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Leigh Park Golf Club, Leigh-on-Sea. (1914 – WW1)
Leigh Park Golf Club appeared prior to WW1 with a nine-hole course on Belfair Farm.
Southend Borough Council made a compulsory purchase of the land following the war. It was to be used to promote sport in the area.
The current Belfairs Park Golf Course came into being in 1926 making it the first municipal golf course in Essex.
Report on the new Leigh Park Golf Club in July 1914.
Southend Standard and Essex Weekly Advertiser Thursday 2 July 1914. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Report on the annual meeting in October 1914.
Southend Standard and Essex Weekly Advertiser Thursday 22 October 1914. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
It was reported in October 1914 that two school children were in court for stealing two golf balls on the golf course valued at two shillings. The real essence of the case that was that when golf balls were found on or near the course anyone finding them upon returning them to the owners received a reward of 2d, but the defendants, instead of returning the balls to the owners, were alleged to have sold them for a penny or two more to members of another club. The chairman of the court dismissed the lads with a caution.
Southend Standard and Essex Weekly Advertiser Thursday 11 February 1915. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Report on the annual meeting in October 1915.
Southend Standard and Essex Weekly Advertiser Thursday 21 October 1915. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Southend Standard and Essex Weekly Advertiser Thursday 28 October 1915. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
As with most golf courses there would have been little or no play at this harrowing time.
The Ordnance Survey Map below shows the Golf Course and Belfair Farm.
O.S. Map Revised 1919 to 1920; © Crown Copyright {year of publication 1923}.