Drawing by Cathy Trachok Royal Adelaide Golf Club plan 1926 with permission The Dr. Alister MacKenzie Chronology The 17th Revision March 2013 Chronology Dr. MacKenzie at the Jockey Club in Buenos Aires, Rare dustwrapper of MacKenzie’s 1920 book 15th green at the Cypress Point Club Argentina, with Club President Mr. Eduardo Bullrich in April 1930 Photo courtesy: Pedro Cossio 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 17th Revision of “The Dr. Alister MacKenzie Chronology,” is the latest product of that collective and continuing generosity, and further 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. MacKenzieAdvertisement photographed for on The American Golf Course ConstructionCover of a printed version of one of View of one ofRobert MacKenzie’s Hunter, S.H. delightfully Woodruff, contouredunknown, and Dr. Alister board the S.S.Company Berengaria showing en-route the 17th green at MacKenzie & Hunter’sMacKenzie’s many lectures on the subject greens at MorecambeMacKenzie atGC proposed on the Lancashire Dana Point Golfcoast Course, California to England, March 9, 1926Meadow Club in California of Architecture and Greenkeeping. Photo courtesy:Photo Neil courtesy:Crafter and Dana Niall Point Carlton 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 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 whilst gaining an insight into the man. Above left - Cypress Point Club 16th Hole Above - Alwoodley GC, Leeds, England With this timeline, we are given the gift of seeing, in a single sweep of Postcard showing MacKenzie teeing off MacKenzie playing out of the fairway Courtesy: Neil Crafter bunker on the 1st hole pages, MacKenzie’s global and decades-long pursuit of excellence in Photo Courtesy: Neil Crafter design. A pursuit that ended nearly 70 years ago, but whose ramifications and influence, improbably, continue down to our day. 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] London, England Alister MacKenzie photographed by MacKenzie photographed with a group of fellow Bob Davis for ‘The American Golfer’ officers at the Camouflage School ca1916 magazine in March 1931 Photo Courtesy: Mark Rowlinson th What’s New in the 17 Revision? This revision continues the effort and narrows the gaps in the chronology again from the 16th Revision, with over 360 new and revised / expanded entries. Some of the highlights include: * MacKenzie’s school records at Wakefield Grammar School 1884-1888 and further information on his medical studies at Cambridge. th * Detailed information on the 4 Somerset Light Infantry to which MacKenzie was attached as a Civil Surgeon in the Boer War, along with a fascinating report of him in East London, South Africa, attempting to rescue a drowning man in the surf in January 1901. * MacKenzie’s visit to Australia in late 1902, probably traveling as a ship’s doctor, and helps his distant relative David Maxwell extend the Flinders GC in Victoria from 4 to 18 holes according to the oral history of Eric Lucas and his family. * Information on pre-WW1 courses including Sitwell Park, Harrogate, Halifax, South Shields, Pannal, Fulford, Warrington, Leeds Municipal (Roundhay Park) and Whitley Bay. * From the Imperial War Museum we have obtained a history of the Camouflage School by Lt. Adrian Klein, which adds great detail to MacKenzie’s involvement in the establishment and ongoing operations of the school during WW1, including a photograph of MacKenzie with fellow officers from the school. * Information on post-WW1 courses including Bradford, Bramhall, Cleckheaton, Dinsdale Spa, Bramall Park, Bristol & Clifton, South Beds, Bruntsfield Links, South Leeds, Pitreavie, Teignmouth, Bridlington, Dulwich & Sydenham Hill, Temple Newsam Municipal, Duddingston, Cavendish, Moor Allerton, Thames G&CC, Bolton Old Links, Blackpool Stanley Park, Cork, Grimsby & Cleethorpes, Willingdon, Low Laithes, Monkstown and Sand Moor. * May 1926 visit to Britain by MacKenzie’s US partner Robert Hunter. * Council minutes from Royal Melbourne detailing their correspondence with MacKenzie, and minutes from Royal Troon on Mackenzie’s reconstruction of their New course, now known as the Portland. * Information on post-1926 courses including Limerick, Ohio State, Union League, St. Charles, Pasatiempo, Palmetto, Bayside and the Lachman Approach & Putt course in San Francisco. * Photographs of MacKenzie at the Jockey Club in Buenos Aires in April 1930 and annual reports detailing the development of the 2 new courses. * Striking front and back cover artwork by Tom Naccarato. th We sincerely hope that you find our 17 Revision of interest. Dr. MacKenzie at the Jockey Club in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in April 1930 Photo courtesy: Pedro Cossio Page 6 The Dr. Alister MacKenzie Chronology 1870 - 1934 17th Revision February 2013 Entries shown in Green are new entries for the 17th 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 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. 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 Page 7 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