Hilton’s Open Championship Victory of 1897
member Harold Hilton after his second Open Championship victory at the Club in 1897. That a local man should win Hoylake’s first Open Championship is remarkable as is the fact that the Club then boasted three amateur Open Champions (Hilton in 1892 and 1897, Ball in 1890). The results sheet records Hilton’s win by just one shot from the supremely gifted James Braid and his winnings of the Challenge Trophy, a gold medal value £10.0s.0d and, because he was an amateur, £30.0s.0d taken
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in plate. The accompanying photos show the intimacy of the event with many spectators
obtaining a good viewpoint from the balcony of the then new Club House with what
Photos of John Graham and Richard Cornelius in Locker Bar
are the two small photos mounted near the downstairs bar. The first, dating back to circa 1923 shows a group of young boys being instructed by the then professional, Jack Morris (nephew of Old Tom). Richard Cornelius is on the left and the lad under
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Not grand but of great appeal
Morris’ direct scrutiny is John Graham. Both Graham and Cornelius became very fine golfers, great Hoylake characters and, as the accompanying photo taken 74 years later shows, both were much decorated having had distinguished records in World War II. John was a Walker Cup trialist, Captain and Trustee
passed for a tented village discernible either side of the crowd.
In the downstairs bar is a tribute to RLGC
of the Club. Richard shunned any office but he created a wonderful illusion of being a grumpy member despite having a heart of pure gold! Wonderful stuff!
John Ball’s Double Faced Clock
parts of the course, this clock is a unique feature of our fine Club House. It was erected in 1900 to commemorate John Ball Jr’s remarkable victories: Amateur Champion (1888, 1890,1892, 1894, 1899) and Open Champion (1890). Modest and retiring by nature, Ball was very much a Hoylake hero and the members subscribed to a Commemoration Fund in his
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With its twin faces visible from many
honour to pay for the clock. In fact so generous was the response that much more was raised than the cost of installation (£98.18s.0d). As is displayed in a cabinet in the Inner Hall, there was enough surplus to commission the oil portrait on the landing, provide him with a gold Hunter’s watch (also on display) and make a 14 guinea contribution, along with Leasowe and Royal Lytham & St Anne’s, to a charger to
accompany him to the Boer War in South Africa. The clock’s movement is not
the original one, the current one being electrical and made in 1971 by J D Joyce & Co of Whitchurch, Shropshire. The drive mechanism, though, is original being a cast iron shaft driving two brass cogs set at 45° which ensure that the two
faces read the same time. To restart the clock, the motor is initiated by spinning a small rotor anti-clockwise. If the rotor was spun in a clockwise direction then the clocks would move backwards! John Ball’s clock is a much loved and distinctive Hoylake feature which still provides a splendid backdrop to golf on the course.
ROYAL LIVERPOOL GOLF CLUB 2 014 MAGAZINE
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