Sylvia Lance (1895 – 1982) lived in Strathfield during her childhood and youth.
She won the Australian Women’s Open Championship in 1924 and was runner-up to the title in 1927 and 1930. She won the Australian Open Women’s Doubles with Esna Boyd in 1923 and with Daphne Akhurst in 1924 and 1925. Lance also won the Mixed Doubles in 1923 with Horace Rice. She married Robert Harper in 1924, a colonel in the army. After her marriage, she continued to play competitive tennis. Her last known title is 1930 as runner up at the Australian Open in the category of women’s singles.
Sylvia was the daughter of Charles Carey Lance [1859-1934], an engineer and Louisa Fuller (1865-1933), a singer and artist. The Lance family lived at ‘Hillcrest’ 26-28 Woodward Avenue Strathfield from c.1897-1905 and then moved to ‘Steephurst’ 22-24 Albyn Road Strathfield.
Sylvia Lance [later Sylvia Lance Harper] Tennis Titles
| Year | Title | Position | Titles |
| 1923 | Australian Open | Winner | Women’s Doubles with Esna Boyd |
| 1923 | Australian Open | Winner | Mixed Doubles with Horace Rice |
| 1924 | Australian Open | Winner | Women’s Doubles with Daphne Akhurst |
| 1924 | Australian Open | Winner | Women’s Singles |
| 1925 | Australian Open | Winner | Women’s Doubles with Daphne Akhurst |
| 1925 | Australian Open | Runner-Up | Mixed Doubles with Richard Schlesinger |
| 1927 | Australian Open | Runner-Up | Women’s Singles |
| 1927 | Australian Open | Runner-Up | Women’s Doubles with Esna Boyd |
| 1929 | Australian Open | Runner-Up | Women’s Doubles with Meryl O’Hara Wood |
| 1930 | Australian Open | Runner-Up |
Women’s Singles |
References
SOCIAL (1924, February 7). Table Talk (Melbourne, Vic. : 1885 – 1939), p. 34. Retrieved August 7, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article146468212
© Cathy Jones 2005.
Strathfield Heritage 