Irene Bowder Peacock

Irene Evelyn Bowder Peacock (née Bowder; 27 July 1892 – 13 June 1978) was a South African female tennis player.

Irene Bowder Peacock

Full name	Irene Evelyn Bowder Peacock
Country (sports)	South Africa
Born	27 July 1892 Ferozepore, British India
Died	13 June 1978 (aged 85) Johannesburg, South Africa[1]
Singles
Highest ranking	No.6 (1921)[2]
Grand Slam Singles results
French Open	F (1927)
Wimbledon	SF (1921, 1922)
Doubles
Grand Slam Doubles results
French Open	W (1927)
Wimbledon	F (1921, 1927)
Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results
Wimbledon	QF (1921, 1927)

Bowder Peacock won the doubles title at the 1927 French Championships with Bobbie Heine Miller defeating Peggy Saunders and Phoebe Holcroft Watson in two straight sets. That same tournament she also reached the final of the singles competition which she lost in straight sets to Kea Bouman of the Netherlands.[3] She won the British Indian Championships singles title from 1915 to 1920, the South of England Championships singles title in 1922, and the South African Championships singles title from 1924 to 1926.

At the World Covered Court Championships in 1920 she was a finalist in the doubles and, partnering Francis Fisher, won the mixed doubles title after a walkover in the final against Stanley Doust and Kathleen McKane Godfree. In 1921 she won the mixed doubles at the Queen's Covered Court Championships, again teaming up with Fisher, but lost the final of the singles event to Edith Holman.[4]

She captained the South African women's team that toured Europe in 1927 and together with Heine Miller won the doubles title at the Queen's Club Championships.[4] Bowder Peacock and Heine Miller missed the 1930 Wimbledon Championships due to a scheduling disagreement with the South African Lawn Tennis Union.[5][6]

Grand Slam finals

Peacock (right) at the 1927 French Championships after a victory in the quarterfinal against Cilly Aussem

Singles (1 runner-up)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Opponent	Score
Loss	1927	French Championships	Clay	Kea Bouman	2–6, 4–6

Doubles (1 titles, 2 runner-ups)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Loss	1921	Wimbledon	Grass	Geraldine Beamish	Suzanne Lenglen Elizabeth Ryan	1–6, 2–6
Win	1927	French Championships	Clay	Bobbie Heine	Peggy Mitchell Phoebe Watson	6–2, 6–1
Loss	1927	Wimbledon	Gras	Bobbie Heine	Helen Wills Elizabeth Ryan	3–6, 2–6

References

1. Little, Alan (2013). Wimbledon Compendium 2013 (23 ed.). London: All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club. p. 408. ISBN 978-1899039401.
2. Collins, Bud (2016). "Ranking Histories". History of tennis (3 ed.). New York: New Chapter Press. p. 762. ISBN 978-1937559380.
3. Collins, Bud (2010). The Bud Collins History of Tennis (2nd ed.). [New York]: New Chapter Press. pp. 393, 401. ISBN 9780942257700.
4. McKelvie, Roy (1986). The Queen's Club Story, 1886-1986. London: Stanley Paul. pp. 245, 257–258. ISBN 0091660602.
5. "Tennis "Stir"". Hull Daily Mail. 13 March 1930. p. 12 – via British Newspaper Archive.
6. "Wimbledon tennis – Miss Heine not to be a competitor". Lancashire Evening Post. 19 March 1930. p. 9 – via British Newspaper Archive.