Cavendish Golf Club plan 1923 The Dr. Alister MacKenzie Chronology The 16th Revision February 2012 Chronology Dr. MacKenzie photographed on board the S.S. Cover of a printed version of one of MacKenzie’s many Robert Hunter, S.H. Woodruff, unknown and Dr. MacKenzie at the proposed Dana Point Golf Course Berengaria en-route to England, March 9 1926 lectures on the subject of architecture and greenkeeping Photo courtesy Neil Crafter Photo courtesy Dana Point Historical Society The Goal 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 16th Revision of “The Dr. Alister MacKenzie Chronology,” is the latest product of that collective and continuing generosity, and considerably expands on 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. MacKenziePhotograph photographed of a green on at Melrose Country Club, Philadelphia,Cover of a printed version of one of Aerial viewRobert of the Hunter, spectacular S.H. Woodruff, MacKenzie unknown, and Dr. Alister board the S.S. Berengariaa collaboration en-route of Perry Maxwell and Dr. MacKenzie.MacKenzie’s many lectures on the subject and RussellMacKenzie bunkering at proposed on the Dana West Point and Golf Course, California to England, March 9, 1926Photo courtesy: Neil Crafter of Architecture and Greenkeeping. East CoursesPhoto at Royal courtesy: Melbourne Dana Point GC Historical Society Photo courtesy: Neil Crafter Photo courtesy: Neil Crafter and RMGC 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 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. A timeline is more than a series of dry facts. To read this timeline is to know MacKenzie the designer, and yet gain a window into the man. With this timeline, we are given the gift of seeing, in a single sweep of pages, MacKenzie’s global, decades-long pursuit of excellence in design. A pursuit that ended over 70 years ago, but whose ramifications and influence, improbably, continue down to our day. Alwoodley GC, Leeds, England Valley Club of Montecito MacKenzie playing out of the Postcard from the early 1930’s fairway bunker on the 18th hole Courtesy: Sean Tully Courtesy: Neil Crafter The 16th Revision This revision continues the effort and narrows the gaps in the chronology considerably from the previous revision, with over 430 new entries and a number of revised and expanded entries. Surprisingly, the true number of golf courses MacKenzie designed and advised upon during his career is not known definitively, and so the authors hope this revision, like prior editions, will spur additional research and lead many more people and clubs to come forth with information unknown to the golfing world. Next Steps 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. MacKenzie Research Group Nick Leefe [email protected] Leeds, England Neil Crafter [email protected] Adelaide, Australia Sean Tully [email protected] San Francisco, USA Niall Carlton [email protected] Elgin, Scotland Mark Bourgeois [email protected] USA Mark Rowlinson [email protected] Manchester, England Nick Norton [email protected] MacKenzie drawing by Cathy Trachok with permission London, England The Dr. Alister MacKenzie Chronology 1870 - 1934 16th Revision February 2012 Entries shown in Green are new entries for the 16th 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 1870 August 30 Normanton, Yorkshire, England. Alexander Mackenzie born to Dr. Birth Certificate William Scobie Mackenzie and Mary Jane Mackenzie (nee Smith). 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 1871 British census, Ancestry.com parents William (28), his mother Mary (28), his mother’s sister Alice Neil Crafter Smith (19), Robert Halford (19) a medical student and Rachel McCulloch (20), the family’s servant. 1872 April – June (day?) His brother, William Scobie was born. John Lovell, Ancestry.Com 1872 May 9 William Scobie Mackenzie was baptised at All Saints, Parish of Ancestry.com Normanton, by W. M. Lane, Vicar. Neil Crafter 1873 October – December His sister, Marion Ellen was born. Listed incorrectly as “Merrion John Lovell, Ancestry.Com (day?) Ellen” in Birth Index. 1873 December 21 Marion Ellen Mackenzie was baptised at All Saints, Parish of Ancestry.com Normanton. Neil Crafter 1875 April (day?) His sister Mary (known as Mabie) was born. John Lovell 1875 May 9 Mary Mackenzie was baptised at All Saints, Parish of Normanton, by Ancestry.com W. M. Lane, Vicar. Neil Crafter 1875 Month not known Alexander MacKenzie commenced his education, being tutored by a John Lovell Mr. Peacock at Wakefield School, Yorkshire, England. Years Not Attended Wakefield School. Cambridge University records Known Page 5 1876 October 25 His brother, Charles Atkinson was born in Normanton, Yorkshire. Ancestry.com Ed Steinway, Neil Crafter 1876 December 21 His mother Mary Jane Mackenzie (nee Smith) died in Normanton, Ancestry.com Yorkshire. Her death certificate records a cause of death as “Valvular Ed Steinway, Neil Crafter disease of Heart, 5 years, General Dropsy 1 Month, Pneumonia 2 days. Certified by W. S. Mackenzie L.R.C.P.” It would appear that William Mackenzie certified his own wife’s death which would seem a little unusual. 1876 December 23 Mary Mackenzie (31 years) was buried in the Parish of Normanton Ancestry.com (likely at All Saints) presided over by W. M. Lane, Vicar. Her address Neil Crafter was listed as Woodhouse Lane, so this would have been where Alexander was living. 1876 December 31 Charles Atkinson Mackenzie was baptised at All Saints, Parish of Ancestry.com Normanton, by W. M. Lane, Vicar. Neil Crafter 1881 April 3 The 1881 census shows Alexander living with his father and siblings Ancestry.com at 245 Denison Terrace, Normanton. The household consisted of his Neil Crafter father William S. (38) a Physician, Alexander (10) a scholar, brother William S. (9) scholar, sister Marion E (7), sister Mary (6), brother Charles A. (4), auntie Ellen C. Smith (23) annuitant, Mary Morrison (29) cook and domestic servant, Emily Wigglesworth (21) nurse, Sarah Pretty (20) housemaid and Henry Brewer (23) groom. 1887 MacKenzie likely living with his father at The Orchard, Normanton. Neil Crafter White’s Directory for 1887 lists “William Mackenzie Wm. Scobie, M.D., medical officer of health to the Local boards of Altofts and Normanton Surgeon to the Midland Railway Co., etc. The Orchard” 1888 October 1 Matriculated into Cambridge University, and was admitted to Caius Cambridge University records College. 1888 October Undertook the previous Examination Parts I, II, Mechanics. Cambridge University records 1889 June Undertook first M.B. examination in Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Cambridge University records 1889 December Undertook second M.B. examination in Pharmacy and Chemistry. Cambridge University records 1891 Awarded B.A. (Natural Science Tripos). Cambridge University records Page 6 1891 April 5 – 6 The 1891 census shows Alexander living with his father at Hill 1891 British Census, Ancestry.com Street, Normanton. By this time his father had re-married, and his Neil Crafter second wife Susannah H.C. Mackenzie (also Scottish), was living with the family. Household consisted of William S. (48) a general practitioner of medicine, his wife Susannah H. C. (50), Alexander (20) student of medicine, brother Charles A. (14), Donald A. D. McLean (20) a visiting military cadet, Eliza A. Chapman (26) cook and domestic servant, and Annie B. Hall (20) housemaid. 1892 December Undertook 2nd MB examination in Anatomy. Cambridge University records 1895 December Undertook 3rd MB examination in Anatomy. Cambridge University records 1895 Passed examinations for Royal College of Surgeons, and Cambridge University records Licentiateship of Royal College of Physicians (London). Years Not At Leeds University. Cambridge University records known 1897 Awarded M.B., B.Chir., M.A. degrees. Cambridge University records Years Not Worked as a Locum for his father William.