Origins of the Sport of Badminton
i: Early Tournaments and Matches from 1876
The first recorded Badminton Tournament was reported in The Field September 2nd 1876.
LADIES’ BADMINTON TOURNAMENT AT TEIGNMOUTH
A Ladies’ Badminton tournament took place here on Saturday last, for prizes presented by Mr. A Southey. The games were nearly all well contested, and the winners had to work hard for their prizes. The third and final games were peculiarly close and exciting contests.
The contestants were eight ladies doubles pairs, and the event was a straight knock-out, played obviously in three rounds. There is no mention of handicapping. The eventual winners were Miss F.A.Robinson and Miss A.M.Brine.
First round losers played for ‘A Consolation Prize, presented by Mr F. Stayner’. Almost a plate event except that some of the pairings were changed. The winners here were Miss N.Norris and Miss A.Southey. No scores were given so we don’t know how many games the ladies had to play. It doesn’t actually say whether it was outdoors, although it probably was.
The Field April 1877 reported the meeting at which the name of “The All England Croquet Club” was changed to “The All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club” . There is no mention of Badminton, which had obviously been dropped.