Welcome to my blog, where I take pleasure in words and pictures, be they my own or those of others. I'm a creative individual, and the crafty side I explore on my 'other blog', Picking Up The Threads, which I hope you'll visit too. I'm sure you understand that I have sole copyright of my original work and any of my contributions, so please ask if you want to use them. A polite request is rarely refused. So, as they used to say on the BBC's 'Listen With Mother' radio programme, many years ago: "Are you sitting comfortably? Then we'll begin."

Saturday 13 February 2016

The People on the Other Side


The postcard was sent by ‘Annie' on July 10th 1912 to Mrs A. Barlow, who was holidaying in Blackpool. It shows the opening of Werneth Low Golf Club near Manchester. Annie wondered if her friend recognised anyone ‘on the other side’. We will never know the answer, as this is not a postcard which has been handed down through the family. However, it does show my husband’s maternal grandfather, George; he is one of the people 'on the other side’. Of course, they are all on the other side these days, most of them having passed over many years ago. I believe George is the hatless one, behind the two gentlemen centre front wearing light-coloured suits and boaters. This information is too late for Annie and Mrs Barlow of course.


We have another postcard of the same event. George has donned his flat cap and is standing next to the young boy on the back row, right. I wrote about the young George in ‘The Eyes of Margaret’ where there are some lovely pictures of him as a young man. He was quite sporty, playing golf, cricket and bowls, and he obviously had the wherewithal to do so, as he was a dealer on the Manchester Cotton Exchange.



I found this picture on Photobucket and it shows the clubhouse doorway in 1920, when the ivy clinging to the wall in the 1912 shot, has been removed, exposing the brickwork. I’ve no idea who the group with dog and smiling baby, are, but it’s a great composition. I like the idea that the whole family, and their pets, seemed welcome. We know they often made a day of it and the club would organise tea-parties, picnics and charabanc outings to other clubs.

 photo WERNETHLOWGOLFHEADQUARTERS1920.jpg



Here is George seated centre front, with his golf clubs, outside the clubhouse door, and below is his wife, Alice (fourth from right), with her golfing chums.


Our Sepia Saturday prompt this week was a picture of an Australian golfing foursome. Why not join us for a round of sepia pictures and memories? It’s not an exclusive club; anyone can join.

17 comments:

  1. A great selection of vintage photographs. My eye was struck by all the wonderful chats worn by the women.

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  2. Wasn't George handsome! I'm struck by how small the bags were compared to today's golf bags. Plus they didn't seem to carry as many clubs. I'm now wondering how the game has changed over time. Are there more "specialized" clubs engineered for certain situations? I must ask my brother-in-law who plays and coaches.

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  3. What a wonderful family story, and it's remarkable how the hats seemed to stand out so much for me in almost every photo. I am a hat fan, wish more Americans thought the same, and I'm not speaking of baseball caps. I'm hoping to get my SS post in later tonight!

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  4. They wore ties while golfing? I wonder why their pants hems are so large and prominent. Great photos.

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  5. I'd have thought that removing the ivy from ivy-covered buildings in England would be illegal.

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  6. A lot of people interested in golf. They are really nice vintage shots.

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  7. This is a wonderful collection of photos. I like how it had a family atmosphere. Even the dogs were welcome.

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  8. What great pics, I especially love all the hats, and the grinning baby is adorable. They make golf look a lot more appealing than it does today.

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  9. Great collection of photos with one golfing club, and your husband's ancestor! Thanks.

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  10. Yes, a fantastic collection of photos. I especially like that family shot with the pram and baby. I agree, the composition is great!

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  11. My favorite is the last one of the women in a row.

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  12. Looks like they had a jolly good time! Good to see the club still exists, I hope the building is still in place.

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  13. Classic images of leisure time in the old days before recreations like golf became expensive and geeky.

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  14. Some beautiful photos your are showing. Love the big family gathering, the ladies in their big hats. Especially taken with the lady with her dog, so lovely. Also love the picture with the baby carriage and again a lady with her pet, perhaps the same lady as in the picture before. Thoroughly enjoyed the old photos and also the stories that go with them.

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  15. These are a geat set of old golfing photos. We don't see many like it these days in modern clubhouses.

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  16. These are beautiful photos and I find the idea of husband and wife being interested in playing golf in those times fascinating. No-one had any interest in golf in my familly to the best of my knowledge, I think an uncle played weekend hockey in his early days but that's about it.

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  17. Oh I love the ladies group! Now why didn't they ever add golf to Downton Abbey? I would have enjoyed seeing that group attempting to whack the little ball. Mary would have been of course very good at it, but incredibly bored.

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