Thelma Kingsbury
Kingsbury, circa 1942 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 12 January 1911 Portsmouth, England |
| Died | 27 August 1979 (aged 68) Los Angeles, United States |
| Sport | |
| Country | England United States |
| Sport | Badminton |
| Handedness | Left[1] |
Thelma Kingsbury (1911–1979), (later, in succession: Thelma Scovil, Thelma Welcome, Thelma Lougheed) was an English-born, naturalised American sportswoman who won major badminton titles in the British Isles and then in the US from the early 1930s to the early 1950s.
Badminton career
Equally adept in singles and doubles she won two women's singles titles and four women's doubles titles at the prestigious All-England Championships between 1933 and 1937.[2]
In the 1935–1936 season, she achieved a British "Grand Slam" by winning the open singles titles of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.[3] After emigrating from Britain to the US, she won the U.S. women's singles title in 1941 and shared the U.S. women's doubles title with Janet Wright in 1941, 1947, 1948, 1949, and 1950.[4] Though reaching 40 in the early 1950s, she continued to play highly competitive singles matches against such formidable opponents as Ethel Marshall, Margaret Varner, and a teenage Judy Devlin (Hashman). Thelma Kingsbury was among the initial class of players elected to the U.S. Badminton Hall of Fame in 1956.
Personal life
Her sister Leoni Kingsbury was also a leading badminton player.
Achievements
International tournaments (24 titles, 11 runners-up)
Women's singles
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1931 | Welsh International | Marian Horsley | 11–4, 11–3 | Winner |
| 1933 | All England Open | Alice Woodroffe | 7–11, 5–11 | Runner-up |
| 1933 | Welsh International | Betty Uber | 1–11, 11–8, 9–11 | Runner-up |
| 1934 | Irish Open | D. Kenny | 11–2, 11–2 | Winner |
| 1934 | All England Open | Leoni Kingsbury | 4–11, 6–11 | Runner-up |
| 1934 | Welsh International | Alice Teague | 11–8, 11–6 | Winner |
| 1935 | Scottish Open | Betty Uber | 8–11, 11–5, 11–7 | Winner |
| 1935 | Welsh International | Greta Graham | 11–5, 11–4 | Winner |
| 1936 | Scottish Open | Daphne Young | 11–3, 11–4 | Winner |
| 1936 | Irish Open | Diana Doveton | 11–1, 11–3 | Winner |
| 1936 | All England Open | Betty Uber | 5–11, 11–3, 11–2 | Winner |
| 1936 | Welsh International | Greta Graham | 2–11, 10–13 | Runner-up |
| 1937 | Scottish Open | Daphne Young | 7–11, 6–11 | Runner-up |
| 1937 | All England Open | Diana Doveton | 11–0, 11–0 | Winner |
Women's doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1931 | Welsh International | Hazel Hogarth | Nora Coop Diana Doveton |
15–6, 15–11 | Winner |
| 1933 | All England Open | Marje Bell | L. W. Myers Brenda Speaight |
10–15, 15–11, 15–9 | Winner |
| 1933 | Welsh International | Betty Uber | Craddock Leoni Kingsbury |
15–8, 15–6 | Winner |
| 1934 | Irish Open | Marje Henderson | Marian Horsley Betty Uber |
6–15, 10–15 | Runner-up |
| 1934 | All England Open | Marje Henderson | L. W. Myers Brenda Speaight |
15–8, 15–5 | Winner |
| 1934 | Welsh International | Betty Uber | L. W. Myers Alice Teague |
15–10, 15–8 | Winner |
| 1935 | Scottish Open | Marje Henderson | C. T. Duncan Betty Uber |
17–14, 15–12 | Winner |
| 1935 | All England Open | Marje Henderson | Betty Uber Diana Doveton |
15–5, 9–15, 15–8 | Winner |
| 1935 | Welsh International | Betty Uber | Mavis Henderson Marian Horsley |
15–6, 15–8 | Winner |
| 1936 | Scottish Open | Marje Henderson | Elizabeth Anderson E. W. Greenwood |
15–11, 15–6 | Winner |
| 1936 | Irish Open | Diana Doveton | Marian Horsley Betty Uber |
7–15, 10–15 | Runner-up |
| 1936 | All England Open | Marje Henderson | Betty Uber Diana Doveton |
15–10, 5–15, 15–7 | Winner |
| 1936 | Welsh International | Marian Horsley | Dorothy Graham Greta Graham |
7–15, 17–18 | Runner-up |
| 1937 | Scottish Open | Marje Henderson | Elizabeth Anderson M. K. Morton |
15–6, 15–11 | Winner |
| 1937 | All England Open | Marje Henderson | Betty Uber Diana Doveton |
18–17, 1–15, 2–15 | Runner-up |
| 1955 | U.S. Open | Janet Wright | Judy Devlin Susan Devlin |
10–15, 9–15 | Runner-up |
Mixed doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1936 | Scottish Open | Ian Maconachie | James Rankin Marian Horsley |
15–3, 17–15 | Winner |
| 1936 | All England Open | Ian Maconachie | Donald C. Hume Betty Uber |
15–18, 8–15 | Runner-up |
| 1936 | Welsh International | Raymond M. White | Ian Maconachie Marian Horsley |
15–7, 5–15, 15–12 | Winner |
| 1937 | Scottish Open | Ian Maconachie | Donald C. Hume Betty Uber |
15–6, 15–11 | Winner |
| 1937 | All England Open | Ian Maconachie | Ralph Nichols J. W. Stewart |
15–11, 15–12 | Winner |
References
- ^ Scheele, H. A. E., ed. (August 1976). "Letters to the editor" (PDF). World Badminton (26 ed.). p. 19. Retrieved 4 January 2025.
- ^ Pat Davis, The Guinness Book of Badminton (Enfield, Middlesex, England: Guinness Superlatives Ltd., 1983) 106, 107.
- ^ Herbert Scheele, The International Badminton Federation Handbook for 1971 (Canterbury< Kent, England: J. A. Jennings Ltd., 1971) 163, 209, 273, 317.
- ^ Scheele, 312, 313.