[newmark401]

Adolphine Mary "May" Arbuthnot
United Kingdom
Born 12 January 1868
Died 18 December 1904
Married Charles Edward Brownrigg, 22 December 1897
--

Alice Marion Artbuthnot
United Kingdom
Born 8 November 1869
Died
Married Edward Herbert Fox, 18 April 1900
--

The two eldest of the three English tennis-playing Arbuthnot sisters both married. The third, Ivy, didn't. Alice is sometimes listed as Ann, but Alice appears to be the correct name. May was born in Madras, India; Alice in Leghorn, Italy.
-----

[newmark401]

This is another great find, though not by me. I only asked someone if they might be able to find something about the player, in this case the Mlle d'Elva who was runner-up in the singles event at the Closed French Championships in 1907. Here's what the person in question was able to point to:

Catherine Henriette Josephe d'Aliney d'Elva
Born 31 March 1888 in Changé
Died 14 January 1977 in Paris
Married François Guillaume Henri Marie Gérard, 23 April 1908 in Paris

Catherine's husband, whose family name was Gérard, was the eldest son of a baron and in time he became one too. They had one child, a daughter called Antoinette. Catherine appears to have given up tournament play after her marriage.

The d'Elva family has roots in the commune of Changé in the Pays de la Loire region of north-west France: http://gw1.geneanet.org/garric?lang=...+aliney+d+elva
-----

[newmark401]

In a recent interview Claudie Kohde-Kilsch stated that Chris Bennett was the father of her son, whereas Rolf Lehmann was her husband. She divorced the latter at some point in 2010.
-----

[Olympus]

Originally Posted by newmark401

Antoinette Gillou
France
Born circa 1888
Died
Married Paul Gentien, 3 May 1904

The younger tennis-playing sister of Kate Gillou (later Fenwick).
--

Originally posted by Rollo:

Antoinette's son Antoine (“Coco”) born 1905, was also tennis player and a good friend of Suzanne Lenglen.

Antoinette was the lover of Dolly Wilde, Oscar Wilde’s Niece. (Source: Truly Wilde)
--

Originally posted by newmark401:

Updates on the Gillou sisters, following some more research:

Catherine Marie Blanche "Kate" Gillou
France
Born 19 February 1887
Died 1 January 1964
Married René Francis Fenwick, March 1907
--

Antoinette Marie Jeanne Gillou
France
Born 19 January 1883
Died 16 February 1949
Married Paul Gentien, 3 May 1904
--

Originally posted by Jimbo109:

Excuse me Mark, but can you check again? Because here you have written that Antoinette was the younger sister of Kate, while yesterday, in the last post, #340 , she seems the elder.
--

Checked, and new information is correct.
-----

That would make Katie Gillou the youngest tennis player ever to play at the Olympics (age 13 in the mixed doubles in 1900).
Are you sure about the date of birth?
Or maybe it was the elder sister who played?

[Olympus]

Originally Posted by newmark401

Ruth Isabel Pennington-Legh
United Kingdom
Born 1871
Died 1952
Married Edward Bluett Winch, 9 February 1899

This is the "Miss P. Legh", who played under both her maiden and married names, becoming Ruth Winch after her marriage. Pennington was not her first name. Herbert Chipp mentions her as "Miss Pennington Legh" in his "Lawn Tennis Recollections" (1898).

From the "Cheshire Observer", 21 January 1899: "The marriage arranged between Edward Bluett Winch, third son of George Winch, Holcombe, Chatham and Ruth Isabel Legh, only daughter of the late John Pennington-Legh, Norbury Booths, Knutsford, Cheshire, and Mrs Legh, Gladwyn, Branksome Park, Bournemouth will take place quietly at one o'clock on Thursday the 9th of February at Runstall Church, Tunbridge Wells."
-----

Would this be the Winch who reached the semi-finals of the 1908 Olympic Games?

[Rollo]

Would this be the Winch who reached the semi-finals of the 1908 Olympic Games?

Yes it would.

That would make Katie Gillou the youngest tennis player ever to play at the Olympics (age 13 in the mixed doubles in 1900).
Are you sure about the date of birth?
Or maybe it was the elder sister who played?

Mark can answer better than I can. The only thing I wanted to point out was it's very possible she competed at such a young age. In those days the restrictive clothing women wore sometimes gave young girls an advantage, as they were not yet bound up in the same way.

[newmark401]

Originally Posted by Olympus

That would make Katie Gillou the youngest tennis player ever to play at the Olympics (age 13 in the mixed doubles in 1900).
Are you sure about the date of birth?
Or maybe it was the elder sister who played?

No, Kate Gillou was definitely 13 or 14 in 1900. I remember reading a short piece on her in one of the editions of "Lawn Tennis" from 1900, stating that she was something of a prodigy and predicting great things for her.

So she was obviously very young when she took part in the Olympics in 1900, if indeed she turned up to play. What results do you have for her from the Olympics in 1900?

[newmark401]

Joan Curry
United Kingdom
Born 1919
Married E. Hughesman, 1959 or 1960

As of 2010, Joan Curry was still alive, and might indeed still be alive today. This interesting thesis provides information on Joan and three other English players from the twentieth century, including Christine Truman (Janes):
http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/176301/1....an_Someren.pdf

A native of Torquay, in Devon, Joan Curry was coached by Arthur Roberts, who also coached Angela Mortimer and Sue Barker, amongst others. Joan Curry was also an excellent squash player and won the women's singles title at the British Squash Championships three times, from 1947-49.
-----

[Olympus]

Originally Posted by newmark401

No, Kate Gillou was definitely 13 or 14 in 1900. I remember reading a short piece on her in one of the editions of "Lawn Tennis" from 1900, stating that she was something of a prodigy and predicting great things for her.

So she was obviously very young when she took part in the Olympics in 1900, if indeed she turned up to play. What results do you have for her from the Olympics in 1900?

I have:
Mixed R1
Hedwiga Rosenbaumová / Archibald Warden Bohemia/Great Britain bt Katie Gillou / Pierre Verdi-Delisle France
6-3, 3-6, 6-2

Unofficial Mixed Handicap Final
Andre Prevost / Helene (?) Prevost France bt Maurice Germot / Katie Gillou France
6-3, 6-4 (Germot/Gillou started each game at 15)

[Rollo]

Kathy May married Brian Teacher in February of 1979.


Fantastic find on the 4 British ladies!

I always felt for Joan Curry, who had to take care of her ill mother and then was jilted by her coach and fiancee Arthur Roberts, who ran off and married another woman.

[Olympus]

Originally Posted by newmark401

Yvonne Prévost
France
Born circa 1880
Died
Married Auguste Boppe, 11 May 1905

I'm now almost convinced that there was never any Hélène Prévost, only an Yvonne. Of course, there could have been two tennis-playing Prévost sisters. But it is difficult to prove. However, the above details are facts (I'm not sure of Yvonne's exact birthdate).

Sources: "Le Figaro", "Lawn Tennis and Croquet"
--

Originally posted by Rollo:

Regarding Prevost-unless we know her middle names how likely is it she was simply a Yvonne Helene Marie.... and used Helene?
--

Originally posted by newmark401:

As for Yvonne Prevost, that information on her is accurate. I doubt now that there was a Helene Prevost. But it's very difficult to prove when sources almost never provide a first name. That said, I've seen Yvonne Prevost's name in some reliable contemporary sources, such as "Le Figaro" and "Lawn Tennis and Croquet", but never Helene Prevost.
--

Originally posted by Rollo:

I see-so unless there is some contemporary source listing her as "Helene" what we have is a misidentification. I'll have to go back and check the rare mentions around the 1900 Olympics. They probably all called her Miss (or Mlle) Prevost!
--

Orignally posted by newmark401:

Yes, and the tournament in question was called the "Tournoi de l'Exposition' and was held during the 'Exposition Universelle'/'World Fair' in Paris in 1900. Only in retrospect was that tournament given Olympic status (it featured a men's singles event for professional players!).
--

Update: There is concrete evidence that Hélène Prévost and Yvonne Prévost were two different people. Hélène was the daughter of André Prévost, who played some lawn tennis himself.
-----

From ''Le Figaro'' 18 February 1919 p. 2:

Les obsèques de M. André Prevost (de Reims) auront lieu à Saint-Pierre de Chaillot, demain mercredi ig, à neuf heures et demie précises. Cette mort met en deuil Mme André Prevost, née Balourdet, etses enfants M.Jean Preyqst, MM. et Mmes René Gallice, Louis Budin, Pierre Giierlet, Mlles Madeleine et Hélène Prévost. Prière de considérer le pré- sent avis comme tenant lieu de faire-part. Ni fleurs ni couronnes.

The book "Les Jeux Olympiques Oublies" by Andre Drevon mentions Andre and Helene were father and daughter.
"Le dictionnaire des médaillés olympiques français" by Stephane Gachet gives the following for Andre
Full name Jean Marie André·Prévost
Born 26 March 1860 in Reims, Marne
Died 15 February 1919 in Paris

[newmark401]

Originally Posted by Rollo

Kathy May married Brian Teacher in February of 1979.


Fantastic find on the 4 British ladies!

I always felt for Joan Curry, who had to take care of her ill mother and then was jilted by her coach and fiancee Arthur Roberts, who ran off and married another woman.

I've added the info on Kathy May. Do you know whether she was Kathleen or Katherine? I'm just curious.
--

I googled "Joan Curry" and "Hughesman" and came up with that thesis on her and the other players.
-----

[newmark401]

Originally Posted by Olympus

From ''Le Figaro'' 18 February 1919 p. 2:

Les obsèques de M. André Prevost (de Reims) auront lieu à Saint-Pierre de Chaillot, demain mercredi ig, à neuf heures et demie précises. Cette mort met en deuil Mme André Prevost, née Balourdet, etses enfants M.Jean Preyqst, MM. et Mmes René Gallice, Louis Budin, Pierre Giierlet, Mlles Madeleine et Hélène Prévost. Prière de considérer le pré- sent avis comme tenant lieu de faire-part. Ni fleurs ni couronnes.

The book "Les Jeux Olympiques Oublies" by Andre Drevon mentions Andre and Helene were father and daughter.
"Le dictionnaire des médaillés olympiques français" by Stephane Gachet gives the following for Andre
Full name Jean Marie André·Prévost
Born 26 March 1860 in Reims, Marne
Died 15 February 1919 in Paris

What an excellent find. Thanks. Translation: [From "Le Figaro", 18 February, 1919, p. 2]: "The funeral of Mr André Prevost (of Reims) will take place tomorrow, Wednesday, at Saint-Pierre de Chaillot, at 9.30 exactly. This death places in mourning Mrs André Prevost, née Balourdet; and her children, Mr Jean Prévost, Mr and Mrs René Gallice, Louis Budin, Pierre Guerlet, the Misses Madeleine and Hélène Prévost [...] No flowers or wreaths."

This proves for once and for all that Hélène Prévost and Yvonne Prévost were two different players, possibly distantly related, and that while Yvonne married (see main page of this thread), Hélène probably didn't.
-----

[Rollo]

I've added the info on Kathy May. Do you know whether she was Kathleen or Katherine? I'm just curious

My 1980 WTA Media Guide gives no clue. One factoid it does list is that she was the grandaughter of Mervyn LeRoy, producer/Director of the movie the Wizard of Oz.

[GeeTee]

May's third husband's name is Guy Fritz btw.