[LKK]

COVELL, PHYLLIS (nee Phyllis Lindrea Howkins)
Great Britain
Born 22 May 1895 in Windlesham, Surrey, England
Died 28 October 1982 in Hoyle, West Sussex, England
Married Beverly Carthew Covell on 23 September 1921 in Bombay, India
[Active 1920-1934]

A highly effective net game and volley made Covell a force to be reckoned with in doubles; she won the 1923 United States doubles title and was a silver medalist in doubles at the 1924 Olympics in Paris.

Covell's apex in singles came in 1924, where her 3 victories were the key to Britain's upset win in the Wightman Cup before a home crowd on Centre Court. The 1925 Ayres Almanck described her win over Helen Wills

From “Ayres’ Lawn Tennis Almanack” (1925)

“In commenting on Mrs Covell’s play on the Riviera early in the year, when she defeated Elizabeth Ryan twice, emphasis was placed in the ‘Field’ on her sound tactical ability and on her capacity to give practical expression to a concerted plan. Mrs Covell more than justified that judgment when opposed to Miss Wills, for the feature of her play was her strategic acumen. Every shot was played with an eye to its successor; the service, having regard to its break, was pitched on exactly the right spot; the excursions to the net were perfectly timed, the rally was completed by a volleying coup evidently considered in advance.

Career Highlights

1921 Wimbledon QF
1923 US Nationals Doubles winner with Kitty McKane
1924 Silver medalist in doubles with Kitty McKane. Helped power Great Britain to victory in the Wightman Cup with wins over both Helen Wills and Molla Mallory.
1929-RU in doubles at both Wimbledon and the US Nationals; US Nationals RU in mixed doubles.

Won 12 events: the first at Monte Carlo in 1925 and the last at Dulwich in 1932.

Covell and Dorothy Shepherd-Barron were such close friends that they arranged to be married on the same day in a double wedding ceremony at Bombay in September of 1921. The two were also a team knotch doubles team that covered the net like a wall. Together the made both the Wimbledon and United States 1929 doubles final.

Phyllis was wed to Beverley Covell, a good enough tennis player to also compete at Wimbledon.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phyllis_Covell

Archive - Draws Archive : Phyllis Covell (Howkins) - 2015 Wimbledon Championships Website - Official Site by IBM

Little, Alan. The Golden Days of Tennis on the French Riviera. 2014.

1925 Ayres Almanck.

 

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COVI, MARIA
Italy
Born
Married Forlanini, circa 1923

Active in the 1930s

L to R: Maria Covi Forlanini, Giulia Perelli.

 

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COWLEY, NANCY
Australia
Married Harry Martin by Oct 1930

 

[LKK]

COWNEY, “PAT” (Patricia Laura Cowney)
United Kingdom
Born 1921 in Tamworth, Staffordshire
Died 22 June 2007
Married Dr Dudley William Fram Gotla on 6 September 1950 in Birmingham, West Midlands
[Active 1940s-1964]

Pat, a native of Warwickshire,was engaged to Dr Dudley Gotla in June of 1950. She was never able to win a singles match at Wimbledon.

She played on into the 60s-competing in Torquay from 1960 to 1964

Wimbledon Record (competed from 1947-1954, and in 1959 and 1960 lost in qualifying)

Singles: 0-8
Doubles: 2-6
Mixed: 0-2.

Source: www.gov.uk/search-will-probate

[Thanks to Newmark and Peter2003 for this biography]

 

[LKK]

COX, ELIZABETH (nee Elizabeth Maria ????)
Australia (NSW)
Born 03 April 1879
Died 19 August 1963
Married Thomas Henry Cox (1876-1937) by 1903.
[Active in 1925]

Mother of Marjorie Cox. The Mrs Cox in the 1925 Aussie draw is certainly her. Mrs Cox defaulted to Margaret Knoblanche. Mother and daughter often played doubles together.

At her daughter's 1930 marriage Mr and Mrs Cox resided in Camden.

In the 1930s Mrs Cox traveled with her daughter and son-in-law, writing tennis related articles for newspapers.

For her daughter Marjorie see: https://www.tennisforum.com/25390754-post474.html

Sources:

18 Jan 1937 - MR. T. H. COX - Trove

https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSsr=41&GScid=2595533&GRid=163578608&

[Thanks to Jimbo, LKK, and Rollo for this information]

 

[LKK]

COX, ALMA (Alma C Cox)
Australia

 

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COX, Miss B.
Australia (NSW)

1950 Aussie doubles draw.

 

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COX, TRUDA
Australia (Victoria)
Married John Knight (brother of Bill who was married to Peg Cowling)

 

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COZENS, IRENE (Irene Estelle Cozens)
Australia (NSW)
Born 1890 in Newtown, Sydney, NSW
Died 1971
Married Henry Forbes-Smith in 1919

NSW player of 1910s and 1920s

 

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CRADDOCK, DORIS (Doris Kate Covell)
Great Britain
Born 26 February 1885
Died 05 March 1963
Married Albert Chase Craddock (1879-1949), 23 February 1909
[Active 1912-1929]

Mrs Craddock's son Philp was born in 1911. The next year was her first as an active presence in English tennis.

She may have gone by her middle name of Kate, but the Wimbledon site lists her as Doris. She contested every Wimbledon from 1914 to 1928-11 years in all, there being no event from 1915 to 1918.

In her very first Wimbledon Mrs Craddock reached the quarterfinals in 1914.

Mrs Craddock was thrice a finalist in the British Covered Court [Indoors] event in the years 1920, 1922, and 1924.

In 1943 her son Philip was killed in battle during World War II.

Miss J. E. Stevens and Doris (on right) at Frinton in 1929

Sources:

Archive - Draws Archive : Doris Craddock - 2015 Wimbledon Championships Website - Official Site by IBM

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Covered_Court_Championships

http://www.kentfallen.com/PDF%20REPORTS/CHELSFIELD.pdf [information on her son on page 7]

 

[LKK]

CRAIG-SMITH, MARION
Great Britain
Married John Lewis Hobbs on 06 December 1958 at the Cathedral, Bathurst, Gambia
[Active in 1955]

Qualified for Wimbledon in 1955. A Miss Craig-Smith, her name indicates a hyphen and not a husband.

She was the only daughter of Mrs. M.E.Craig-Smith and the late Mr. A.D. Craig-Smith. She was a regular member of the Kent County team.

Source:

Lawn Tennis and Badminton 15th December 1958

[Thanks to Rosamund for this information]

 

[LKK]

CRAWFORD, LOTTIE (Lottie Janet Crawford)
Australia (NSW)
Born 02 April 1911 in Albury, New South Wales
Died ????
Married Cyril H. Gibson in 1932
[Active circa 1926-36]

Sister of fellow players Jack Crawford and Marjorie Crawford; sister-in-law of player Marjorie Cox Crawford, who married Jack.

[Thanks to Newmark for this information]

 

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CRAWFORD, MARJORIE (Marjorie Florence Crawford)
Australia
Born 16 May 1904 in Albury, New South Wales
Died or divorced by 1967. Alive in 1944 when husband discharged from army.
Married Victor Allan Kendall (1904-1967) in 1927 in Waverley, New South Wales
Nickname: "Pat"

Sister of famous player Jack Crawford, and thus sister-in law to Marjorie Cox Crawford. Her tennis was adversely affected by living far from Sydney. Marjorie Crawford was a teacher by profession.

Maried to teaching pro Allan Kendall. Her son Allan was born in 1928 (September 29) was also later a player of note. His obituary calls her "Pat". He had a second wife, indicating a divorce or Marjorie dying and a remarriage.

Sources:
http://www.smh.com.au/comment/obitua...130-31p9a.html

http://www.tennisarchives.com/player.php?playerid=3624

http://austcemindex.com/inscription.php?id=8631395

[Thanks to Jimbo and Newmark for this information]

 

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CRAWFORD, MARJORIE (nee Marjorie Elizabeth Cox)
Australia (NSW)
Born 1903 in Bowral, New South Wales.
Died 1983 in Sydney,New South Wales
Married John Herbert “Jack” Crawford (8 Mar 1908-10 Sep 1991) on 27 February 1930.
[Active 1925-1934]

Jack was a major star, winning 6 grand slam titles. He and Marjorie won the Aussie mixed from 1931-1933. In singles Margerie reached the Aussie final in 1931, the SF in 1926,1929, and the QF in 1925,27,30, and 32. Her span of playing the Aussie went from 1925 to 1934. Thus she made the QF or better 7 of the 9 times entered. Also won 1932 Aussie doubles with Buttsworth. Played overseas in 1932.

"Husband Jack (Australian, French and Wimbledon Champ) once counted up all the championships she had won – city and country – great and small – and found that they totaled 75. He also found that was more than he had won."

She probably took up under the influence of her mother Elizabeth. The two entered several doubles events in 1924 and 1925.

For her mother see: http://www.tennisforum.com/25390666-post465.html

Marjorie and Jack Crawford

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marjorie_Cox_Crawford

Biography - John Herbert (Jack) Crawford - Australian Dictionary of Biography

[Thanks to Jimbo, LKK< and Rollo for this information]

 

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CRAWSHAY WILLIAMS, WEETA (nee Weeta Donaldson)
Great Britain
Born in 1905
Died 1966
Married Eliot Crawshaw Williams (1879-1962) in 1924
Nickname: "Bessie"
[Active 1923-1932]

Daughter of William Cattanach Donaldson

Played Wim in 1923 under maiden name. Third wife of Crawshay-Williams, he had divorced his first two wives. Eliot was a tennis player, member of Parliament, and later a novelist. They had two sons, David (b. 1925) and Jonathan (b. 1928). There may have been some scandal surrounding the marriage, as it followed his second divorce. Access to part of the Crawshay Williams papers (in the National Archives of Wales) related to Leeds court case are closed until 2012. It contains letters between Eliot and “lady friends”. This is probably connected to an infamous 1913 court case that ended his political career. Eliot married his mistress after both were divorced, and the “acrimonious” second divorce may have followed a similar pattern.

Mother of David (born 1925) and Jonathan (born 1928).


Sources:


Crawshay-Williams, Eliot; Simple Story: An Accidental Autobiography, 1935 [includes photos of Weeta]
J Graham Jones; Champion of Liberalism: Eliot Crawshay-Williams in Journal of Liberal History, Issue 59, Summer 2008

 

[LKK]

CRAZE, OLIVE (Olive Maitland Craze)
South Africa
Born in 1918
Died ???? [possibly in 1976*-see note below]
Married René Louis Plessis on 27 January 1941 in the Catholic Pro-Cathedral, Johannesburg
[Active circa 1932-41 and 1946-50 entering local events as late as 1958]

Olive Craze enjoyed her greatest success at tennis tournaments before her marriage, notably winning the women’s singles at her native South African Championships in 1939 and 1940. On both occasions she defeated Sheila Piercey in the final. Together the same two players won the women’s doubles title at the South African Championships in 1940, having been runner-up in the same event in 1938 and 1939. Olive’s husband, René Plessis, was born in France, but later emigrated to South Africa.

Olive's elder sister, Doris, also showed great promise at tennis as a teenager, but did not subsequently enjoy the same success at tournaments as her sibling. Their mother, Myra, also took part in tennis tournaments for many years. A Mr J. Craze, probably the husband and father of the same players, is also listed in the draws of some South African tennis tournaments, mainly before World War One. John (aka Johnny) Craze, brother of Olive and Doris, enjoyed notable success at baseball as an adult.

Olive was part of a South African ladies team that toured Europe in 1938. As a result she was able to enter Wimbledon for her one ans only appearance there.

*While we lack a solid date of death for her, she might possibly be the Olive May Du Plessis who died in the Transvaal in 1976.

South African Top Ten Rankings (when known)

1936: #9
1937: #5
1938: #5
1939: missing rankings-probably-#1
1940: #1
World War II
1946: #3
1947: #3

A Getty photo of Olive with Mary Whitmarsh may be found using google.

left to right: Heine-Miller, Morphew, Piercey, and Olive Craze in England in June of 1938

For a larger version of this photo see: https://www.pressreader.com/south-africa/sunday-tribune/20091115/281857229619827

Sources:

http://www.tennisforum.com/49629554-post62.html

[Thanks to Newmark for this information]

 

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CRESSY, "ELLEN" / "ELLA" (Helen Wilkinson Cressy)
Great Britain
Born circa November 1877 in Cheadle, Cheshire, England
Died 19 September 1949 in Caterham, Surrey, England
Married Roger Thorpe Green circa May 1898 in Altrincham, Greater Manchester, England. Sometimes referred to as Ellen/Ella in draws, hence Miss E. Cressy.
[Active in 1897]

Sister of Ida and Lilian.

In 1897, Ellen lost to Charlotte Cooper in the All-Comers' Final at the Northern Championships tournament in Ellen's native Manchester.

[Info provided by Newmark]

 

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CRESSY, IDA (Ida Maud Cressy)
Great Britain
Born circa November 1870 in Manchester, Lancashire, England
Died 08 February 1951 in The General Hospital, Brighton, Sussex, England
[Active in 1895-1896]

One of three tennis-playing Cressy sisters (Ida, Helen and Lilian) who came from north-west England. They were the daughters of Robert Cressy, a linen merchant, and his wife Ellen. Ida, the eldest, was probably the best player of the three. She was runner-up to Lottie Paterson at the Scottish Championships in 1895 and 1896.

[Thanks to Newmark for this information]

 

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CRESSY, LILIAN (Lilian Mabel Cressy)
Great Britain
Born circa May 1872 in Manchester, Lancashire, England
Died 12 November 1958 in North Wales Hospital, Denbigh, Denbighshire, Wales
[Active in the 1890s]

Did not marry. Sister of Ida and Helen.

Here are the Cressy family of Manchester, England, in the 1881 Census of England and Wales:

Household Gender Age

Parent Robert Cressy M 46
Parent Ellen Cressy F 40
Harold Cressy M 13
Ida M Cressy F 10
Lilian M Cressy F 8
Vernon H Cressy M 7
Arthur V Cressy M 6
Ellen (Helen) W Cressy F 3

It looks like Ellen, the youngest child, named after the mother, was born in 1878.

[Thanks to Newmark for this information]

 

[LKK]

CRICHTON, DOROTHY (Dorothy Hannah Crichton)
Great Britain
Born 04 January 1905 in Manor Park, Essex, England
Died 06 September 2009 in Palo Alto, California, United States
Married Richard C. Beckett on 24 August 1968 in Santa Clara, California
[Active 1931-1934]

Dorothy Crichton became an American citizen in 1962 at the age of 57, married in 1968 at the age of 63 and lived to the age of 104.

1932 and 1933 Wimbledon qualifier. Also entered in 1934. Her singles record was 1-3 in the Championships

[Her obituary]

Palo Altan Dorothy Beckett, 104, dies

Dorothy Beckett, a 104-year-old Palo Alto woman and former Wimbledon tennis player, has died.

Beckett died at Stanford Hospital Sept. 6 of complications after breaking her hip and having surgery, according to her niece, Pat Morcott. In the hospital, Beckett continued to entertain staff with many stories, she said.
"Her head was good to the end," Morcott said of her lucidity.

Although Beckett's hearing was failing, she remained in her home until 2 1/2 years ago, when she moved into Sunrise Senior Living in Palo Alto.

Beckett was born Jan. 4, 1905, in England and moved to the United States in 1955. She married Richard Beckett, a mailman, at age 62. She played both singles and doubles tennis at Wimbledon in 1933 and 1934 as Dorothy Crichton, winning the first round in singles in 1933 by defeating Mrs. Andree Lucas 6-3, 2-6, 6-2, according to statistics on tennisforum.com.

At her 100th birthday party, Beckett said she never let much in life get under her skin. She enjoyed teas, hockey, and in her later years, lawn bowling and badminton and advised young people to "do a lot of exercise." She was a member of the Palo Alto Lawn Bowls Club.

According to research based the 2000 U.S. Census done by John Sink, vice president of programs at Avenidas, Beckett was one of 20 Palo Altans aged 100 or older and one of 15 women.

Beckett is survived by her niece, Pat Morcott, and several great-nieces and great-nephews and many friends.

A memorial service will take place Oct. 11 at All Saints Episcopal Church, 555 Waverley St., Palo Alto. Details are still being arranged.

Sources:

https://www.mercurynews.com/2009/09/14/palo-altan-former-wimbledon-competitor-dies-at-104/
https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2009/09/14/palo-altan-dorothy-beckett-104-dies

[Thanks to Newmark and Rollo information on this player]