Henry Mayes
Encyclopedia
Henry George Mayes was a British-Canadian tennis player, military figure and businessman. He won the Queen's Club Championships
in 1922, 1926 and 1927.
, he was educated at Northampton Grammar School. He served in the Boer War
in 1898, joining the Natel Horse as a trooper. He was promoted to a captain and was awarded the King's and Queen's medals. In 1908, he resigned his commission after marrying Frances Hazard of Long Island
, and moved to Winnipeg
, Canada
in 1909. There he founded a tanning company with business associates. However, he was called to military duty against with the outbreak of World War I
and was a founding member of the Fort Garry Horse regiment, serving under the Canadian forces on the Western Front
from 1914 to 1916 in France, during which he was promoted from captain to major. After the war he was again promoted to lieutenant-colonel and was the head of Bayonet Fighting. His sporting expertise saw him appointed head of physical training with the Canadian Air Force and in the same position in the UK for the RAF, which saw him awarded an MBE
in January 1918. He later became based in Victoria, British Columbia
and London
.
Mayes was a good all-round sportsman, participating in polo
, tennis
and shooting
on an international level. He excelled at tennis, and his hard-court play was reported to be his strongest surface and he enjoyed much popularity as a tennis player.
Mayes was on the 1913 Canadian Davis Cup
team along with J. F. Foulkes, Robert Powell and Bernie Schwengers
. It was Canada's first entry into the Davis Cup and they reached the final of the Cup only to be defeated by the United States in the summer of 1913 at Wimbledon where the Cup was being held. He won the Queen's Club Championships
in 1922, 1926 and 1927, defeating Donald Greig (6–8, 6–2, 6–2, 6–1), Arthur Lowe
(6–3, 6–2) and D.M. Evans (6–3, 6–3) respectively. He was also a competitor at the Wimbledon Championships. Winning his last championship at the age of 47, when most modern players have long since been retired, he died just a year after his last win in London in 1928 of blood poisoning, aged 48. According to the United States Lawn Tennis Association, Mayes was reported to have still been in peak physical shape before his death, "approaching a half century".
Queen's Club Championships
The Queen's Club Championships is an annual tournament for male tennis players, held on grass courts at the Queen's Club in West Kensington, London. Between 1970 and 1989 it was part of the Grand Prix tennis circuit. The event is now an ATP World Tour 250 series tournament on the Association of...
in 1922, 1926 and 1927.
Biography
Born in NorthamptonNorthampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
, he was educated at Northampton Grammar School. He served in the Boer War
Boer War
The Boer Wars were two wars fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Oranje Vrijstaat and the Republiek van Transvaal ....
in 1898, joining the Natel Horse as a trooper. He was promoted to a captain and was awarded the King's and Queen's medals. In 1908, he resigned his commission after marrying Frances Hazard of Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, and moved to Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in 1909. There he founded a tanning company with business associates. However, he was called to military duty against with the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and was a founding member of the Fort Garry Horse regiment, serving under the Canadian forces on the Western Front
Western Front
Western Front was a term used during the First and Second World Wars to describe the contested armed frontier between lands controlled by Germany to the east and the Allies to the west...
from 1914 to 1916 in France, during which he was promoted from captain to major. After the war he was again promoted to lieutenant-colonel and was the head of Bayonet Fighting. His sporting expertise saw him appointed head of physical training with the Canadian Air Force and in the same position in the UK for the RAF, which saw him awarded an MBE
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
in January 1918. He later became based in Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Mayes was a good all-round sportsman, participating in polo
Polo
Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Sometimes called, "The Sport of Kings", it was highly popularized by the British. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a...
, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
and shooting
Shooting
Shooting is the act or process of firing rifles, shotguns or other projectile weapons such as bows or crossbows. Even the firing of artillery, rockets and missiles can be called shooting. A person who specializes in shooting is a marksman...
on an international level. He excelled at tennis, and his hard-court play was reported to be his strongest surface and he enjoyed much popularity as a tennis player.
Mayes was on the 1913 Canadian Davis Cup
Davis Cup
The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is run by the International Tennis Federation and is contested between teams of players from competing countries in a knock-out format. The competition began in 1900 as a challenge between Britain and the United States. By...
team along with J. F. Foulkes, Robert Powell and Bernie Schwengers
Bernie Schwengers
Bernhard Peter Schwengers . was a British-born Canadian tennis player, baseball player, and all-round sportsman...
. It was Canada's first entry into the Davis Cup and they reached the final of the Cup only to be defeated by the United States in the summer of 1913 at Wimbledon where the Cup was being held. He won the Queen's Club Championships
Queen's Club Championships
The Queen's Club Championships is an annual tournament for male tennis players, held on grass courts at the Queen's Club in West Kensington, London. Between 1970 and 1989 it was part of the Grand Prix tennis circuit. The event is now an ATP World Tour 250 series tournament on the Association of...
in 1922, 1926 and 1927, defeating Donald Greig (6–8, 6–2, 6–2, 6–1), Arthur Lowe
Arthur Lowe (tennis)
Arthur Holden Lowe was an English tennis player.Lowe competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics in both singles and doubles....
(6–3, 6–2) and D.M. Evans (6–3, 6–3) respectively. He was also a competitor at the Wimbledon Championships. Winning his last championship at the age of 47, when most modern players have long since been retired, he died just a year after his last win in London in 1928 of blood poisoning, aged 48. According to the United States Lawn Tennis Association, Mayes was reported to have still been in peak physical shape before his death, "approaching a half century".