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Blickling Golf Club, Aylsham, Norfolk. (1891 - WW2)
The club was founded in 1891.
Blickling had a 9-hole parkland course with holes varying in length from 155 to 390 yards. The course was located in Blickling Park. There were railway stations at Aylsham (Great Eastern and later the London North Eastern) and Aylsham Town (M&GN) 1 ½ miles away. Local hotels were the Black Boy at Aylsham and the Buckinghamshire Arms, Blickling. Blickling Hall is now a National Trust building. The original clubhouse is now a privately owned house on the estate. It is possible that the former owner of the estate, Lord Lothian, had an interest in and played golf.
From the Norfolk News Saturday 27 August 1892 – “On the 18th inst., a pleasant little match was played on the Blickling Park Subscription Links, the Rev. A E Black acting as handicapper. Following are the scores; J H Stedman, 110-30-80; Rev. J G Hoare, 92-10-82; J H Mannall, 97-15-82; Rev. A E Black, 84-2-82; B B Sapwell, jnr., 102-18-84; C R Dewhirst, 113-25-88; Major Archdale, 98-6-92; C L Buxton, 128-30-98; H J Gidney, 114-15-99; Dr. Horace Savory, 119-18-101; T Little, 132-30-102; Major-General Newdigate, 144-35-109. The arrangements for the meeting were satisfactorily carried out by the honorary treasurer, Mr Dewhirst, and Mrs Gurney Hoare kindly provided afternoon tea on the links.”
The first monthly golf contest, for the medal presented by Rev. A E Black, was played on the 15 September 1892; F Little, 116-30-86; J H Mannall, 100-13-87; C R Dewhirst, 108-20-88; H J Gidney, 105-15-90; C L Buxton, 136-35-101; J H Stedman, 135-25-110.
Following is the result of the 1893 March monthly medal; Harold Reeve, 121-35-86; F Little, 104-15-89; H J Gidney, 107-10-97; J H Mannall, 107-10-97; D R Gooding, 118-8110.
Result of a match against Royal Norwich Golf Club in July 1894.
"Golf" Tuesday 27 July 1894. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
From the Manchester Courier September 1895 – “The title of “Champion of Norfolk” now rests with the Rev. E A Black, who is a prominent member of the committee of the Blickling Club, which has a very pretty nine-hole course, for which the record is 37, held by Mr Black.”
Below is the result of a match played on the Blickling Park course against Waveney Valley Golf Club in September 1895.
| Blickling Golf Club | Waveney Valley Golf Club | ||
| Rev. J E Pease | 1 | Rev. Page Roberts | 0 |
| Rev. A E Black | 1 | F McLaughlin | 0 |
| Dr. Little | 0 | A J Saville | 1 |
| Rev. H C Back | 1 | K J Hunt | 0 |
| J T Spurrell | 1 | W J Hartcup | 0 |
| Rev. H M Cooper | 1 | M Linton | 0 |
| Rev. C Walsh | 1 | C L Buxton | 0 |
| 6 | 1 |
On 19 September 1895 the monthly medal was played, result; Rev. J E Pease, 77 scratch; Rev. J F Darrell, 79-17-82; Rev. A E Black, 83 scratch; Rev. H M Cooper, 95-12-83; F Hill, 98-15-83; F Little, 91-8-83; Rev. C E G Walsh, 100-15-85.
The annual meeting of the Blickling club held on Wednesday 16 February 1898. The secretary, Mr C R Dewhirst, reported a balance in hand of £1/5s/9d. The Rev J E Pease was elected captain for the year.
On Tuesday 11 May 1898 a match took place on the Blickling course between R Kelly (Norwich) and W Aveston (Cromer). The latter won the match by 2 up. Scores; Aveston, 37; Kelly, 42.
Below is the result of the October 1899 monthly medal.
From the Norwich Mercury Saturday 4 November 1899. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Below is the result of a match played at Bungay against Waveney Valley Golf Club on Wednesday 13 August 1902.
| Waveney Valley Golf Club | Blickling Golf Club | ||
| T P Angell | 0 | Rev. A E Black | 1 |
| G Barratt (half) | 0 | Rev. E S P Mack (half) | 0 |
| Rev. G B Raikes | 1 | C H Gidney | 0 |
| H Henderson | 1 | Dr. Little | 0 |
| A E Walker (half) | 0 | H J Gidney (half) | 0 |
| Rev. W Stephens | 1 | C Gilbert | 0 |
| Rolf Henderson | 0 | W Jackson | 1 |
| R Nelson | 1 | Major Archdale | 0 |
| 4 | 2 |
Below is the result of a match played at Hellesdon against Royal Norwich Golf Club in May 1905.
| Royal Norwich Golf Club | Blickling Golf Club | ||
| M Crick (captain) | 1 | Rev. A E Black (captain) | 0 |
| C H A Lock | 0 | F C Williamson | 1 |
| R Jewson | 0 | C H Gidney | 1 |
| A C Watson | 1 | J H Mannall | 0 |
| A Finch | 1 | H J Gidney | 0 |
| Col. A C Dawson | 1 | H Page | 0 |
| R J Boyce | 1 | H M Thompson | 0 |
| 5 | 2 |
In 1906 visitors’ fees were 1/- a day and 5/- a week.
In 1914 the club had a membership of 45 gents and 25 ladies. Entry fees for gents were £1/1/0, but there was no entry fee for ladies. Subs for gents were £1/1/0 and ladies 10/6d. Visitors’ fees had increased to 2/- a day and 7/6d a week. Sunday play was not allowed.
In 1922 membership was just 28. Visitors’ fees were 1/6d a round, 2/6d a day, 10/- a week, 20/- a month.
In the mid 1920s and early 1930s visitors’ fees were 2/- a round, 3/6d a day, 6/- a week and 30/- a month and Sunday play was allowed after 1pm.
In 1935 membership was 85 and the SSS was 67.
In the August 1937 L.G.U. medal the winner was Miss M Beard, 75; runner-up was Miss J Bringloe, 88.
| Secretary | Professional/Greenkeeper | |
| 1890s/1900s | C R Dewhirst | Charles Peat (p) early 1900s |
| 1906 | Col C A Lyon-Campbell, Sankence Lodge, Aylsham. | |
| 1902/19 | George Harrison (p&g) | |
| 1914 | Reverend W B Parr | |
| 1922 | A R George | |
| 1919/22 | W J Hannant (p) F Hooker (g) | |
| 1920s/30s | Reverend S H Harvard Watts. | |
| 1935 | R E Steward, The Old Mill House, Aylsham. | G Bean (g) |
| 1940/47 | R E Steward, The Old Mill House, Aylsham. | W J Hannant (p) G Bean (g) |
| Course records | |
| 1930s | J F Bond (am) 74 W J Hannant (pro) 67 |
| 1935 | Reverend S H Harvard Watts (am) 73 W J Hannant (pro) 65 |
| 1936 | R J Bond (am) 71 |
| 1940 | A D Bond (am) 69 W J Hannant (pro) 65. |
The Blickling Golf Club Clubhouse on an undated postcard. Authors Collection.
Below is the former Blickling Golf Club's Clubhouse! The 'wooden bit' at the side (now a shed) was once the outdoor toilet. The building is now a private residence. Images below are courtesy of the Christopher Weston archive.
The compact Blickling clubhouse
Blickling Golf Course is marked on the map below. All you will see today is a wide area of grass to left and right of the main drive through the estate. If you know where to look and have an idea of what to look for it's still possible to work out where the course was.
Blickling Golf Course marked to the north on the above map.
From 1940 to the club’s final appearance in 1947 visitors’ fees 2/- a round, 3/6d a day, 10/6d a week, 30/- a month. Sunday play was allowed after 1pm.
The Britain From Above link below shows Blickling Hall and the former golf course.
http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/eaw018542?search=blickling&ref=8
Course location at Blickling Hall.
Thanks to Mrs Beryl Griffiths of Melton Constable who made this contribution in 2004. “You may like to know that, pre war, there was a nine hole course at Blickling, Norfolk (National Trust). It ceased being a course in about 1940/1. I have spoken to a couple of R.A.F men who used it while billeted at the Hall. The golf club building is now a small privately owned house on the estate. I don’t know who created the course, possibly the late owner of the Hall, Lord Lothian. About three years ago I helped to mount an exhibition about his life but I found nothing else about the course”