The early years
Great Britain · born Bromley, Kent, 1872 · died 1931 · four times Wimbledon doubles champion with his twin brother, Wilfred
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4
Wimbledon doubles titles with Wilfred, 1891 to 1896
6
Wimbledon doubles finals in seven years, 1891 to 1897
3
Irish Championships doubles titles, 1896, 1897 and 1899
3
Wimbledon singles semi-finals, 1894 to 1896
1897
All England Plate winner
Herbert Baddeley was born in Bromley, Kent, on 11 January 1872, the younger of twins; his brother Wilfred was born the same day. He first played the Wimbledon singles in 1890. In 1891 Wilfred won the singles at 19, and the twins took the doubles, beating the Irish holders Joshua Pim and Frank Stoker 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 6-2. They won again in 1894, 1895 and 1896 and lost the finals of 1892 and 1897, the second of them to the next pair of brothers to rule the event, Reginald and Laurence Doherty.
In singles Herbert stood in his brother's shadow. He reached the Wimbledon semi-finals three years running from 1894 to 1896, and in 1895 gave Wilfred a walkover at that stage on his way to the title. In 1897, beaten in the first round by Laurence Doherty, he won the All England Plate for early losers. The twins also won the Irish doubles in 1896, 1897 and 1899.
Both brothers qualified as solicitors in London in February 1895 and joined the family firm in Leadenhall Street, founded by their great-grandfather in 1790; they stayed partners until 1919. The law took over from tennis after 1897, though Herbert came back for the Wimbledon doubles in 1904 and 1905. He died in Cannes on 20 July 1931, aged 59.
| Wimbledon doubles finals | All with Wilfred Baddeley. 1891: beat Joshua Pim and Frank Stoker 6-1, 6-3, 1-6, 6-2. 1892: lost to Harry Barlow and Ernest Lewis 4-6, 6-2, 8-6, 6-4. 1894: title by walkover in the Challenge Round. 1895: beat Wilberforce Eaves and Ernest Lewis 8-6, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3. 1896: beat Reginald Doherty and Harold Nisbet 1-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, 6-1. 1897: lost to Laurence and Reginald Doherty 6-4, 4-6, 8-6, 6-4 |
|---|---|
| Wimbledon 1894 | The twins beat Harry Barlow and Charles Martin 5-7, 7-5, 4-6, 6-3, 8-6 in the All-Comers final, then took the title without another match because the holders, Pim and Stoker, did not defend |
| Wimbledon 1896 | Came back from two sets down against Reginald Doherty and Harold Nisbet to win their fourth title. Herbert also reached the singles semi-finals, beating the American William Larned 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 in the quarter-finals before losing to Wilberforce Eaves 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 |
| Wimbledon singles | 1894: semi-final, lost to Ernest Lewis 2-6, 7-5, 6-3, 1-6, 7-5. 1895: semi-final, gave a walkover to Wilfred after beating Reginald Doherty 6-4, 6-2, 6-4. 1897: won the All England Plate, beating Alfred Crawley 6-1, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 |
| Irish Championships, Dublin | With Wilfred: won in 1896 over Reginald Doherty and Harold Nisbet and in 1897 over Reginald Doherty and Sydney Smith; lost the 1898 final to the Dohertys by walkover; won in 1899 when Reginald Doherty and Smith gave a walkover |
| Wimbledon | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1891 | Men's doubles | with Wilfred Baddeley |
| 1894 | Men's doubles | with Wilfred Baddeley |
| 1895 | Men's doubles | with Wilfred Baddeley |
| 1896 | Men's doubles | with Wilfred Baddeley |
| Irish Championships | ||
| 1896 | Men's doubles†| with Wilfred Baddeley |
| 1897 | Men's doubles†| with Wilfred Baddeley |
| 1899 | Men's doubles†| with Wilfred Baddeley |
| Surrey Championships (Surbiton) | ||
| 1890 | Men's singles | |
Leading grass titles only: the grass majors, tour-level grass events since 1968 and the leading grass championships before 1968. †single source; ‡ sources disagree. Roll of champions
The person behind the player.
Bromley, 1872
Herbert and Wilfred were born on the same day, 11 January 1872, in Bromley, Kent. The Wimbledon Compendium calls Herbert the younger brother. Wilfred lived until January 1929 and Herbert until July 1931; both died on the French Riviera, Wilfred at Menton and Herbert at Cannes.
Source: Wimbledon Compendium 2025 (AELTC)Wimbledon 1895
In 1895 the twins were drawn to meet in the singles semi-finals. Herbert, who had beaten Reginald Doherty in straight sets in the quarter-finals, gave Wilfred a walkover. Wilfred went on to beat Wilberforce Eaves in the All-Comers final for his third title, after being a match point down.
Source: Wimbledon player record, AELTCWimbledon 1894
In 1894 the twins won the All-Comers final in five sets, 8-6 in the fifth, against Harry Barlow and Charles Martin. The holders, Joshua Pim and Frank Stoker, did not come to defend, so the Challenge Round was a walkover and the Baddeleys were champions without playing it.
Source: Wimbledon Compendium 2025 (AELTC)Wimbledon 1897
The All England Plate began in 1896 for players beaten in the first two rounds of the singles. In 1897 Herbert lost in the first round to Laurence Doherty, then won the Plate, beating Alfred Crawley in the final. The Compendium names him among the event's best-known winners, alongside Arthur Gore, Neale Fraser and Gordon Forbes.
Source: Wimbledon Compendium 2025 (AELTC)Leadenhall Street, 1895 to 1919
The twins qualified as solicitors in London in February 1895, in the middle of their run of Wimbledon titles, and joined the family firm in Leadenhall Street, which their great-grandfather had founded in 1790. They were partners there until 1919, when their cousin Cyril Baddeley took over. Cyril's daughter Violet reached the finals of the All England Badminton Championships in 1922 and 1927.
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