NZL) | 60 60 63 |
| 1920 | Algernon R. F. Kingscote | Zenzo Shimidzu (JPN) | 75 32 ret. |
| 1921 | Algernon R. F. Kingscote | Sydney M. Jacob (IND) | 64 46 60 63 |
| 1922 | Algernon R. F. Kingscote | Randolph Lycett (AUS) | 63 31 ret. |
| 1923 | William M. Johnson (USA) | Donald M. Greig | 62 63 |
| 1924 | Algernon R. F. Kingscote | Jack M. Hillyard | 86 97 62 |
| 1925 | Randolph Lycett (AUS) | H. S. Lewis Barclay | 63 61 57 64 |
| 1926 | Gordon R. O. Crole-Rees | Pat D. B. Spence (RSA) | 64 62 |
| 1927 | Donald M. Greig | Charles H. Kingsley | 46 62 63 |
| 1928 | Charles H. Kingsley | Pat. D. B. Spence (RSA) | 26 64 86 |
| 1929 | Harry G. N. Lee | Charles H. Kingsley | 75 64 62 |
| 1930 | Henry 'Bunny' W. Austin | Harry G. N. Lee | 62 26 64 62 |
| 1931 | J. Colin Gregory | John S. Olliff | 36 63 79 63 60 |
| 1932 | Edward R. Avory | E. D. 'Buster' Andrews (NZL) | 61 64 |
| 1933 | Vernon G. Kirby (RSA) | Colin J. J. Robbins (RSA) | 86 64 |
| 1934 | Henry 'Bunny' W. Austin | Jiro Yamagishi (JPN) | 63 60 |
| 1935 | Jiro Yamagishi (JPN) | Ian G. Collins | 63 61 |
| 1936 | David N. Jones (USA) | Frank H. D. Wilde | 119 63 |
| 1937 | Jiro Yamagishi (JPN) | C. Raymond D. Tuckey | 86 16 75 |
| 1938 | John S. Olliff | Nigel Sharpe | 62 63 |
| 1939 | Murray O. Deloford | Donald MacPhail | 36 62 97 |
| 1940-45 | Not Held | World War II | |
| 1946 | Geoffrey E. Brown (AUS) | Hans A. C. van Swol (NED) | 61 64 |
| 1947 | O. Bill Sidwell (AUS) | Torsten Johansson (SWE) | 62 108 |
| 1948 | Frank A. Sedgman (AUS) | Jack Harper (AUS) | 64 64 |
| 1949 | Gardnar P. Mulloy (USA) | Earl Cochell (USA) | 23 ret. |
| 1950 | Geoffrey E. Brown (AUS) | O. Bill Sidwell (AUS) | 86 79 1715 |
| 1951 | Don W. Candy (AUS) | Gardnar P. Mulloy (USA) | 36 64 62 |
| 1952 | Ham F. Richardson (USA) | Don W. Candy (AUS) | 62 68 62 |
| 1953 | George A. Worthington (AUS) | Gardnar P. Mulloy (USA) | 64 46 63 |
| 1954 | Abandoned at | Quarter-final stage | 14 June |
| 1955 | M. Tony Trabert (USA) | Herb Flam (USA) | 64 62 |
| 1956 | Malcolm. J. Anderson (AUS) | Sammy Giammalva (USA) | Abandoned (rain) |
| 1957 | Malcolm. J. Anderson (AUS) | Herb Flam (USA) | 62 46 86 |
| 1958 | Neale A. Fraser (AUS) | Kurt Nielsen (DEN) | 64 64 |
| 1959 | Alex Olmedo | Kurt Nielsen (DEN) | 86 63 64 |
| 1960 | Robert Mark (AUS) | Earl Butch Bucholz Jr. (USA) | 63 64 |
| 1961 | Jon A. Douglas (USA) | Lew A. Gerrard (NZL) | 46 63 63 |
| 1962 | Barry Phillips-Moore (AUS) | Owen K. Davidson (AUS) | 64 86 |
| 1963 | Ken N. Fletcher (AUS) | Marty F. Mulligan (AUS) | 63 62 |
| 1964 | John D. Newcombe (AUS) | Fred S. Stolle (AUS) | 62 57 12-10 |
| 1965 | John D. Newcombe (AUS) | Lew A. Gerrard (NZL) | 63 61 |
| 1966 | John D. Newcombe (AUS) | Premjit Lall (IND) | 64 15-13 |
| 1967 | Owen K. Davidson (AUS) | Ken N. Fletcher (AUS) | 36 62 63 |
| 1968 | Fred S. Stolle (AUS) | Roy S. Emerson (AUS) | 63 61 |
| 1969 | Ove Bengtsson (SWE) | Tom Gorman (USA) | 64 75 |
| 1970 | Clark E. Graebner (USA) | Robert Maud (RSA) | 64 10-8 |
| 1971 | Stan R. Smith (USA) | Premjit Lall (IND) | 79 64 62 |
| 1972 | Alex Metreveli (GEO) | Vijay Amritraj (IND) | 62 75 |
| 1973 | Alex Metreveli (GEO) | Bjorn R. Borg (SWE) | 63 98 |
| 1974 | Vijay Amritraj (IND) | Tom Gorman (USA) | 67 62 64 |
| 1975 | Arthur R. Ashe (USA) | L. Roscoe Tanner (USA) | 75 64 |
| 1976 | L. Roscoe Tanner (USA) | Jimmy S. Connors (USA) | 63 64 |
| 1977 | Mark R. Edmondson (AUS) | Tim E. Gullikson (USA) | 63 64 |
| 1978 | Jimmy S. Connors (USA) | Stan R. Smith (USA) | 98 63 |
| 1979 | Peter B. Fleming (USA) | L. Roscoe Tanner (USA) | 36 63 75 |
| 1980 | Onny Parun (NZL) | Sandy Mayer (USA) | 64 46 97 |
| 1981 | Kevin M. Curren (RSA) | Chris Lewis (NZL) | 62 63 |
| 1982 | Kevin M. Curren (RSA) | Buster Mottram | 76 64 |
| 1983 | Steve B. Denton (USA) | Pat H. Cash (AUS) | 76 76 |
| 1984 | Pat H. Cash (AUS) | Paul McNamee (AUS) | 36 62 61 |
| 1985 | Tim Mayotte (USA) | Steve B. Denton (USA) | 76 60 |
| 1986 | Ramesh Krishnan (IND) | Danie T. Visser (RSA) | 75 61 |
| 1987 | Scott E. Davis (USA) | Danie T. Visser (RSA) | 63 67 63 |
| 1988 | Christian Saceanu (GER) | G. Leif Shiras (USA) | 76 63 |
| 1989 | John P. McEnroe Jr. (USA) | Broderick Dyke (AUS) | 64 76 |
| 1990 | Ivan Lendl (USA) | Darren J. Cahill (AUS) | 63 75 |
| 1991 | Ivan Lendl (USA) | Pat H. Cash (AUS) | 36 76(3) 76(4) |
| 1992 | David Wheaton (USA) | Christo van Rensburg (RSA) | 63 16 61 |
| 1993 | David Wheaton (USA) | Chris B. Bailey | 64 36 76(2) |
| 1994 | Guy Forget (FRA) | M. Jeremy Bates | 62 63 |
| 1995 | Petr Korda (CZE) | Andrew L. Richardson | Shared (rain) |
| 1996 | Mark R. J. Petchey | Petr Korda (CZE) | 62 64 |
Ladies Singles Roll of Honour (1888-1996)
| YEAR | CHAMPION | RUNNER-UP | SCORE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1888 | May Jacks | Edith Gurney | 16 63 60 |
| 1889 | E. Maud Shackle | May Jacks | 63 75 |
| 1890 | May Jacks | E. Maud Shackle | 46 60 64 |
| 1891 | E. Maud Shackle | May Jacks | 64 60 |
| 1892 | E. Maud Shackle | May Jacks | 63 61 |
| 1893 | E. Maud Shackle | Ruth P. Legh | 63 64 |
| 1894 | Edith Austin | Amy Wilson | 64 62 |
| 1895 | Edith Austin | Amy Wilson | 63 61 |
| 1896 | Edith Austin | Ruth P. Legh | 64 26 64 |
| 1897 | Edith Austin | E. R. Morgan | 62 60 |
| 1898 | Charlotte R. Cooper (USA) | Edith Austin | 62 46 63 |
| 1899 | Edith Austin | Charlotte R. Cooper (USA) | 16 75 62 |
| 1900 | Mrs. Edith Greville | Muriel E. Robb | 61 63 |
| 1901 | Dorothea Douglass | Mrs. Edith Greville | 61 46 64 |
| 1902 | Dorothea Douglass | Hilda Lane | 75 64 |
| 1903 | Connie M. Wilson | Dorothea Douglass | 36 64 64 |
| 1904 | Dorothea Douglass | Connie M. Wilson | 62 62 |
| 1905 | Connie M. Wilson | Alice Greene | Postponed |
| 1906 | Dorothea Douglass | Connie M. Wilson | 63 22 ret. |
| 1907 | May Sutton (USA) | Mrs. Dorothea Lambert Chambers | 62 86 |
| 1908 | Agnes M. Morton | Dora P. Boothby | 62 61 |
| 1909 | Dora P. Boothby | Agnes M. Morton | Postponed (Rain) |
| 1910 | Mrs. Dorothea Lambert Chambers | Dora P. Boothby | 64 63 |
| 1911 | Mrs. Dorothea Lambert Chambers | J. Mildred Coles | 63 75 |
| 1912 | Mrs. Winifred McNair | Dora P. Boothby | 61 64 |
| 1913 | Mrs. Dorothea Lambert Chambers | Mrs. Phyllis Sattherthwaite | 64 64 |
| 1914 | Mrs. Edith Hannam | Agnes M. Morton | 06 11-9 ret. |
| 1915-18 | Not Held | World War I | |
| 1919 | Elizabeth Ryan (USA) | Mrs. Dorothea Lambert Chambers | 26 75 64 |
| 1920 | Elizabeth Ryan (USA) | Mrs. Winifred McNair | 79 32 shared |
| 1921 | Elizabeth Ryan (USA) | Mrs. W. Geraldine Beamish | 97 64 |
| 1922 | Kitty McKane | Elizabeth Ryan (USA) | 63 63 |
| 1923 | Elizabeth Ryan (USA) | Mrs. Phyllis Sattherthwaite | 63 36 63 |
| 1924 | Elizabeth Ryan (USA) | Kitty McKane | 68 61 61 |
| 1925 | Elizabeth Ryan (USA) | Mrs. W. Geraldine Beamish | 46 63 62 |
| 1926 | Lili de Alvarez (ESP) | Molla Mallory (USA) | 64 62 |
| 1927 | Helen Wills (USA) | Mrs. Kitty Godfree | 62 64 |
| 1928 | Elizabeth Ryan (USA) | Mary Violet Chamberlain | 62 10-8 |
| 1929 | Phyllis Howkins Covell | Peggy Saunders Mitchell | 61 64 |
| 1930 | Jenny Sandison (IND) | L. Ann Owen | 62 46 64 |
| 1931 | Phyllis Mudford | Dorothy Round | 61 62 |
| 1932 | Mary Heeley | Freda James | 16 63 60 |
| 1933 | Dorothy Round | Peggy Saunders Mitchell | 61 64 |
| 1934 | Mrs. Phyllis King | Joan Hartigan (AUS) | 62 63 |
| 1935 | Dorothy Round | Katharine Stammers | 62 60 |
| 1936 | Anita Lizana (CHI) | Betty Nuthall | 36 60 61 |
| 1937 | Jadwiga Jedrzejowska (POL) | Alice Marble (USA) | 61 9-11 61 |
| 1938 | Jadwiga Jedrzejowska (POL) | Mrs. E. L. 'Bobbie' Heine Miller | 75 36 62 |
| 1939 | Alice Marble (USA) | Katharine Stammers | 63 61 |
| 1940-45 | Not Held | World War II | |
| 1946 | Vera Dace | Betty Nuthall | 64 63 |
| 1947 | Mrs. Kay Menzies | Mrs. Sheila P. Summers (RSA) | 62 11-9 |
| 1948 | Mrs. Maria Weiss (ARG) | Patsy Rodgers | 75 61 |
| 1949 | Mrs. Patt C. Todd (USA) | Mrs. Sheila P. Summers (RSA) | 63 60 |
| 1950 | Gussy Moran (USA) | Nancy Morrison (USA) | 46 61 62 |
| 1951 | Betty Rosenquest (USA) | Barbara Scofield (USA) | 46 75 61 |
| 1952 | Mrs. Hazel Reddick-Smith (RSA) | Mrs. Vera Thomas | 62 62 |
| 1953 | Maureen Connolly (USA) | Julia Sampson (USA) | 62 63 |
| 1954 | Abandoned at | Quarter-final stage | 14 June |
| 1955 | Louise Brough (USA) | Mary Carter (AUS) | 62 64 |
| 1956 | Darlene Hard (USA) | Mrs Betty Rosenquest Pratt (JAM) | Abandoned (rain) |
| 1957 | Althea Gibson (USA) | Darlene Hard (USA) | 63 36 64 |
| 1958 | Sandra Reynolds (RSA) | Jean Forbes (RSA) | 64 64 |
| 1959 | Darlene Hard (USA) | Mrs Sally Moore (USA) | 61 75 |
| 1960 | Christiane Mercelis (BEL) | Mrs. Vera Roberts | 75 46 64 |
| 1961 | Margaret Smith (AUS) | Christine Truman | 63 46 86 |
| 1962 | Jan Lehane (AUS) | Lesley Turner (AUS) | 75 63 |
| 1963 | Margaret Smith (AUS) | Jan Lehane (AUS) | 60 61 |
| 1964 | Maria Bueno (BRA) | Margaret Smith (AUS) | 35 Shared |
| 1965 | Margaret Smith (AUS) | Maria Bueno (BRA) | 46 63 63 |
| 1966 | Karen Krantzcke (AUS) | Maria Bueno (BRA) | W/O |
| 1967 | Mrs. Ann Jones | Virginia Wade | 63 16 63 |
| 1968 | Mrs. Margaret Court (AUS) | Mrs. Ann Jones | 11-9 62 |
| 1969 | Mrs. Denise Carter-Triolo (USA) | Kerry Melville (AUS) | 63 75 |
| 1970 | Patti Hogan (USA) | Olga Morozova (USSR) | 61 63 |
| 1971 | Kerry Melville (AUS) | Kristy Pigeon (USA) | 60 36 97 |
| 1972 | Olga Morozova (USSR) | Jill Cooper | 64 61 |
| 1973 | Dianne Fromholtz (AUS) | Janet Newberry (USA) | 75 06 61 |
| 1974 | Paulina Pelsachov (ISR) | Kate Latham (USA) | 57 63 64 |
| 1975 | Greer Stevens (RSA) | Patti Hogan (USA) | 46 63 63 |
| 1976 | Olga Morozova (USSR) | Marise Kruger (RSA) | 75 26 63 |
| 1977 | Yvonne Vermaak (RSA) | Michelle Tyler | 64 57 61 |
| 1978 | Mrs. Evonne Cawley (AUS) | Laura DuPont (USA) | 64 62 |
| 1979 | Mrs. Evonne Cawley (AUS) | Pam Shriver (USA) | 63 62 |
| 1980 | Andrea Jaeger (USA) | Jo Durie | 64 61 |
| 1981 | Pam Shriver (USA) | Elizabeth Little (AUS) | 62 62 |
| 1982 | Pam Shriver (USA) | Elizabeth Sayers (AUS) | 63 62 |
| 1983 | Mrs. Billie Jean King (USA) | Barbara Potter (USA) | 64 63 |
| 1984 | Terry Phelps (USA) | Mrs. Tina Watanabe-Mochizuki (USA) | 76 62 |
| 1985 | Barbara Potter (USA) | Annabel Croft | 76 46 63 |
| 1986 | Pam Shriver (USA) | Barbara Potter (USA) | 64 63 |
| 1987 | Barbara Potter (USA) | Alycia Moulton (USA) | 76 75 |
| 1988 | Robin White (USA) | Ann Henricksson (USA) | 63 62 |
| 1989 | Ross Fairbank (RSA) | Anne Minter (AUS) | 63 63 |
| 1990 | Ross Fairbank (USA) | Gigi Fernandez (PUR) | 75 64 |
| 1991 | Andrea Strnadova (CZE) | Renae Stubbs (AUS) | 67 64 63 |
| 1992 | Mary Joe Fernandez (USA) | Helena Sukova (CZE) | 64 62 |
| 1993 | Martina Navratilova (USA) | Kristie Boogert (NED) | 63 63 |
| 1994 | Kerry-Anne Guse (AUS) | Dianne 'Dinky' van Rensburg (RSA) | 75 16 76 |
| 1995 | Els Callens (BEL) | Mrs. Ross Niedeffer (USA) | 62 63 |
| 1996 | Clare Wood | Maria Vento (VEN) | 63 62 |