GATHURST GOLF CLUB

GATHURST GOLF CLUB CENTENARY 2013

The Beginning

The Year was 1913 and the clouds of war were gathering over Europe as four well-known gentlemen, all residents of Shevington and living locally in Gathurst Lane, were finalising their plans to form a new golf club.
It was to be situated in the Parish of Shevington and would be called: “Gathurst Golf Club”.

These four far-seeing pioneers, who can only be described as the clubs Founding Fathers, were:
 Alfred Broach - Bank manager
William J Griffin - Wigan & St Helens Businessman
Mathew Taylor - Local Factory Manager, and,
E B Naylor - Lecturer in Chemistry.

Encouraged by an increasing wave of enthusiasm for the new club, the four men convened a meeting that was to take place on 18th December 1913 but unfortunately the venue is unknown. As more and more people signalled their intention to attend, it was decided that it would now constitute the First Annual General Meeting of Gathurst Golf Club. With Mr W J Griffin presiding, an agenda was agreed as follows:

1 To enrol everyone present as members
2 Election of officers for 1914
3 Signature of Agreement of Leasehold
4 Fixing of subscriptions for 1914.

As a result of that meeting, Mr W J Griffin was elected to be the first Captain of the Club with Mr. J D Reid as Vice-Captain. Mr M Taylor was invited to be President, possibly by virtue of his age; he was at the time quite an elderly gentleman.

Mr J Hancock the new Honorary Secretary / Treasurer, was to keep a register of those present at that inaugural meeting and the names were as follows:
Mr W J Griffin, Mr J D Reid, Mr M Taylor, Mr A Broach, Mr J Hancock, and Messrs Caruthers, Ellison, Hilton, Johnson, Johnson Jnr, Morris, Naylor, Pierspoint, Pennington and Shaw, the fifteen men who could proudly claim that they were the founding members.

The course was opened for play on 23rd December 1913, just five days after the first Annual General Meeting and the signing of the Lease Agreement. Annual Subscriptions had been fixed at £1.5s.0d.
GATHURST GOLF CLUB WAS NOW A FACT OF LIFE. 

100 YEARS ON
and time to celebrate our
CENTENARY.

Gathurst Golf Club celebrates its Centenary in 2013. A Centenary Committee has been formed to ensure we have a year to remember.

The Committee Members are:
Chairman – Derek Wilde. Mrs Margaret Lenagan – Mrs Janet Davies
Tom King – Gordan Watt – Martin Cumberbatch – Jeff Hurst.
Producing the History booklet are Jim Walls and Mike Black.
The Centenary Draw is being organised by Kevin Brown and Jimmy Priest.

The whole year is aimed to benefit the members with privileges equally available to all classes of Membership.

The Committee would welcome ideas from the membership as to events they would like to see incorporated during the year.

Proposals so far include :-
A Golf Events week for all sections.
Special Dinners and Dances throughout the year.
A special match home and away with Bidston Golf Club who celebrate their Centenary year with us.
Friendly golf matches with other clubs who also celebrate their Centenary year in 2013.
It is envisaged that Anniversary Merchandise will be available for purchase through our Professional.

Please support your Centenary Committee.