History of The Club

by Val Franklin

There is no record of whether that initial meeting (In January 2020 Val gave a talk to the Society on the history took place in the day or evening but, if their meeting of the RGC. This is a record of her talk.) ran late, they would have needed to light the gas lamps because electricity didn’t come to until 17 years later. The first records While further meetings would undoubtedly have been held by the founders, the next surviving record is 16 months later, November 1910, when Directors, a Chairman, and Honorary Secretary were appointed and on 3 December 1910 The Rushcliffe Golf Company Limited was formally incorporated with its registered office at St. Peters Church Walk, . A company seal was approved and affixed to a Lease with Earl Howe for land to build the course, and to an The present Club House agreement with the Great Central Railway who had expressed their willingness to erect a small halt station on Have you ever wondered why a was established their main line between Ruddington and . So on the outskirts of East Leake over 110 years ago, in obviously in the interim many meetings and negotiations what was then a very small village? had taken place with both Earl Howe for lease of the land, and the Great Central Railway to build what is On Tuesday 6 July 1909 a group of 15 Edwardian known as Rushcliffe Halt, on the main railway line gentlemen met in a room at what was then the Girls’ specifically for the golf club. Schoolroom in Ruddington, now called St. Peter’s Rooms which houses the Ruddington village museum. They agreed to have 750 circulars printed inviting Although the record of that meeting lists the names membership, and showing the proposed entrance fee, of those present, there is no clue as to whether they subscriptions and share capital. These were subsequently were entrepreneurs looking to set up a new business, sent out with a covering letter stating that the Great golfers forming their own club, or a mixture of both. Central Railway were willing to erect a Halt Station, and They were probably local businessmen, and one thing a report from the proposed course designer stating “a is certain: they were putting their own money, and their fine, undulating, sporting course can be made”. reputations, on the line with an ambitious new venture. At the meeting a proposal for a 9 hole was Early Days put before them, and a report of initial negotiations During the first months of 1911 things moved forward which had taken place. Land at East Leake owned quickly. They met again several times, discussed share by Earl Howe of Gospall Hall, Atherstone, had been arrangements for the Company and opened a bank identified: about 170 acres providing an ideal situation account. They formed The Rushcliffe Golf Club and with sweeping views over the countryside and the city invited Earl Howe to be the first Club President, and they of Nottingham in the distance. They decided to form appointed Tom Williamson from , Nottingham, a limited liability company with capital of £1,000, and to design a 9 hole golf course. a 7 strong committee was formed to consider the best way of putting the scheme into operation. Tom Williamson, course designer, 1880-1950 Tom Williamson, who was then around 30 years Difficulties old, had already designed several golf courses and his In pursuing this mammoth undertaking they faced reputation went before him, so the founders knew they many difficulties: how to finance building a golf course had chosen the best. In fact, by the time of his death and clubhouse, how to attract members, and, a key in 1950, he had designed more than 60 golf courses. factor in those days when very few people had motor Born in 1880, his father was station master at Bulwell vehicles and there were no buses running through the Common. Perhaps it was through Tom’s father that the village, some kind of transport to the course. With the founders were able to negotiate with the Great Central last they had an ideal location, as the proposed site was Railway Company? close to the main railway line from Nottingham, running through East Leake with a station on Station Road, to When young, Tom failed his eyesight test for work on and beyond. No. 21 - Autumn 2020 5 HISTORY OF THE RUSHCLIFFE GOLF CLUB

Tom Williamson the railways. His father must have been keen on golf as he founded the Bulwell Artisans’ Golf Club and looked The first members and the old wooden Club House after members’ golf clubs, which young Tom had the job of cleaning. Some members of that club used the Williamson’s house to change, and the family provided The first play started in July 1911 with just a few holes, teas and refreshments, so Tom was soon bitten by the with the expectation that all 18 holes would be playable golf bug. He became a at 7 years old, and in his by April the following year. By early 1912 the wooden early teens he learned to make golf clubs. When he was clubhouse building, roads and paths were complete at 16 he was ‘temporarily’ engaged as Professional by the a cost of £2,000. Notts Golf Club at a wage of 5s. per week, a position he held for the next 54 years until his death in 1950. Membership fees in 1911 Apparently during those years he used to joke that he To become a member of this new golf club there was was “on trial” as he was never formally offered the job! a joining fee of three guineas for men, and £1.11s.6d for ladies. But there was no joining fee for juniors, As well as being Club Professional at Notts Golf unmarried daughters of members, non-playing members, Club, Tom became one of the country’s top golfers. and foreign members. Thereafter there was an annual For 50 years he played in every Open Championship, a subscription fee of three guineas for men, £1.11s.6d record beaten only by the legendary Gary Player because for ladies, one guinea (£1.1s.0d.) for junior members, the First World War interrupted Tom’s appearances. unmarried daughters of members, and non-playing At age 17 he played his first Open Championship; he members, and half a guinea (10s.6d) for foreign members. represented in 8 matches against , and for 4 years he was England Captain. The Great Central Railway In 1899 the GCR line was opened, running from Things progressed quickly Nottingham to Loughborough with a station and Original plans for goods yard at East Leake. Towards the end of 1912 the a 9 hole course were Rushcliffe Halt railway station had been built and was changed and Tom in use by golf club members. We know this because the Williamson’s first plan club ordered railway vouchers, and the Station Master at for the course shows Rushcliffe Halt received a Christmas present of 1 guinea 18 holes. Work on the whereas the Station Master at East Leake received half course began. An acre of of that: 10s.6d. The police sergeant at East Leake also land was purchased for received a present of 10s. As very few people had cars the site of the clubhouse, at that time, many members must have come by train with a roadway to give from Nottingham, Loughborough or East Leake Station access. An architect on Station Road, to Rushcliffe Halt, and carried their was asked to draw golf clubs up Stocking Lane to play golf. up plans and invite tenders. Construction Supplies of water were proving difficult. Initially a of the wooden building 48 ft well was sunk, but this was insufficient and was commenced in early subsequently bricked up. The club later arranged to 1911. obtain water from East Leake railway station, transporting it by water cart and paying 2 shillings per load to the Club rules were Great Central Railway. established. The first The first Rules Book Rule Book dated 1911 Employment for local people is held in the Club’s The new golf club provided much needed employment archives, and lists the first members: 190 gentlemen for local people. The 1911 census lists 8 East Leake (including 10 foreign members all from New York!), 58 residents as being employed at the Golf Club: 7 as golf ladies, and 11 juniors (9 of them girls). links labourers, and 1 greenkeeper. As the golf club 6 Leake Historian HISTORY OF THE RUSHCLIFFE GOLF CLUB became established, additional staff were appointed. The first Steward and Stewardess received a joint salary of £2 per week “all found”, with half a day’s holiday per week. Later a boy was engaged to train as help for the Steward at 5s per week plus uniform, shoes for indoor work and a pair of strong boots (perhaps because he didn’t have any in which to walk to work). A waitress was hired and provided with a black dress and white apron. Joe Sibson was appointed Golf Professional for initially £1 per week, (and stayed for over 40 years!). Joe Sibson subsequently created a 9 hole golf course at Stanford Hall.

The War Years 1914-1918 As 1914 began, the club was becoming more established. Run along the lines of a traditional An early lady member ‘Gentlemen’s Club’, ladies were not allowed in the lounge! But, towards the end of 1914 the effects of the forward. It is believed that the first Worshipful Master war began to be felt, and finances became tight as more played golf at Rushcliffe Golf Club, and when a suitable men joined the forces. The 4th AGM was attended by image of the Rushcliffe area was needed for the design only 12 members, and the Chairman reported that the of the Lodge banner, he suggested the 14th green be club’s income was very seriously affected by the war depicted because, according to folklore, there had at with 30 members being ‘with the colours’ and paying some stage been a “Rushcliffe Hall” which was sited no subscriptions. Consequently staff were reduced, and at what is now the 14th green of Rushcliffe Golf Club. 2 of the club’s 3 horses were sold. The war also brought other changes. Permission was granted for members of Lady Members the Officers Training Corps to use the course for training During the Edwardian period the class system was in map reading, and entrance fees for some of the golf very rigid, but there were changes towards social issues competitions were donated to the War Fund. Nine golf such as women’s rights. For it’s time, Rushcliffe Golf club members never returned from the Great War, and Club was probably considered quite liberal in allowing their names are recorded on a brass memorial plaque up to (but no more than) 100 ladies to become members. in the clubhouse. One was the son of Sir Arthur and However, this came with certain restrictions. Lady Lady Blake of Manor, Lt. Geoffrey Blake of members could not play on Saturdays, and only on the 203rd Field Company, Royal Engineers, who died 5 Sundays if playing with a male member. They could not September 1917 aged 21, to whom a memorial plaque enter the lounge, but had the use of a separate room with exists in West Leake church. a service hatch, and they were only permitted to use the bar and the veranda on Tuesdays and after 6 p.m. on The Second World War Sundays. Despite the restrictions, the Ladies’ Section The years between the two World Wars was generally was established in the very early years of the club. The a period of revival and economic growth at Rushcliffe first Lady Captain was appointed in 1912 but it was not Golf Club, although like everyone else it suffered from until 2001 (almost 90 years later) that lady members the worldwide depression of 1929. At one time the were given full equal status with gentlemen members. club asked Lord Belper (who had bought the land from Earl Howe in 1918) if rent could be reduced, and the It’s only a suggestion. Local Authority if rates could be deferred, so there were The golf club’s original Suggestions Book, dating back obviously financial difficulties. During WWII once to when the club was formed, contains some quirky again the number of staff was cut, and remaining staff entries. The first entry in 1911 states “Get a good, took reduced hours and wages. To aid the war effort, expensive suggestion book”. Several entries between the local power authority was given permission to haul 1912 and 1928 suggested a telephone be installed in timber over the course for use in the power station, and the clubhouse. It appears that suggestion took at least an order was served by the War Agricultural Committee 16 years to action, when a telephone box was installed to allow cattle and sheep to graze on the course. In 1942 at a cost of £12. Poignantly there are no entries between part of the Clubhouse was handed over to the Royal 1939 and 1945. Air Force for weekend training of officers in the Air Training Corps when they used the ladies’ room as a But here are some of the more unusual suggestions: lecture room, and the lounge as a dormitory. 1933: The rule preventing the serving of jam in the The mystery of Rushcliffe Golf Club and The Masons general lounge be withdrawn. The banner of the Rushcliffe Lodge of the Freemasons 1952: The price of whisky should be reduced to 2s. We which was formed in 1913 is recognisable to any member consider the present price to be exorbitant. of the golf club as at its centre is the signature 14th Green. 1956: The present bath be removed and replaced by So what is the connection between the golf club and two modern showers. the Masonic lodge? Various suggestions have been put 1975: We the undersigned respectfully request a less No. 21 - Autumn 2020 7 HISTORY OF THE RUSHCLIFFE GOLF CLUB expensive one armed bandit. The present one is a challenging. But he found the menu from the 1909 robber! Nobel Prize Winners Dinner, and recreated dishes using traditional methods of the time. The ladies had their own suggestions book – here are a few of the entries: Sweets were one of the Edwardians’ greatest pleasures and, he says, were often served at the end of an elaborate 1911: This club should be closed down and a sensible meal, and this is why we often refer to having “A Sweet” club started. after the main course. He discovered that Liquorice 1920: The suggestion for a small foot bath and ladle Allsorts, launched in 1898, were allegedly created by was ”receiving attention” – a second request for a foot chance when a tray of liquorice and coloured paste bath cropped up again 7 years later in 1927. (It seems sweets were dropped on the floor and mixed up. the gentleman had use of a bath, but the ladies had nowhere to wash their feet!). That concludes an outline history of The Rushcliffe Golf 1934: The mice are very bad in the ladies’ lockers and Club, but there is significant history about the golf course quite enjoy themselves eating up the ladies’ stockings. itself which is interesting: Artisans’ Section 1950-1975. Ancient history at the 14th hole In common with many clubs throughout the country, One of the most important historical sites in the Rushcliffe had an Artisans’ Section. Formed in 1950, locality lies around the club’s signature 14th hole, where the Artisans opened up the game of golf to people who there is now a plaque telling of its significance. otherwise could not afford to play. The Artisans paid cheaper golf fees, and were allowed to play at restricted • An ancient moot? times, in exchange for helping to do maintenance work Because of the shape of the land in that area - high on the course. Some of the golf club members set the ground looking down onto a circular dell almost Artisans up with sets of golf clubs and other items of surrounded by a trench - it has been suggested that equipment. this could have been the site of a local Moot, or meeting place, sometime between the 5th Century and 1066. The Artisans’ hut was the residence of a caddy called Moots were assemblies, often held to settle disputes. Spider. He was about five feet nothing and used to walk When the Saxons began to introduce ‘Hundreds’ which into Nottingham with two baskets full of mushrooms split shires (counties) for administrative, military and he had picked on the golf course, then walk back and judicial purposes, the Moots evolved into Hundred have a round of golf. All the members used to give him Courts. their castoffs – when asked what size shoes he wore, he replied “It’s above a seven sir”. (If offered a larger size he • A Danish ‘wapentake’ probably stuffed them with newspaper to fit). He used By the early 10th century the Danes had invaded to carry three golf bags at once, although they weren’t as Britain and controlled areas including big as they are now. He eventually died and when they and as provinces of Denmark. These parts emptied the hut they found about 100 empty gin bottles. of Britain became known as the ‘Danelaw’, with the laws of Denmark taking over from those of the Anglo Saxons. Centenary celebrations The Danes introduced their own division of shires, In 2009 the golf club celebrated its 100th anniversary and Hundred Courts became known as ‘wapentakes’, in many different ways. an administrative meeting place where voting would be conducted by the show of weapons. It is believed a A book of the club’s history during the decade was “wapentake” was regularly held in the area of the 14th produced, a commemorative oak tree was planted near green, and that after the Norman Conquest of 1066, the clubhouse, and four stone bridges were erected over the Shire Reeve (or Sheriff), the official representative of the stream running through the course. the King, attended meetings here twice a year. There is evidence of ‘wapentake courts’ being held by the 14th The highlight was an Edwardian Day when, almost green from 1404 to 1583, under Elizabeth I, although 100 years to the day, members dressed in Edwardian by that time the requirement was for attendees (called costume and took a vintage double-decker bus ride “frankpledgemen”) to leave their weapons away from to the building where that first meeting took place, the meet, and show approval by raising their (empty) St. Peter’s Rooms in Ruddington, formerly the Girls’ arms. “Wapentake” might well have meant “show your schoolroom, returning to The Halt on the steam train. weapons” originally but by the 14th century it meant Some members then played golf, still in costume which the exact opposite! was quite difficult for the ladies in long skirts and some playing with antique golf clubs! The day ended with an • The Doomsday Survey authentic Edwardian dinner. In the Doomsday Survey of 1086, ‘Risecliffe’ as it is called appears to be derived from two words which For the Edwardian dinner that evening, even the mean “a hill”: ‘rise’, and also ‘cliff’. Being in the area waiting staff wore Edwardian clothes. Our chef at the of a spring and a small pond, probably with rushes time had researched Edwardian menus over many growing, this may account for the name evolving over months. Up until 1924 all society menus were written the years, to become Rush-cliff(e). in French, so finding recipes from 1909 proved rather 8 Leake Historian HISTORY OF THE RUSHCLIFFE GOLF CLUB • An ancient manor house? variety of soils and aspect found on the course has The site of the 14th Green is also said to have been the allowed different grassland types and wild flowers to location of an early manor house, the “site of Rushcliffe thrive. The Club agreed with Natural England to manage Hall”. (As mentioned earlier, one of the suggested possible the site in a way that safeguards its special wildlife. reasons for the 14th green featuring on the banner of the Rushcliffe Freemasons Lodge). No evidence of foundations Famous names has been found, but it is possible that no stonework was Over the years the Club has hosted many famous used in the building. It is suggested that any structure visitors. In the 1930s and 40s, it was used by the would have been mainly wood, and may well have Vaudeville Golfing Society, when artistes appearing resembled a Dano-Saxon ‘long house’. in Nottingham’s theatres would visit Rushcliffe for a round of golf, including: Jimmy Edwards, Ben Warris, Water for Gotham village. Jimmy Jewel, Charlie Chester, Arthur Askey, Donald Located quite close to the 14th Green are the brick Peers, Reg Varney, Bruce Forsythe, Ken Roache. Top remains of a small water house, erected in 1862. Because sportsmen who have visited include: Bill Shankland, of the rather peculiar geology of the area, Gotham, Willie Thorne, Lee Westwood, Mark Foster, Sir Gary like East Leake, lay within a waterlogged meandering Sobers, Peter Shilton, members of the Surrey Cricket stream valley, and the surface water was therefore often team, Tony Locke and Peter May. Also some of the stagnant and polluted. The first Earl Howe who was Yorkshire cricket team players and the Australian touring the Lord of the Manor of Gotham, had the water team. house constructed at his own expense to pump the pure natural spring water found in that area down to 110 years on – a local success story the village of Gotham where it filled an underground The initial challenges of 1909 were met, and in cistern near Gotham church. A hand pump was fitted the intervening years many other obstacles had to be and a protective structure erected over the whole. The overcome, particularly financial difficulties, but it has cost was almost £500, no small amount in those days. weathered the hard times, and also enjoyed periods In 2016 the grade 2 listed Gotham pump and “well of growth. If those early members were able to see the house” was restored at a cost of £30,000. The village golf course now, it is hoped they would be amazed and celebration of the “reopening” was attended by his delighted, and proud of being part of that dream 110 great-great-grandson the 7th Earl Howe, and the Rt. years ago. Hon. Kenneth Clark MP. Reference Natural history on the golf course Dennis, P. (2009?) The Rushcliffe Golf Club: celebrating 100 In 1981, part of Rushcliffe golf course was years. East Leake, Notts: Rushcliffe Golf Club. designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest by the Government’s Nature Conservancy Council, as All photographs courtesy of The Rushcliffe Golf Club it contains nationally important ecological areas. The and Val Franklin.

2009 Centenary Celebrations

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