Margaret Germaine "Polly" Palfrey Woodrow (October 7, 1906 – August 26, 1997) was an American tennis player from Boston, active in the 1920s and 1930s. Palfrey won the Massachusetts and national Junior Doubles championships in 1924, with Fanny Curtis as her partner.

Early life and education

Palfrey was born in Boston, the eldest daughter of John Gorham Palfrey and Methyl Gertrude Oakes Paltrey. Her father was a lawyer. She graduated from

Smith College Smith College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts Women's colleges in the United States, women's college in Northampton, Massachusetts. It was chartered in 1871 by Sophia Smith (Smith College ...

in 1929. At Smith, she was president of the Student Government Association.

Career

Palfrey and her siblings, including

John Palfrey John Gorham Palfrey VII (born 1972) is an American educator, scholar, and law professor. He is an authority on the legal aspects of emerging media and an advocate for Internet freedom, including increased online transparency and accountability ...

Sarah Palfrey Cooke Sarah Hammond Palfrey Danzig (née Palfrey; September 18, 1912 – February 27, 1996) was an American tennis player whose adult amateur career spanned 19 years, from June 1926 until September 1945. She won two singles, nine women's doubles, and ...

and

Mianne Palfrey Mary Ann "Mianne" Palfrey (March 6, 1911 – November 2, 1993) was an American tennis player who was active in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Mianne was the daughter of John Palfrey, a lawyer, and Methyl Oakes. She was part of a quintet of tenni ...

, all competed in tennis at the national level. Polly Palfrey won the Massachusetts and national Junior Doubles championships in 1924, with Fanny Curtis as her partner. She also played doubles with younger sister Elizabeth, also known as Lee, as her partner. In 1929, she played in both singles and doubles games at a tournament in Cohasset, and in a college tournament in 1929, partnered with Curtis again. She played in doubles and mixed doubles games at a tournament in Swampscott in 1930, and as a singles player at a 1931 tournament in Chestnut Hill. She was seeded second at a 1935 tournament at Longwood Country Club, but lost in the second round. In 1940, in her thirties, she lost to

Helen Jacobs Helen Hull Jacobs (August 6, 1908 – June 2, 1997) was an American tennis player who won nine Grand Slam titles. In 1936 she was ranked No. 1 in singles by A. Wallis Myers. Early life Jacobs was born in Globe, Arizona, and was Jewish. Her pare ...

at Germantown Cricket Club near Philadelphia. Palfrey was also an avid golfer, and she was president of the Schenectady Junior League in the 1940s. She taught English at Bryn Mawr College and at Skidmore College.

Publications

*"Read to Me" ('' The Atlantic'', 1948)

Personal life

Palfrey married civil engineer Charles A. Woodrow in 1936. They had a daughter, Joanna. Her husband died in 1981, and she died in 1997, at the age of 90, in Santa Clara, California.

References

External links

A photo of the five Palfrey sisters in 1934
uploaded to Digital Commonwealth by the Boston Public Library {{DEFAULTSORT:Woodrow, Polly Palfrey 1906 births 1997 deaths People from Boston Bryn Mawr College faculty Smith College alumni American tennis players