About Herbert Wilberforce
Lived 1864 – 1941 (aged 77). Herbert Wilberforce was a British tennis player and barrister.
Sir Herbert William Wrangham Wilberforce (8 February 1864 – 28 March 1941) was a British male tennis player and later vice-president of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club from 1911 to 1921, and served as its president from 1921 to 1936.
His biggest singles title success was in 1883, when he won the Northern Championships. In 1887, he and Patrick Bowes-Lyon won the doubles in Wimbledon.
In 1888, they were unable to defend their title when they were beaten in the Challenge Round by Ernest and William Renshaw. His best singles performance at Wimbledon came in 1886, when he reached the semifinal of the All Comers tournament in which he lost in five sets to compatriot Ernest Lewis. He also reached the quarter-finals of the singles in 1882, 1883, and 1888.
Herbert Wilberforce was a brother of physicist Lionel, son of judge Edward, and grandson of archdeacon Robert Wilberforce.
He later served as president and chairman of the All England Lawn Tennis Club. He was made a Knight Bachelor in the 1931 New Year Honours.
Grand Slam finals Doubles (1 title, 1 runner-up)
Barrister and magistrate Having studied law at the University of London, he was called to the bar at the Inner Temple in 1888, and practised on the North Eastern Circuit. He was appointed a stipendiary magistrate in Bradford, Yorkshire. In 1914, he was appointed to the Metropolitan Bench of Magistrates and in 1926 became Deputy Chairman of the County of London Quarter Sessions. He retired in 1938.
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Important facts
People in Herbert Wilberforce's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Herbert Wilberforce's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Herbert Wilberforce?
British tennis player (1864–1941)
When was Herbert Wilberforce born?
Herbert Wilberforce was born on 8 February 1864 in Munich.
When did Herbert Wilberforce die?
Herbert Wilberforce died on 28 March 1941 in Kensington.
What was Herbert Wilberforce's occupation?
Herbert Wilberforce was a tennis player and barrister.
What nationality was Herbert Wilberforce?
Herbert Wilberforce was British.
Sources & further reading
· Wikipedia: Herbert Wilberforce
· DBpedia: Herbert Wilberforce
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Herbert Wilberforce. https://biography.guide/herbert-wilberforce/
MLA: "Herbert Wilberforce." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/herbert-wilberforce/.
Chicago: "Herbert Wilberforce." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/herbert-wilberforce/.
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