The Dr. Alister MacKenzie Chronology th The 20 Revision October 2018 The MacKenzie Chronology Project The Project In the late 1990’s Nick Leefe and Bob Beck launched an effort to document the physical presence and movements of the great architect Dr. Alister MacKenzie. That effort sparked club secretaries, historians, architects, professional writers, enthusiasts – in short, a global community of MacKenzie admirers – to share their knowledge. This, the 20th Revision of “The Dr. Alister MacKenzie Chronology,” is the latest product of that collective and continuing generosity, and once again expands upon the previous revision. Why are MacKenzie’s whereabouts important? A timeline establishes a foundation of fact. Upon this foundation researchers can build their narratives of history. Without this fact base, large gaps in time appear, and speculation is the all too-common and unfortunate result - the quality of scholarship is impoverished. The ramifications can be significant - original design features and perhaps entire courses disappear or suffer disfiguration, writings are misunderstood or misinterpreted, attributions are missed or made improperly. As readers, as golfers, and as caretakers of the game of golf, we suffer. Dr. MacKenzieAdvertisement photographed for on The American Golf Course ConstructionCover of a printed version of one of MacKenzieRobert Hunter,and Hunter’s S.H. Woodruff, new 8th unknown, and Dr. Alister board the S.S.Company Berengaria showing en-route the 3rd green at MacKenzie & Hunter’sMacKenzie’s many lectures on the subject greenMacKenzie at Claremont at proposed Country Dana Club Point in Golf Course, California to England,Cypress March Point 9, 1926 Club on the Monterey Peninsula, Californiaof Architecture and Greenkeeping. Oakland,Photo court Californiaesy: Dana Point Historical Society Photo courtesy: Neil Crafter Photo courtesy: Sean Tully Why? Why are MacKenzie’s whereabouts important? A timeline establishes a foundation of fact. Upon this foundation researchers can build their narratives of history. Without this fact base, large gaps in time appear, and speculation is the all too common and as an unfortunate result - the quality of scholarship can be impoverished. The ramifications can be significant - original design features and perhaps entire courses disappear or suffer disfiguration, writings are misunderstood or misinterpreted, attributions are missed or made improperly. As readers, as golfers, and as caretakers of the game of golf, we collectively are the poorer. MacKenzie fairway bunkering at Cleethorphes 18th hole near Grimsby, England Courtesy: Neil Crafter A chronology is much more than a series of dry facts. To read this MacKenzie photographed at Cypress Point document is to know MacKenzie the designer whilst gaining an insight Club’s official opening on 19-20 September into the man. We are given the gift of seeing, in a single sweep of 1930 with, from left, Robert Hunter Jr, Norman MacBeth and Roger Lapham pages, MacKenzie’s global and decades-long pursuit of excellence in golf design - a pursuit that ended nearly 70 years ago, but whose ramifications and influence, improbably, continue down to our day. Further Research The process of compiling and continuing the research to update the MacKenzie Chronology has sparked two additional significant pieces of scholarship: * A detailed list of the golf courses MacKenzie designed, remodelled, or consulted to, and; * A bibliography of MacKenzie’s writings, both public writings in the form of newspapers, magazine articles and books, as well as private correspondence, plans, and reports. For a man who achieved such a rich and productive career, surprisingly few primary source documents are known to researchers. Some have been lost to fire, some to time. The authors therefore urge anyone with information on Dr. MacKenzie to contact them. Right - MacKenzie on site at the Sheffield Municipal course at MacKenzie Research Group Tinsley Park in 1920 Nick Leefe [email protected] Below – MacKenzie at his London Flying Club course in 1920 Leeds, England Neil Crafter [email protected] Adelaide, Australia Sean Tully [email protected] San Francisco, USA Niall Carlton [email protected] Glasgow, Scotland Mark Bourgeois [email protected] USA Mark Rowlinson [email protected] Manchester, England Nick Norton [email protected] London, England th What’ s New in the 20 Revision? As we find more information about Dr MacKenzie’s activities it naturally becomes harder th to keep on finding more. In the case of this 20 Revision we have filled in some gaps in the chronology from the 19th Revision, but not as many as recent revisions, with nearly 50 new, revised or expanded entries. Once more, this 20th Revision has primarily concentrated on newspaper sources from Great Britain, with the British Newspaper Archive continuing to be a wonderful source for new information. Highlights of this revision include: * More information on MacKenzie’s time in the reserve military between the Boer War and World War I. * Additional information on his work in Manchester for the Reddish Vale Golf Club. * Information on MacKenzie and A.E. Turnell’s work for Sir George Sitwell on the Renishaw Park and Sitwell Park courses from the archives of Renishaw Hall, reproduced here for the first time with the kind permission of Mrs Alexandra Hayward. Plus additional newspaper entries for the Sitwell Park course and the controversy over its “freak” greens, see above right. * Information on a visit to MacKenzie’s new London Flying Club course by the famous golf writer and friend of MacKenzie, Bernard Darwin, who wrote about the visit in ‘Country Life’ in March 1920. * ‘Golf Monthly’ reported in December 1924 that the new Cavendish course at Buxton was “among twenty-five new courses and reconstructed courses which Dr. Mackenzie, the well known golf architect, has in hand at present.” showing how busy he was in this post-war period. * New information on a number of his golf course projects including Ravensworth, Valley Club, Sheffield & District, Dore & Totley and Chesterfield. * Additional information on MacKenzie’s time in Australia including the number of days spent at various courses and the fees charged. * A date, 29 May 1929, has been found for the iconic photograph of MacKenzie with his friend and fellow architect Max Behr, walking off the 1st tee on the Old Course at St Andrews, see lower right. The Dr Alister MacKenzie Chronology – 20th Revision October 2018 Page 5 The Dr. Alister MacKenzie Chronology 1870 - 1934 The 20th Revision October 2018 Entries shown in Green are new entries for the 20th Revision Key for 2nd column Red = Great Britain & Ireland; Brown = South Africa (Boer War); Orange = France (WW1); Blue = North America; Green = Australia/New Zealand; Black = South America YEAR DATE ACTIVITY & LOCATION SOURCE 1843 January 10 William Scobie MacKenzie born in Culkein, Assynt Parish, Scotland. Alastair McManus 1845 Mary Jane Smith born in Glasgow. Alastair McManus 1866 January 6 Edith Mary Wedderburn, Alexander Mackenzie’s future first wife, is born in Ancestry.com Moor Allerton, Leeds, to parents Launcelot and Elizabeth Wedderburn. She Neil Crafter was baptised in the parish of Chapel Allerton on February 15th. 1868 November 17 St. Vincent Street Church, Glasgow, Scotland. William Scobie MacKenzie, Alastair McManus “of Normanton, Yorkshire”, married Mary Jane Smith, “eldest daughter of ‘Glasgow Herald’ 18 November 1868 M. H Smith, Esq.”, by the Rev. Lewis Ferguson. Neil Crafter 1869 Mid-September Margaret Rintoul Jarvie MacKenzie born to Dr. William Scobie MacKenzie Ancestry.com and Mary Jane MacKenzie (nee Smith). Neil Crafter, Alastair McManus 1869 October 11 Margaret Rintoul Jarvie MacKenzie was baptised in the Parish of Ancestry.com Normanton by W. M. Lane, Vicar. Neil Crafter 1869 October Margaret Rintoul Jarvie MacKenzie died. Exact date not known. Neil Crafter 1869 October 21 Margaret Rintoul Jarvie MacKenzie buried in the parish of Normanton, Ancestry.com burial record gives her age as ‘5 weeks”, this giving a likely birthdate Neil Crafter around mid-September 1869. Ceremony performed by W. M. Lane, Vicar. The Dr Alister MacKenzie Chronology – 20th Revision October 2018 Page 6 1870 August 30 Normanton, Yorkshire, England. Alexander MacKenzie born to Dr. William Birth Certificate Scobie MacKenzie and Mary Jane MacKenzie (nee Smith). His birth Neil Crafter certificate states that he was born in the sub-district of Sandal in the Alastair McManus Wakefield district. He was named Alexander after his paternal grandfather Alexander MacKenzie (ca1800 – 2 November 1871), which was the Scottish custom of the time to name the firstborn son after his paternal grandfather. 1870 October 23 Alexander MacKenzie was baptised at All Saints Church, Parish of Ancestry.com Normanton, by W. M. Lane, Vicar. Neil Crafter 1871 April 2-3 The 1871 Census shows Alexander living in Normanton with his parents 1871 British census, Ancestry.com William (28), his mother Mary (28), his mother’s sister Alice Smith (19), Neil Crafter Robert Halford (19) a medical student and Rachel McCulloch (20), the family’s servant. 1872 April 1 Alexander MacKenzie’s brother, William Scobie MacKenzie was born in John Lovell, Ancestry.Com Normanton. Alastair McManus 1872 May 9 William Scobie MacKenzie was baptised at All Saints, Parish of Normanton, Ancestry.com by W. M. Lane, Vicar. Neil Crafter 1873 October 19 Alexander MacKenzie’s sister Marion Ellen MacKenzie was born. Listed John Lovell, Ancestry.Com incorrectly as “Merrion Ellen” in Birth Index. Edinburgh University Library, Irene Ferguson 1873 December 21 Marion Ellen MacKenzie was baptised at All Saints, Parish of Normanton. Ancestry.com Neil Crafter 1874 June 15 Hilda Sykes, later to become MacKenzie’s second wife, was born in Mirfield, Ancestry.com Yorkshire to Joseph and Harriet Sykes. She was baptised on December 7 Neil Crafter 1874. 1875 April (day not Alexander MacKenzie’s sister Mary (known as Mabie or Mavie) MacKenzie John Lovell known) was born in Normanton. 1875 May 9 Mary MacKenzie was baptised at All Saints, Parish of Normanton, by W.