CHAPTER 8 The Long Ashton Artisans


both the standard of golf and the honours won. Te idea of an Artisan section was born at a meeting held in 1918, at the Mead,


T


Long Ashton Road. Tis was the home of Mrs Jeffries, who had organised a “welcome home” party for some of the village ex-servicemen returning from the 1914-1918 war. Te then Chairman of the Club, Mr Henry B Napier, who was agent


for the Smyth Estate and a prominent member of the Long Ashton Research Station was one of the guests at the meeting and the ex-servicemen apparently tackled him about their ambition to play golf. In consequence, the Chairman called an extraordinary general meeting of members of the Club in August 1919. It was agreed at this meeting that 12 “local lads” could play on the course at certain restricted times. To help start the Artisans section, Mr Napier collected all the surplus clubs he could find to equip the new golfers. No mention is made in the Club Minute Book of the subscription to


be charged but it was widely reputed to be 5 shillings per annum and the fee remained at that figure until aſter World War II. At that time (1918) the normal annual Club subscription was four guineas for gentlemen and three guineas for ladies with an entrance fee of three guineas for both. Charlie Gould and George Weeks, two prominent Committee members of the


Club-the latter eventually bought the Course from the Ashton Estate (see page 28) were given the task of selecting the Artisan members. Among those selected, some familiar local family names such as Ayres, Ball, Beames, Butler, Hynam, Parker and Shore are recorded. Te number of Artisan members was increased to twenty in 1921 and to 30 in the 30’s and members of the section were allowed to play on Monday and Tursday evenings aſter 6.00 p.m. as well as on Sunday mornings. Te Artisans like the Professionals were not allowed to use the Clubhouse


(Pinecroſt) although an exception was made on Christmas day when they were invited into the Clubhouse for a drink. Meetings of the section took place in Te Robin Hood Retreat public house in Providence Lane and the garden path led from there to near the present third tee which at that time was the 17th hole. A Club member was delegated to oversee the Artisan affairs and Plate 47


65


HE Long Ashton In Artisan section was an important part of the Club for over 50 years. In that time the section contributed a great deal to the parent club in


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