Page 10 - 2019_January Bush Telegraph_WEB SITE_Neat

OUR HISTORY: War is

over now time to rebuild

S the war receded into memory of this fairway; these would be
Athe club began to think about planted in the late 1960’s. The only
the future and how to improve its other difference we would have
facilities for the members. If we noticed would be a short par 3 (112
were able to transport ourselves yards) played from near the present
back to the club in the 1950’s we back tee on the 6th over a copse
would recognise the course but and a ‘ferocious’ bunker to a small
perhaps not the clubhouse. The few undulating green. Evidence of this
cars that were around in those days green can still be seen to the left of
would have been parked right the present 5th green, now covered
outside the clubhouse near a small with trees. The Shillingford Room now re-named the George Low Bar
veranda which protected the main
club entrance. In the entrance hall Magnificently managed appointed Basil Shepard. Basil had all of which had suffered damage,
there was a huge fireplace which The head green keeper was Mac been a pupil of Henry Cotton and as did the stables, the veranda and
backed on to the fireplace in what Webster, who had been appointed was a ‘sartorially elegant’ gent who various other outbuildings. In fact
we now know as the George Low in late 1946 on a salary of was to be our professional for the the windows of the clubhouse had
bar. In the winter great log fires £6-15s-0d per week and he was
burned in these fireplaces - a granted use of the cottage free of next twelve years. His shop was a been blown out by a bomb which
landed and detonated near the
long wooden hut at the side of the
welcoming and comforting sight rent and rates so long as he held clubhouse near where the lake. It was hoped that much of the
after a cold day on the course, I’m the position of green keeper. Mac committee now park their cars. The cost for repairs to all this war
sure. The George Low bar was was a dedicated worker and quite a present pro shop was dilapidated damage would be met by the War
originally a cocktail bar, called the reasonable golfer. He was invited to stables. Damage Commission which had
Shillingford Room after its join the Bushguarders and played in In 1949 the clubhouse and course been set up in 1941 to make
benefactor, Len Shillingford, a very their competitions. However he was were valued at £200,000, although compensation payments in respect
prominent committee man and not allowed to go in the bar and there was now no likelihood that of damage by enemy action to land
President in 1952. In fact the had to drink his beer in the hall. He the club would be sold. However, it and buildings in the United
Shillingford Bar was the only bar managed the course magnificently,
that the ladies could use. The ladies’ and without modern machinery or seems a lot of work was required, Kingdom.
particularly to the clubhouse. Two
Negotiations with the commission
locker room was on the first floor automated sprinklers. He knew the new boilers were needed, structural dragged on for many years and it
and the dining room and kitchen course intimately and in particular repairs were required to the clock wasn’t until late in 1954, nearly ten
were in the basement. knew where all the drains were. In tower and maintenance and years after the end of the war,
fact much of this knowledge was decorations to both the secretary’s when the claim made by the club,
Men’s bar sadly lost when he died in 1974, still and the professional’s flats were to the value of £1005, was
Where the restaurant is now were tending the course he loved. urgently needed. But it seems the eventually settled.
two flats occupied by the secretary It was about this time, 1953, that foremost problems during this All this work would take time to
and the professional. The front of the New River running parallel with period were due to damage complete but, as we shall see,
the present main bar was the men’s the present 12th was filled in.
bar, the other end being the men’s At the turn of the century three sustained in the war. The club better times were just around the
owned three lodges on the course,
corner. DAVID DICKINSON
locker room, the entrance to which pipes had been installed to take the
was at the side of the clubhouse. New River from Southbury Road to
There were toilets here also but Bush Hill Road and the ensuing
apparently these were ‘old and ‘loop’ was made redundant.
basic’. The walls of the bar were However the loop had to be opened
wood panelled and used as honours up in 1940 because the pipes had
boards, and the bar itself was sustained serious damage due to
furnished with leather armchairs enemy action. When the river was
and settees. I imagine the bar to be filled in, however, the boundary of
somewhat dark, not just because of the course was no longer clearly
the wood panelling, but because defined and a number of the home
this was before the installation of owners in Whitethorn Gardens took
the big picture windows which we advantage of this and extended
see today. The atmosphere in the their gardens. The club took a
club has been described as, ‘like a magnanimous view, though, and
London Club transferred to a allowed the owners, on payment of
country setting’. one guinea, to cultivate this land for
The course would not have looked a period of 21 years.
so different to today but for a Following the death in 1949 of
couple of exceptions. The 6th hole Percy Wyatt, our professional, the
was played to the present 7th club had some difficulty finding a
green, a 445 yard par 5, and there replacement so soon after the war.
were no poplar trees down the side However, in early 1950 the club

The front of the clubhouse in 1962 showing the old windows and the
veranda. Fire damage can be seen above the main bar windows.