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Blacon Point Golf Club, Chester. (Pre-WW2)

The course was situated in the Gorst’s Hill area and appeared prior to WW2.

Below is a report and advert for the new Blacon Point Golf Course from December 1936.

Cheshire Observer Saturday 19 December 1936. Images © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

I would like to thank John Gray and Peter Matthews of the Vicars Cross Golf Club who supplied the following information regarding Blacon Golf Club.

“The land on which the golf course was built was purchased by a builder, Thomas Gorst in 1934 from the Smith family, who owned Blacon Point Farm. The land is near to what is now Blacon Cemetery and Crematorium. By 1937, Thomas Gorst had created a flourishing eighteen-hole golf course, around which he proposed to build a residential development.

The above picture shows the Blacon clubhouse and eighteenth green.

In June 1937, The Cheshire Observer carried an advertisement for building plots on Blacon Estate, "adjoining the new Blacon Point Golf Club believed to be the finest and healthiest estate in Cheshire, and commanding a gorgeous view of the Welsh Hills". The annual subscription was 4 guineas and the entry in the Golfers Guide for 1938 showed the membership to be 200. The Secretary was H.R. Gorst, The Professional was Eric Parr and Greenkeeper E.E. Seaman. Both the SSS and Par were 73, the course measuring 5989 yards for men and 5081 yards for women. Green fees were 1s 6d per round or 2s 6d/day, 3s 6p (Sundays).

One of the most notable events in the club's history took place on 21st May 1938, when the reigning Open Champion, Henry Cotton, played an exhibition match at the course. Cotton was partnered by Joe Collins of Heswall Golf Club; Jimmy Adams of Royal Liverpool was partnered by the Blacon Point professional, Eric Parr. Henry Cotton set a new course record of 66 and was 10 under par for 36 holes.

The professional line-up at Blacon Point Golf Club. From left to right; Eric Parr, Joe Collins, Jimmy Adams and Henry Cotton.

However, the planned building programme at Blacon Point was brought to an early close in late 1938, when the estate was taken over by the War Department and became Blacon Camp. Part of the land was acquired by Chester Corporation in 1952, the City already owning the Blacon Hall Estate, having bought it in 1937 with the intention of using it mainly for housing. Building began in Sumner Road area in 1954 with the rest of the Blacon Camp area being developed from the mid 1960's when the army left. Even as late as March 1977, The Golf House and Blacon Point Farm are shown on the Ordnance Survey map.

Once the members of Blacon Point G.C. became aware that the course was to close at the end of 1938 there was concern about which club they would be able to join. In the months leading up to the closure, William (Bill) Richardson sounded out his fellow members support for a completely new club owned by himself elsewhere in the Chester district. Encouraged by their enthusiastic response he seriously considered some land in the Backford area before purchasing half of Tom Parkers Farm - 91 acres of undulating pasture and cereals land, complete with a farmhouse and several barns, near to Littleton Village.

Eric Parr the former Blacon Point Professional, moved into the farmhouse for Christmas 1938, first as Course Manager and some years later as Club Professional. His wife, Hylda was appointed Club Manageress. The first 11 holes were laid out and the Captain, William Parry, drove into office on 20th May 1939. However, with the outbreak of war members had to wait another seven years for the final holes to be developed. Vicars Cross Golf Club will celebrate its 75th anniversary in 2014. Further information can be found on the clubs website”.

Scorecard for the Blacon Point course.

Thanks to Miss J A Coy for the following information regarding the Blacon club which she gave in 2004. “My mother and father used to take me to Blacon Golf Club and this is where they started to take part in the sport. My mom and dad were founder members. I used to go with them but I was only about  six at the time. The club was at the top of a road off Sealand Road. The club was closed down soon after the war started and the land was taken over by the army. When the army left after the war the area was taken over by the council and now it is a very large housing estate”