The Mersey Bowmen (Sefton Park) Tournament was a combined men's and women's grass court tennis event founded in 1880 as the Mersey Bowmen Archery Club Lawn Tennis Tournament.[1] It was held at the Mersey Bowmen Archery Club, Sefton Park, Aigburth, Liverpool, Lancashire, England through until 1903.[2]
History
In July 1880 the Mersey Bowmen Archery Club (f. 1781) [3] established its first lawn tennis tournament in July 1880 known as the Mersey Bowmen Archery Club Lawn Tennis Tournament.[4] By 1884 the tournament was being promoted under the name the Mersey Bowmen LTC Tournament.[5] By 1903 celebrating its 23rd annual event it was known then as the Mersey Bowmen (Sefton Park) Tournament.[6]
In December 2011 The Mersey Bowmen Lawn Tennis Club nearly closed forever, but was saved when it received funding from a grant from Sport England as part of the Olympic legacy fund to keep it open.[7]
Venue
The Mersey Bowmen Lawn Tennis Club was founded as a Mersey Bowmen Archery Club in 1781, the Bowmen occupied sites around Liverpool, including Cazneau Street and Lodge Lane, before moving to the newly created Sefton Park in 1872.[8]
References
- ^ "Lawn Tennis Fixtures: May to September". The Field. London, England. 28 April 1880. pp. 35–37.
- ^ "THE MERSEY BOWMEN (SEFTONPARK) TOURNAMENT. Favoured with good weather, and in the preseuce of a great number of enthusiastic devotees of the game, the 23rd annual competition of the above club was held in Sefton Park on Saturday". Liverpool Evening Express. Liverpool, Lancashire, England. 13 July 1903. p. 7.
- ^ "Mersey Bowmen Lawn Tennis Club. Liverpool". www.mytennislife.co.uk. My Tennis Life. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
- ^ The Field 28 April 1880
- ^ "The Mersey Bowmen L.T.C. Tournament: The annual tournament of the Mersey Bowmen will held in Sefton Park, Liverpool, during the week ending July 12". The Field. London, England. 26 July 1884. p. 43.
- ^ Liverpool Evening Express
- ^ "Mersey Bowmen tennis club saved by Olympic legacy funding". BBC News. 22 December 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
- ^ My Tennis Life