In 2004, The All England Lawn Tennis Club commissioned sculptor Ian Rank-Broadly to produce five bronze busts of the former Ladies’ Singles British Champions to sit outside Centre Court:
Kathleen ‘Kitty’ McKane Godfrey (1896-1992) – 1924 and 1926 Champion
Dorothy Round (1909-1982) – 1934 and 1937 Champion
Angela Mortimer (1932 -2025) – 1961 Champion
Written off by a tennis coach as she only started playing the sport at the age of 15, Angela went on to become the 1961 Wimbledon Champion, beating fellow Brit Christine Truman – the first all British women’s final since 1914. What made the match all the more unusual, was that both players had a sensory disability. Angela was partially deaf and her competitor Christine Truman was almost blind in one eye. Seen as an outlier and tennis amateur, Angela’s victory earned her a £20 voucher to spend at a sport shop.
Ann Haydon Jones (1938) – 1969 Champion
Beating Billie Jean King at Wimbledon, Ann was the first left-handed female player to do so.
Virginia Wade (1945 – ) – 1977 Champion
I get sidetracked researching Virginia’s tennis career as she was the model used in David Wynne’s Tower Bridge sculpture, ‘Girl with a Dolphin’. Wow. Even more wow, Virginia still holds the title of last British woman champion.
I rock up at Wimbledon having not booked anything in the hope I can get some pictures of the busts. Access denied. As it turns out, even with booking a tour, it seems that the route does not feature the artwork. My only hope is to get a Wimbledon final ticket or improve my backhand – whichever happens first.
I’m still trying to see them. If anyone has friends in high places please get in touch. In the meantime, I (think) I have captured them thus.
WomenstatuesUK 