Club History - The
People
James Cunliffe, born 1798 (Blackburn, Lancashire)
Founder of the family, is said to have developed his
businesses and the family fortune from involvement in the
North Eastern Railway, and later the L.N.E.R. of which the
famous Stockton and Darlington Line, with its Stephenson’s
Rocket connections, formed part. Father of four sons and
two daughters, moved the whole family south, initially to
Dorking, Surrey in the 1860’s to develop a successful
business in merchant banking.
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Roger Cunliffe, died 1895
One of James Cunliffe’s four sons and a highly
successful merchant banker. Like his father, had
four sons and two daughters. Became one of the
biggest land owners in the Leatherhead area. Whilst
living at Headley Court, around 1880, commissioned
the building of a large family house at Tyrrells
Wood. The planting of the avenue of Beeches each
side of Mill Way is attributed to his wife, Ann. |
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Sir Walter
Cunliffe, 1855-1919
(became 1st Baron Cunliffe)
Eldest of Roger Cunliffe’s four sons.
He was given Headley Court which he upgraded
into a fine mansion.
Although not a politician, as Governor of the
Bank of England, was deeply involved with important
members of the Government including Lloyd George,
Chancellor of the Exchequer at the time.
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Major Henry
Keswick M.P. 1890-1928
M.P. for the Epsom
Division of Surrey from 1912-18. He was a Director
of Jardine Matheson as was his father before him and
his descendants are today. In 1911, as their taipan
in Hong Kong, he returned to the U.K. to represent
the colony at the Coronation of King George V. He
remained in London to take over management of
Jardines, was elected to parliament in 1912 and
mobilised with the 3rd Bn. The Kings Own Scottish
Borderers in 1914. He was a JP and served on the
Dumfries local authority and as a member of the Hong
Kong legislature.
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The Right Hon. THE
LORD MAYOR
(Alderman SIR G.R. Blades, Bt., M.P.)
Elected Alderman of
Bassishaw 1920, served as sheriff 1917. Member of
the Stationers’, (Master) Horners’, Gardeners’,
Haberdashers’, Shipwrights’, and Wheelwrights’,
Companies, and an Hon. Member of the Blacksmiths’
Company.
M.P. for the Epsom
Division of Surrey from 1918-1928, was knighted in
1918, created Baronet in 1922, and created 1st Baron
Ebbisham of Cobham in 1928. During his Captaincy at
Tyrrells Wood, became Lord Mayor of London in 1926.
Chairman of printers Blades, East and Blades Ltd.
with numerous other interests including Treasurer of
the Conservative Party, Trustee of the Surrey
Cricket Club, Captain of Banstead Downs Golf Club in
1927 and in 1940, as Lord Ebbisham, captained Walton
Heath. (Ebbisham is the Saxon name for Epsom). |
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James Braid, 1870-1950 (pictured right)
One of the Great
Triumvirate (Harry Vardon and J.H. Taylor were the
others) whose members dominated golf at the turn of
the century. Open Champion on five occasions
between 1901 and 1912, won the Match-play
Championship five times and reached the final at the
age of 57! He was Club Professional at Walton Heath
for forty-five years and became a prolific designer
of golf courses.
Alan Gow
Scottish International golfer from Nairn, sometime
professional at Banstead Downs Golf Club, appointed
as the first professional at Tyrrells Wood. |
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Harry S. Colt,
1869-1951
Originally a solicitor by
profession, Colt became the first full-time golf course
architect who had not been a professional golfer. His
change of career started in the 1890’s and in 1900 he became
the first secretary at Sunningdale Golf Club where he made
changes to the course and later designed the “New” course.
He was the first to create a course by cutting through a
forest and one of the first to develop heathland courses.
His many designs include both East and West courses at
Wentworth, Swinley Forest and Royal Portrush. He was
involved in the design of Pine Valley, New Jersey, regarded
as the toughest inland course in the world. With James
Braid , he was the most admired golf course architect of his
day.
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