Crowds gather at Wimbledon in 1922
(Picture: Courtesy of Bruce Tarran from his book ‘George Hillyard: The Man who moved Wimbledon’)With entirely different kits and tennis whites, far smaller grandstands and players draped in fur coats post-match, it’s fair to say Wimbledon has changed over the years.
With new rules – for both players and attendees, updated courts and even a change in tennis ball colours, the British Championship has come a long way over the last 100 years.
In 2022, we’ve seen Australian tennis pro Nick Kyrgios landing in hot water for breaking tennis attire rules and stepping onto the court in red trainers. Meanwhile, Kate Middleton was seen cheering on Cameron Norrie at the quarter-final.
However, go back a century and the black and white images, from 1922, show fans prepared to stand in line for hours for the chance to glimpse the sporting heroes of the day. Of course, Centre Court fans now have a multi-million-pound retractable roof to shelter under — but elsewhere on the grounds, they must suffer London’s inclement weather just as they did all those years ago.
The rare photographs were published in a book chronicling the early years of tennis and the life of George Hillyard, one of the game’s most influential figures and the man responsible for moving the Championships to its present venue.
More than 200 photographs appear in the book, by professional tennis coach Bruce Tarran. One shows Suzanne Lenglen of France turning up for the final against Molla Mallory wearing a fur coat.
The book describes how in 1887 Hillyard, aged 23, married Wimbledon Ladies champion Blanche Bingley and influenced the world of tennis for the next 40 years. He won Olympic doubles gold at the London Games in 1908 and helped found the Lawn Tennis Association, wresting power over the game from The All England Club.
