Was Kathleen McKane Godfree really just a lawn tennis champion? The Kitty Godfree Blue plaque commemorates an extraordinary sportswoman. It marks the home of a woman who excelled in multiple sports. We stand here at 55 York Avenue in East Sheen. This is where Kitty Godfree lived for over 50 years.
Kathleen McKane was born in 1896. Family and friends called her Biddy. The press knew her as Kitty. She came from an athletic family. At St Leonard’s School she excelled in sports.
Before tennis Kitty Godfree was selected to play lacrosse for Scotland in 1914. She was also a four-time All England Badminton Champion from 1920 to 1924. She was also a skater a golfer and a cricketer. During World War I she worked in the War Office. First she was a clerk then a driver. She also played at the Kew Lawn Tennis Club.
Kitty Godfree made her Wimbledon debut in 1919. She won the Wimbledon singles title twice in 1924 and 1926. She also won the mixed doubles title twice. In 1926 she shared the mixed doubles win with her husband Leslie Godfree. They remain the only husband and wife team to ever win the title.
At the Olympic Games Kitty Godfree won five medals. She competed in 1920 and 1924. She secured one gold and two silver medals in doubles. She also won two bronze medals in singles. This Olympic record stood for many years. Venus Williams only equalled it recently. No one has ever surpassed it.
Beyond the Olympics and Wimbledon Kitty Godfree won three doubles titles. She won them at the United States Championships in 1923 1925 and 1927. She also played in the earliest Wightman Cup matches.
Kitty Godfree and her husband ran the West Kensington Tennis Club from 1927 to 1936. She shared her expertise through instruction manuals. She wrote Lawn Tennis How to improve your game in 1923. She also wrote Lawn Tennis Simplified in 1928.
After her husband Leslie died in 1971 Kitty’s son and grandchildren moved in with her. A separate flat was created for her on the ground floor. Even in old age Kitty was a familiar sight. She rode her bicycle around East Sheen. She also tended her garden with care.
Her passion for tennis never faded. In 1988 at age 92 she participated in an international match. She won a mixed doubles game against Jean Borotra. Even then she observed how competitive tennis had become.
Shortly before her death in 1992 Kitty Godfree moved to Viera Gray House. It was a nursing home on the site of the Lowther Lawn Tennis Club. The Godfrees had often played there.
The Kitty Godfree Blue plaque reminds us of a remarkable woman. She achieved greatness in multiple sports. She remained active and passionate throughout her life. She left an indelible mark on British tennis.