Angela Buxton was the Ladies’ Singles finalist at The Championships in 1956. The same year she was the Ladies’ Doubles champion with Althea Gibson.
A year later, at the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC), Gibson won her first Ladies’ Singles title then defended the “Venus Rosewater Dish” in 1958.
A Jew and a Black… A storied combination.
It has been 70 years since they triumphed and 68 years since Gibson last distinguished herself on Centre Court, yet neither is a member of the AELTC .
The fabled setting with the SW19 postcode has treasured traditions including making singles winners “Honorary Members” for life.
In addition, Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde, the record setting six-time Gentlemen’s Doubles titlists enjoy “Honorary Member” status. So do non-winners such as Andy Roddick, Emma Raducanu, Tony Mottram and Virginia Wade.
Dick Savitt, who was Jewish, became an Honorary Member after winning the 1951 Gentlemen’s Singles championship. Venus Williams, following her victory in 2000, broke the Honorary Member color barrier – the same year she and sister Serena were the Ladies’ Doubles winners.
But Buxton and Gibson… haven’t been recognized…
For the record… There are five AELTC Membership categories: Full Member, Life Member, Honorary Member, Temporary Member and Junior Temporary Member.
Full and Life Membership is limited to 375 individuals… adding Honorary Members brings the total to a maximum of 500…
It must be mentioned… if nominated by two Club members, an individual can be added to the waiting list of approximately 1,000. But it never happened for Buxton and Gibson…
On further examination, it seems their “Honorary Memberships” were stalled.
Buxton and Gibson… were never accepted.
Over the years, when queried about the exclusion, the AELTC has constantly asserted that membership decisions are a private matter.
When advocates and historians called attention to the racial and religious prejudices of the 1950s, and the fact neither Buxton nor Gibson had Honorary Memberships, terse denials were offered stressing that the lack of inclusion didn’t have anything to do with race or religion.
Yet there has never been an explanation why…
The AELTC is both esteemed and formidable… More telling, it is a bastion of propriety.
Exploring its administrative structure discloses that a specific group is responsible for Honorary Member selections. Decisions are made by the Committee of Management. Debbie Jevans is Chairman and Sally Bolton is the Chief Executive Officer. Tim Henman and Anne Keothavong, both former British players, are among the current Committee members.
Aside from Gibson’s Singles wins and Doubles title with Buxton, Gibson earned additional Ladies’ Doubles trophies at The Championships with Darlene Hard in ’57 and Maria Bueno in ’58, along with being a Mixed Doubles finalist from 1956 until ‘58.
Buxton made five appearances at SW19. Her best showing was in 1956, but she was beginning to have problems with her right hand and wrist. She was diagnosed with Tenosynovitis, an inflammation of the sheath that surrounds the area. The condition resulted in discomfort, stiffness and swelling making it difficult for her to move her fingers and grip a racquet. At the end of the season, at the age of 22, she retired from competitive tennis.
With the passage of time, the situation has become even more inexcusable since Buxton and Gibson distinguished themselves … and the affront has been amplified by Gibson’s passing on September 28, 2003, at the age of 76, and Buxton’s death on August 14, 2020, at the age of 85.
Given the reverence with which the AELTC is held, its reputation is tainted by the reality that these two players who richly deserve inclusion, are not Honorary Members…
Title photo of Angela Buxton and Althea Gibson in 1958 by JSS / Keystone Press