Brandwood House Golf Club, Brandwood Road, Kings Heath. (1923 - 1936)

The club was founded in 1923. The secretary was G E Baker the professional G Reynolds and the greenkeeper H Malins. Originally a 9-hole course eventually extended to 18-holes, the course was laid out under the guidance of A R Whieldon of Moseley. The clubhouse had three billiard tables there were also hard and grass tennis courts. Visitors’ fees were 1/6 a day, 3/- at weekend and Bank Holiday. The railway station at Birmingham was 3 miles away, with the Alcester Lane tram terminus a five minute walk from the course, there was also a bus service from town.

 

Brandwood House Golf Club. Club button.

Brandwood House Golf Club button.

 

Brandwood House Golf Club. Ladies' Club button.

Brandwood House Ladies’ Golf Club button.

 

In early 1923 Mr S J Roberts of Moseley acquired the estate in Brandwood Road and he soon saw the potential of laying out a golf course on the land. With Mr Robert’s enthusiasm and the valuable support of a small group of gentlemen members a scheme for the formation of a club was quickly put in place and Mr Whieldon was consulted with regard to the layout of the course. With the superb golfing turf, and the natural contours of the land, the location was perfect for golf. The course occupied an elevated position at over 500 feet above sea-level. The club was officially opened on the 1 April 1923, and a bright future was predicted for the club by Councillor Gelling, who performed the opening ceremony.

Result of a match played in August 1924.

 

Brandwood House Golf Club, Kings Heath. Result of a match played in August 1924.

Birmingham Daily Gazette Tuesday 12 August 1924. With thanks to Reach PLC. Digitised by Findmypast Newspaper Archive Limited. All rights reserved.

 

Below is the Presidents Cup won by L H Perry  in 1924.

 

Brandwood House Golf Club, Kings Heath. The Presidents Cup won by L H Perry in 1924.

Above image courtesy of Simon Brandwood.

 

Result of a match against North Warwickshire Golf Club in May 1925.

 

Brandwood House Golf Club, Kings Heath. Result of a club match played in May 1925.

Birmingham Daily Gazette Monday 25 May 1925. With thanks to Reach PLC. Digitised by Findmypast Newspaper Archive Limited. All rights reserved.

 

On Whit Monday 1926 the full 18-hole course was opened by the President. The first ball was struck by Miss Lalle Roberts, the President’s daughter. An exhibition match was then played by leading local professionals; A R Whieldon, Moseley, G R Buckle, Edgbaston, M Bingham, Stourbridge and J Hunt of the home club, a large attendance of golfing enthusiasts followed the play.

 

Brandwood House Golf Club, Birmingham. Brandwood House competition spoon.

 

Brandwood House Golf Club, Birmingham. Brandwood House engraved competition spoon.

Brandwood House Golf Club competition spoons.

 

The above spoons were originally the property of club member Percy David Dunkley. Percy died some thirty years ago and he obviously treasured the spoons. His family were manufacturers of the very well known Dunkley perambulators based in Birmingham, but Percy remarried and moved to Bournemouth in the 1940s. (Thanks to Martin Eldridge)

The clubs on the picture below are stamped; Maxwell Pattern - J Hunt, Brandwood House.

 

Brandwood House Golf Club, Kings Heath. Golf Clubs marked J Hunt - club professional..

Above image courtesy of Simon Brandwood.

 

Officers of the club in the early 1930s; President, S J Roberts; Vice-Presidents, Major H Cranage, M.C and E S Roberts; Management Committee, S J Roberts, G Samworth, E S Roberts and H E C Bladon; Secretary, G E Baker; Captain, J F Berry; Vice-Captain, F J Crampton; Gentlemen’s General Committee, R Cadwell, T W M Hutton, H G Matthew, H A Tyler and E D A Reed; Competitions Secretary, T W Bladon; Assistant Secretary, O G Thery; Ladies’ Captain, Mrs T W M Hutton; Ladies’ General Committee, Miss G N Farmer and Mrs P Dunkley; Competitions Secretary Mrs A J Harris; Hon Treasurer, Mrs A M Mackinnon; Entertainment Committee, Mrs P Dunkley, Mrs B Kendrick, J F Crampton and T W M Hutton; Professional, G F Reynolds; Steward, Alfred Stainton.

Leading scores in the January 1930 medal competition; Division 1 -H A Tyler, 86-9-77; R Cadwell, 90-12-78; J F Berry, 93-15-78; Division 2 - R Hopkins, 95-18-77; C A Jones, 102-20-82; J Slattery, 101-18-83.

Result of the "Turkey Competition" played in December 1930; Mrs Scott, 42 nett; Mrs Harris, 45; Mrs Mackinnon, 45; Miss Cranage, 52; Mrs MacCormack, 54; Mrs Whitehead, 56. 

The 36-hole final of the President's Cup was played in March 1931 and was won by H A Tyler (9) who defeated J Stretton Cox (scratch) by 5 and 4. 

Pictures below of the Brandwood Bowl won in 1933 by D W Parker.

 

Brandwood House Golf Club, Kings Heath. Picture of the Brandwood Bowl won by D W Parker in 1933.

 

Brandwood House Golf Club, Kings Heath. Picture of the Brandwood Bowl won by D W Parker in 1933.

Images courtesy of James Gillick.

 

Brandwood House Golf Club. Golf Course plan.

Above is a plan of the eighteen hole course.

 

Brandwood House Golf Club. Scorecard for the course.

Above is the card of the Brandwood course (Authors Collection).

 

Brandwood House Golf Club. The clubhouse.

Above is the impressive Brandwood clubhouse (Authors Collection).

 

Brandwood House Golf Club. Ladies on the first tee.

Above the first tee (Ladies).

 

Brandwood House Golf Club. Approaching the 18th green.

Above approaching the eighteenth green (Authors Collection).

 

Brandwood House Golf Club. The Punch Bowl (6th).

Above is the sixth hole, The Punch Bowl (Authors Collection).

 

Brandwood House Golf Club. Advert for G F Reynolds the professional.

Advert for G F Reynolds, the professional at Brandwood House (Authors Collection).

 

In a column in the Birmingham Daily Gazette on Wednesday 8 April 1936 A R Wheildon recalled "Referring again to W R Firkins, I expect it will be rather a shock to him to hear that the course he started on as a fully-fledged professional is to be sold for building. Brandwood House Golf Club has had a very successful time. I Designed the course in 1923, and assisted in the opening a few months later. The course will be badly missed in the South Birmingham area."

Extract from a report in the Birmingham Daily Post Tuesday 20 April 1940; "Death of Samuel John Roberts - He bought the Billesley House Estate, which was later acquired by Birmingham Corporation. The purchase of the Brandwood House Estate was another of his enterprises. There he established a golf club, of which he was president. This estate was subsequently devoted to the erection of suburban houses."

Change of use for Brandwood House at the time of WW2.

 

Brandwood House Golf Club, Kings Heath. Change of use for Brandwood House art the time of WW2.

Birmingham Daily Post Monday 19 June 1940. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

 

Ordnance Survey Map from the time of WW2 showing Brandwood House. The golf course had disappeared by this time.

 

Brandwood House Golf Club, Kings Heath. O.S. Map from the time of WW2 showing Brandwood House.

O.S. Map Revised 1938; © Crown Copyright {year of publication 1946}.