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Chelmsford Golf Club, Galleywood Common Course. (1893 - 1910)
The club was founded 1893.
The original nine-hole golf course, designed by Tom Dunn, was laid out on Galleywood Common with good natural hazards and greens. The Horse & Groom pub, which still exists, was used as the clubhouse.
Report on the proposed Golf Club in February 1893.
Essex Herald Tuesday 7 February 1893. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
It was reported in January 1894 that Lord Rayleigh had accepted the presidency of the recently-formed club.
"Golf" Friday 5 January 1894. Images © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
In July 1894 a distinguished party of golfers spent a pleasant afternoon on the Galleywood course. The Right Hon. A J Balfour came as the guest of Mr W M deZeote, and was accompanied by Horace G Hutchinson and Mr John Penn M.P., another well known golfer.
Galleywood Common and racecourse on the mid 1890s Ordnance Survey Map. The golf course is not marked.
O.S. Map Revised 1895; © Crown Copyright {year of publication 1896}.
The half-yearly cup competition was played at Galleywood on Saturday 16 April 1898; A L Woodhouse, 95-18-77; E B Sheppard, 93-14-79; Rev. G E G Hoare, 94-14-80; M Copland, 84-3-81; R Pryor, 95-14-81; R L Marshall, 98-16-82; B Copland, 94-8-86; Mr Wilson Pease, 102-16-86; D Watney, 105-18-77; H W deZoete, 83 scratch; E G Rose, 106-18-88; A P Lucas, 97-4-93; E Copland, 107-12-95; G C R Marshall, 112-16-96; C A Copland, 129-10-119.
The annual meeting was held at the Bell Hotel in Chelmsford in June 1899, W M deZoete in the chair. The report showed that membership was 63 gentlemen and 22 ladies. Mr Wilson Pease replaced J A Piedger on the committee.
From the 1905 Nisbet’s Golf Yearbook; Instituted 1893; Number of members 50, Ladies 15; Hon. Sec. C A Copland, Institute, Chelmsford; Captain, A P Lucas; Entrance Fee £1/1s and subs £1/1s; Professional C Morant; Visitors’ fees 1/s a day and 5/s a week. Course on Galleywoood Common with good turf and plenty of natural hazards.
Result of the Ladies monthly spoon competition played in March 1907; Mrs Gordon Dickson, 112-12-100; Mrs Ridley, 127-25-102.
Result of the deZoete Cup Competition in June 1908; A E Gilmore, 85-6-79; T T Cowell, 90-4-86; A B Smith, 104-18-86; C A Copland, 105-16-89; N Falkner, 104-12-92; C S L Sutthery, 109-16-93; R A Ellis jun., 106-12-94; Dr Martin, 112-18-94; R A Ellis sen., 114-14-100. The Ladies’ monthly competition; Mrs Temple Cowell, 90 net.
The professional in 1909 was Robert Finch.
Robert Walter Finch.
The following is courtesy of the PGA Remembers project; “Robert Walter Finch who had been an assistant to James Braid at Romford took up his first Professional post at Galleywood before he moved to Widford Park and the Chelmsford club as it was to become. In total he was there, including Galleywood, from 1909-1917. Finch became a Lance-Corporal 1st Battalion Essex Regiment and was severely injured on 17th April 1917 dying from his wounds shortly afterwards. His service no. was 28742 and his grave is at Duisans British Cemetery, Etrun.”
Chelmsford Golf Club bases its foundation at Galleywood, the club made the move to its current location at Widford Park in December 1910.
The Google Map Below shows the location of the earlier course on Galleywood Common.