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Royal Eastbourne Ladies' Golf Club, East Sussex. (1888 - 1937)
Founded 1888 by the men of Royal Eastbourne club on land alongside their course.
Above is the entry for Eastbourne Ladies’ Golf Club from the Golfing Annual 1888/89.
The first tournament on the new ladies' links in October 1890.
From "Golf" Friday 7 November 1890.
The “Royal” title was bestowed on the ladies club in 1893, granted by the Dutchess of Fife who became Patroness.
Below is the result of the November 1893 monthly medal.
From the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News Saturday 25 November 1893. Image © Illustrated London News Group.
From the Golfing Annual Vol. V - 1891-92 - "Eastbourne Ladies' Golf Club, Instituted June 1888; Entrance Fee five shillings per family; Annual Subscription five shillings each; Number of Members limited to 120 ladies and 100 Gentlemen Associate Members; Committee - H G Hutchinson, C T Praed, G H Lawrence, Colonel Shaw, H Ingleby and R O Lambert; Secretary, Captain B G Harrison, Sussex Club, Eastbourne; Green-keeper, Peter Paxton.
The course is a nine-hole one twice round, which is about one and a half miles. The length of the holes vary from 95 yards to 160 yards, each hole having its own hazards. The putting greens are very good."
Match played in May 1895.
Golf Friday 24 May 1895. Content provided by THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Competition played in January 1896.
Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News Saturday 18 January 1896. Image © Illustrated London News Group. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News Saturday 19 December 1903. Image © Illustrated London News Group. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
From the 1905 Nisbet's Golf Yearbook; Instituted 1888; Number of members, 250; Hon. secretary - Mrs C E Sawyer, 25 St Anne's Road, Eastbourne; Captain, Mrs Fox Russell; Entrance fee £1/1s and subs 10s/6d; Nine-holes; Professional, A E Robb; Fixtures - Devonshire Challenge Cup, Autumn Meeting, St Cyprian's Cup, "Open," Kent and Sussex County Challenge Cup, Mr Gardner's Scratch Challenge Bowl, Spring Meeting, Commemoration Chalenge Cup; Terms for visitors - who must be a member of a recognised club, or introduced by the hon. sec., 1s a day, 5s a week, 15s a month. The smallness of the course is a great drawback. Members with handicaps of 10 or under are allowed to play on the men's links, on certain days, and the men can invite any member of the Ladies' club to play with them on their links every Thursday at certain hours.
Kent & Sussex Courier Friday 18 October 1907. Image © Reach PLC. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
Results from the spring meeting 1909.
Eastbourne Chronicle Saturday 8 May 1909. Content provided by THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Results of the September 1910 monthly medal; Division 1; Miss L Worters, 81-11-70; Mrs Fox Russell, 84-9-75; Miss Thornely, 97-12-75; Miss E D Rolls, 88-11-77; Miss A Whitfield, 90-11-79; Division 2; Miss Parrott, 87-20-67; Miss M Whitfield, 86-16-70; Miss Haynes Williams, 93-11-72; Miss L Rolls, 91-17-74; Miss Symington, 93-17-76.
Result of the January 1912 monthly medal; Division 1; Miss E D Rolls, 90-10-80; Miss A Rimington, 91-11-80; Miss M C Reid, 83 scratch; Division 2; Mrs Learoyd, 94-14-80; Miss G Mills, 97-13-84.
West Sussex Gazette Thursday 13 June 1912 - "The Duke of Devonshire has rejoiced the hearts of the members of the Royal Eastbourne Ladies' Golf Club by consenting to extend the lease of the links, of which his Grace is the owner, for a period of 60 years. His Grace has also expressed his willingness to accept a reduced rent."
Competitions played in June 1913.
Eastbourne Chronicle Saturday 28 June 1913. Content provided by THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Result of the April 1915 monthly bogey; Division 1; Miss Daniel (11), 5down; Mrs Fox Russell (7), 7down; Mrs Nevill (9), 9down; Division 2; Miss Firmin (14), Miss Harries (14), Miss Goldsmith (16), Miss Parrott (20), all 6down; Mrs Lemon (14), Miss Goodwin (15), Miss Waterfield (17), all 9down.
Result of the March 1919 monthly medal; Division 1; Miss Smith, 90-12-78; Mrs Lonsdale, 93-12-81; Mrs Mackay, 98-12-86; Division 2; Mrs Elliott, 100-14-86.
Spring meeting 1923.
Eastbourne Chronicle Saturday 5 May 1923. Content provided by THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Eastbourne Chronicle Saturday 24 September 1927. Content provided by THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Competition played in June 1929.
Eastbourne Gazette Wednesday 5 June 1929. Image © National World Publishing Ltd. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
Amalgamation proposal in September 1933.
Eastbourne Gazette Wednesday 20 September 1933. Image © National World Publishing Ltd. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
Competition played at the autumn meeting in 1935.
Eastbourne Gazette Wednesday 2 October 1935. Image © National World Publishing Ltd. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
Eastbourne Gazette Wednesday 27 October 1937. Image © National World Publishing Ltd. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
The ladies continued to play on their own course until 1937 when the land was taken over for the expansion of amenities for the Royal Eastbourne club. The following was reported at the annual meeting of the club in December 1937 - Dr H Lancaster, captain, felt sure that the nine-hole course which they had taken over from the Royal Eastbourne Ladies' Golf Club would prove a great acquisition to the club, and they were very glad to welcome the 70 members of the former club who had joined them.
The ladies clubhouse was taken over by the Artisans club.
The Ordnance Survey Map below shows the Ladies' clubhouse top right.
© Crown Copyright {1934}
The Google Map below pinpoints the area occupied by the former Ladies' clubhouse.