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Mirrlees Golf Club, Woodsmoor, Hazel Grove, Stockport. (1925 - 1988)

Founded in 1925.

A 9-hole course with a membership of 250 peaking at 300 in the 1940s-50s. The course was located 2 miles south of Stockport on the A6. The railway stations were at Stockport 2 miles and Hazel Grove 1 mile.

The site was originally occupied by the Davenport (later Stockport in 1909) Golf Club in the early 1900s, it was appearing on O.S maps prior to WW1.

The old course at Woodsmoor, when vacated by Davenport, was part of the land leased from Sir J E Barlow by Mirrlees, Bickerton and Day when they built their diesel engine factory in Hazel Grove. The golf course was run and maintained by employees of Mirrlees, mostly Scots transferred from the company’s original Mirrlees, Watson and Yarvan factory in Glasgow. Mirrlees Golf Club survived until 1988 when it was closed by the company, many features including fairways and greens were still visible on the approach to the railway bridge on Bramhall Moor Lane for many years after closure. Although the course was somewhat changed from Davenport’s original, four holes remained more or less as laid out and the 4th green was said at the time of the closure to have been the only surviving green, with turf some eighty years old. It remains a recreational area to this day despite several attempts to obtain planning permission for housing development.

Stockport County Express Thursday 30 April 1925. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Competitions played in 1927.

Alderley & Wilmslow Advertiser Friday 29 July 1927. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Stockport County Express Thursday 11 August 1927. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Picture taken in June 1928.

Stockport County Express Thursday 21 June 1928. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Result of a Flag Competition played in May 1932 for Mr Ramsden's Driver; H Hallworth (6), nineteenth fairway;  G H Taylor (8), H Newton (12) and J Beesley (9), all eighteenth green; Monthly medal; H Newton (12) 68; J Higginbotham jun. (10) 72; W Blacker (12) 73.

Stockport County Express Thursday 20 October 1932. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Alderley & Wilmslow Advertiser Friday 14 July 1933. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Britain From Above Image from 1934 showing Mirrlees Golf Course, Mirrlees, Bickerton and Day Diesel Oil Engines, Bramhall Moor.

Report on the annual meeting in February 1937.

Stockport County Express Thursday 25 February 1937. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Stockport County Express Thursday 27 October 1938. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Stockport Advertiser and Guardian Friday 17 November 1939. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

From the Stockport County Express Thursday 1 Febuary 1940 - "Men now serving with H.M. Forces who are members of recognised golf clubs are given a cordial invitaion to play on the links of Mirrlees Golf Club, Woodsmoor, without paying green fees."

Stockport County Express Thursday 31 October 1940. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Result of the ladies' competition for the President's (Mr J H Arden) prize played in June 1943; Miss Mitchell, 91-26-65; Miss Gough, 85-20-65; Miss Gorst, 95-30-65; Miss Maclean, 94-25-69; Mrs Jevons, 106-36-70; Mrs Austin, 93-22-71; Mrs Lister, 83-11-72. Miss Mitchell won the replay.

Ordnance Survey Map from the time of WW2 showing the golf  course.

O.S. Map Revised 1938; © Crown Copyright {ear of publication ca. 1947}.

At the annual meeting in February 1984 J H Adern was elected captain, thanks was passed on to the retiring captain A R Ward. Result of the monthly medal H Standring, 82-11-71; A A Jevons, 89-13-76. 

Stockport County Express Thursday 29 July 1948. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Stockport County Express Thursday 9 March 1950. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Stockport County Express Thursday 13 July 1950. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

In 1951 the 9-hole course had a SSS of 69 and a Par of 70.Visitors’ fees were 2/6 a day, 3/6 at weekend and Bank Holiday.

In September 1955 J Clough beat N Jones by 3 and 2 in the 36-hole final of the Club Cup Final.

By1956 membership had reduced to 200. The SSS was now 65.

Alderley & Wilmslow Advertiser Friday 19 September 1958. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

1964, visitors’ fees were now 5/- a day, 10/- at weekend and Bank Holiday.

Result of the January 1965 monthly bogey competition; A Higginbotham (7) 5up; C L Redfern (14) 1up; G Hopwood (7), S Swynyard (16), G Stafford (18) and V Kelly (21), all square. 

Competitions played in April 1972; First summer medal; C James (24), 66; W E Burd (11), 69; A R Taylor (17), 69; Ladies' section; Stableford competition prize given by Mrs Headridge and Miss Morris; Mrs Morris (won on card play-off) and Mrs Way, both 22 points; Mrs Higginbotham and Miss Turner, 20 points; Stroke competition prize given by Mrs Bainton; Mrs Headridge (34), 74 (winner on card play-off); Mrs Jones (17), 74. 

Report on the annual meeting in 1973.

Alderley & Wilmslow Advertiser Thursday 1 March 1973. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

In the mid 1970s the 9-hole course measured 5,944yds with a SSS of 68. Club membership at this time was 215. Visitors’ fees were £1 a day.

Report on the 51st annual meeting in 1977.

Alderley & Wilmslow Advertiser Thursday 24 February 1977. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Result of the President's Prize played August 1977; R Galt (20), 64; J F Edgar (14), 65.

Alderley & Wilmslow Advertiser Thursday 12 January 1978. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Towards the end in of its life in the 1980s the 9-hole course was 6,102yds in length with a SSS of 69 and a membership of 230.

Mirrlees Golf Club scorecard dated 1980. Images courtesy of Christoph Meister.

In 1986 Paul Holborn was the last Club Champion at Mirrlees.

Course for housing development in 1988.

Stockport Express Advertiser Thursday 1 September 1988. Image © Reach plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD

Recollections in 2004 of Mirrlees Golf Club from Edmund Wilkinson of Stansted, “Although this was owned and administered by the long established diesel manufacturers Mirlees, Bickerton and Day Ltd it was open to non employees. There was a splendid clubhouse complete with an impressive maple dance floor. The company has over the past thirty years has had several takeovers and is a shadow of its former self. The course is now abandoned and overgrown but recognisable”

Location of the Mirrlees golf course.