ID: BS01

TitleEast Mersea Golf Club photographs.
AbstractA set of photographs donated by Brenda Smith from the collection of her father, George Farthing, showing the opening of the new Golf Club at East Mersea.
There are also some photographs of Charles Scott being welcomed on Mersea. He was a Mersea resident and an aviator who had flown to Australia.

The following is taken from Mersea Island Golf Club, published by Mersea Museum in 2012.

The George Farthing Collection
This unique collection of East Mersea Golf Club photos has been presented to Mersea Museum by sisters Brenda Smith and Pearl Cock (both née Farthing) and we show a few of the pictures here. They were in the possession of their father George (1920 - 2008) and they have given these memories of his life.

George was born in Church Lane in 1920, the second son of Henry and Mabel Farthing who had five children. He attended East Mersea School along with his future wife Elsie who was also born in East Mersea. As boys George and his brothers would make pocket money by collecting money for car parking on the beach (now Coopers Beach) He would also caddie at the Golf Course as members came from London but also had country homes on the Island. On leaving school George drove for the Underwood family and then worked for the Water Board (later Anglian Water) until his retirement at 65 with only a break for his army service during the Second World War.

He was involved in the D-Day Landings with the 11th Armoured Division during the war and worked on maintaining vehicles including tanks for the front line. He moved through France and into Germany and was at Belsen Concentration camp after liberation. He did not return from Germany until 1946. His younger brother Arthur was also involved in the D-Day landings with the Durham Light Infantry and when one evening Arthur failed to return from the day's action George went searching for him and found him near Tilley where he had been killed in action, which was a very harrowing experience for a young man in his early 20s.

George was married to Elsie in 1942 at a double wedding with his brother Reg in East Mersea Church and they had three daughters, Brenda, Pearl and Shirley. Pyefleet View was the family home which was purchased from East Mersea Golf Course in 1951 when all the property and land was sold off.

As well as working full time George also kept a small holding with pigs and chickens, geese and rabbits and grew all his own vegetables and flowers. It was very much a country life for the Farthing family. He bred golden pheasants, which roamed the garden and also grew an acre of strawberries which were sold locally. During his working life with the Water Board George was involved in the great floods of 1953 when he had to go to Canvey Island to help with the rescue efforts. With his job he travelled most of the coast line in the area dealing with the mainte nce of sea defences. His was very much an outdoor life and he was never happier than being on his land sawing wood or hedging and ditching. It was a simple but happy life.

In later life George took up golf from around the age of 50 and became a very accomplished golfer at Manifold Golf Club, which is now Five Lakes, winning several trophies. He continued to play golf until he was 80. George and Elsie were married for over 60 years and can be called 'Lifelong Islanders' as East Mersea was truly in their blood.

See TXA00160 for a short history of East Mersea Golf Club.

SourceMersea Museum
IDBS01
Related Images:
 East Mersea Golf Club. The two Honorary Secretaries with the Challenge Cups - Mr Bishop and Barbara Mears.  BS01_001
ImageID:   BS01_001
Title: East Mersea Golf Club. The two Honorary Secretaries with the Challenge Cups - Mr Bishop and Barbara Mears.
Source:Mersea Museum / George Farthing Collection
 East Mersea Golf Club, looking over the Colne Estuary - 7th Fairway.  BS01_002
ImageID:   BS01_002
Title: East Mersea Golf Club, looking over the Colne Estuary - 7th Fairway.
Source:Mersea Museum / George Farthing Collection
 Opening of the new Mersea Golf Club by the Lord Lieutenant of Essex Brigadier General R Beale Colvin, C.B., after which ceremony members of the British Ryder Cup Team played round the course.
 The 8th hole called Merrididdles.  BS01_003
ImageID:   BS01_003
Title: Opening of the new Mersea Golf Club by the Lord Lieutenant of Essex Brigadier General R Beale Colvin, C.B., after which ceremony members of the British Ryder Cup Team played round the course.
The 8th hole called "Merrididdles".
Date:5 April 1929
Source:Mersea Museum / George Farthing Collection
 East Mersea Golf Club. Four Irish Doctors Walking the Plank - Dr. G A Campbell, Joint Honorary Secretary London Irish Golfing Club, Dr. P F O'Donoghue, Dr. L.T. Clarke, Dr. T.G. Madden.  BS01_004
ImageID:   BS01_004
Title: East Mersea Golf Club. Four Irish Doctors Walking the Plank - Dr. G A Campbell, Joint Honorary Secretary London Irish Golfing Club, Dr. P F O'Donoghue, Dr. L.T. Clarke, Dr. T.G. Madden.
Source:Mersea Museum / George Farthing Collection
 Opening of New Mersea Golf Club.
 James Braid (Walton Heath) drove his ball from the 8th tee into the hedge, and in playing out collected a lot of the grass and dirt upon his club.  BS01_005
ImageID:   BS01_005
Title: Opening of New Mersea Golf Club.
James Braid (Walton Heath) drove his ball from the 8th tee into the hedge, and in playing out collected a lot of the grass and dirt upon his club.
Date:5 April 1929
Source:Mersea Museum / George Farthing Collection
 Opening of New Mersea Golf Club.
 George Duncan driving from the 9th tee.  BS01_006
ImageID:   BS01_006
Title: Opening of New Mersea Golf Club.
George Duncan driving from the 9th tee.
Source:Mersea Museum / George Farthing Collection
 East Mersea Golf Club. The Ladies Captain(Mrs B.M. Howard) bags a new club from the Pro Bob Munro.  BS01_007
ImageID:   BS01_007
Title: East Mersea Golf Club. The Ladies Captain(Mrs B.M. Howard) bags a new club from the Pro Bob Munro.
Source:Mersea Museum / George Farthing Collection
 Opening of full 18-hole course at Mersea Golf Club.
 Abe Mitchell (St Albans) putting on the 9th green, the new Club House can be seen in the background.  BS01_008
ImageID:   BS01_008
Title: Opening of full 18-hole course at Mersea Golf Club.
Abe Mitchell (St Albans) putting on the 9th green, the new Club House can be seen in the background.
Date:5 April 1929
Source:Mersea Museum / George Farthing Collection
 East Mersea Golf Club. Dr. G.A. Campbell - Honorary Secretary London Medical Irish Golf Club, driving towards the 2nd green.  BS01_009
ImageID:   BS01_009
Title: East Mersea Golf Club. Dr. G.A. Campbell - Honorary Secretary London Medical Irish Golf Club, driving towards the 2nd green.
Source:Mersea Museum / George Farthing Collection
 East Mersea Golf Club. Captain of the Club Dr D.F. O'Donoghue, Ladies Captain Mrs B.M. Howard, Hon. Sec. W.H. Bishop, Prof. Bob Munro.  BS01_010
ImageID:   BS01_010
Title: East Mersea Golf Club. Captain of the Club Dr D.F. O'Donoghue, Ladies Captain Mrs B.M. Howard, Hon. Sec. W.H. Bishop, Prof. Bob Munro.
Source:Mersea Museum / George Farthing Collection
 East Mersea Golf Club. Bunker guarding the 1st green.  BS01_011
ImageID:   BS01_011
Title: East Mersea Golf Club. Bunker guarding the 1st green.
Source:Mersea Museum / George Farthing Collection
 East Mersea Golf Club. The Ladies and Mens Captains leave the Club.  BS01_012
ImageID:   BS01_012
Title: East Mersea Golf Club. The Ladies and Mens Captains leave the Club.
Source:Mersea Museum / George Farthing Collection
 Opening of the new Mersea Golf Club.
 The gallery watching Abe Mitchell driving from the 5th tee.  BS01_013
ImageID:   BS01_013
Title: Opening of the new Mersea Golf Club.
The gallery watching Abe Mitchell driving from the 5th tee.
Date:5 April 1929
Source:Mersea Museum / George Farthing Collection
 Brigadier General R. Beale Colvin C.B. the Lord Lieutenant of Essex opening the Golf Course by driving from the 1st tee.
 James Braid front third from left holding club.  BS01_015
ImageID:   BS01_015
Title: Brigadier General R. Beale Colvin C.B. the Lord Lieutenant of Essex opening the Golf Course by driving from the 1st tee.
James Braid front third from left holding club.
Date:5 April 1929
Source:Mersea Museum / George Farthing Collection
 Opening of the new Mersea Golf Course.
 George Duncan (Captain) playing along the fairway approaching the 7th hole.  BS01_016
ImageID:   BS01_016
Title: Opening of the new Mersea Golf Course.
George Duncan (Captain) playing along the fairway approaching the 7th hole.
Date:5 April 1929
Source:Mersea Museum / George Farthing Collection
 East Mersea Golf Club
 Brigadier General R. Beale Colvin C.B. the Lord Lieutenant of Essex (in the centre of steps of new Club House) announcing the new Club House and links open.
 The Golf Club opened in 1910 with nine holes and was extended to eighteen holes in 1929. It shut at the beginning of WW2, and never reopened.  BS01_017
ImageID:   BS01_017
Title: East Mersea Golf Club
Brigadier General R. Beale Colvin C.B. the Lord Lieutenant of Essex (in the centre of steps of new Club House) announcing the new Club House and links open.
The Golf Club opened in 1910 with nine holes and was extended to eighteen holes in 1929. It shut at the beginning of WW2, and never reopened.
Date:5 April 1929
Source:Mersea Museum / George Farthing Collection
 East Mersea Golf Club.  BS01_018
ImageID:   BS01_018
Title: East Mersea Golf Club.
Source:Mersea Museum / George Farthing Collection
 East Mersea Golf Club.  BS01_019
ImageID:   BS01_019
Title: East Mersea Golf Club.
Source:Mersea Museum / George Farthing Collection
 East Mersea Golf Club.  BS01_020
ImageID:   BS01_020
Title: East Mersea Golf Club.
Source:Mersea Museum / George Farthing Collection
 Party at East Mersea Golf Club.  BS01_021
ImageID:   BS01_021
Title: Party at East Mersea Golf Club.
Source:Mersea Museum / George Farthing Collection
 East Mersea Golf Club.  BS01_022
ImageID:   BS01_022
Title: East Mersea Golf Club.
Source:Mersea Museum / George Farthing Collection
 East Mersea Golf Club.  BS01_023
ImageID:   BS01_023
Title: East Mersea Golf Club.
Source:Mersea Museum / George Farthing Collection
 East Mersea Golf Club.  BS01_024
ImageID:   BS01_024
Title: East Mersea Golf Club.
Source:Mersea Museum / George Farthing Collection
 East Mersea Golf Club.  BS01_025
ImageID:   BS01_025
Title: East Mersea Golf Club.
Source:Mersea Museum / George Farthing Collection
 East Mersea Golf Club.  BS01_026
ImageID:   BS01_026
Title: East Mersea Golf Club.
Source:Mersea Museum / George Farthing Collection
 Opening of new East Mersea Golf Club. Brigadier General R. Beale Colvin C.B. teeing off.  BS01_027
ImageID:   BS01_027
Title: Opening of new East Mersea Golf Club. Brigadier General R. Beale Colvin C.B. teeing off.
Date:5 April 1929
Source:Mersea Museum / George Farthing Collection
 Island Hails its Hero --- the inhabitants of Mersea Island gave Mr Charles W.A. Scott his first civic welcome after arriving on the Golf Course by aeroplane. Mr Scott is the holder of the Australian Flight Record and resides on the island. He is seen receiving a welcome on arrival in the village.  BS01_028
ImageID:   BS01_028
Title: Island Hails its Hero --- the inhabitants of Mersea Island gave Mr Charles W.A. Scott his first civic welcome after arriving on the Golf Course by aeroplane. Mr Scott is the holder of the Australian Flight Record and resides on the island. He is seen receiving a welcome on arrival in the village.
Date:1932
Source:Mersea Museum / George Farthing Collection
 East Mersea Golf Club.  BS01_029
ImageID:   BS01_029
Title: East Mersea Golf Club.
Source:Mersea Museum / George Farthing Collection
 East Mersea Golf Club.  BS01_030
ImageID:   BS01_030
Title: East Mersea Golf Club.
Source:Mersea Museum / George Farthing Collection
 East Mersea Golf Club.  BS01_031
ImageID:   BS01_031
Title: East Mersea Golf Club.
Source:Mersea Museum / George Farthing Collection
 Mr Charles Scott lands on the Golf Course near the sea and is carried by two bathers, followed by local folk. Mrs Scott is on the right (wearing a coat). The bather on the left of the picture is Frank French.  BS01_032
ImageID:   BS01_032
Title: Mr Charles Scott lands on the Golf Course near the sea and is carried by two bathers, followed by local folk. Mrs Scott is on the right (wearing a coat). The bather on the left of the picture is Frank French.
Date:13 July 1932
Source:Mersea Museum / George Farthing Collection
 Mr Charles Scott being carried by two bathers after landing at the Golf Course. Barbara Mears is on the left with Bob Munro next to her. Charles Scott's first wife is just right of centre - wearing a coat.
 The bather on the left of the picture is Mr Frank French from Brightlingsea - did he swim across or come on the ferry ? He was a local milkman in Brightlingsea.
</p>
<p>C.W.A. Scott was a famous aviator who held a number of records for flying between England and Australia in the 1930s. He was a Mersea resident for some time and a member of West Mersea Yacht Club and the Golf Club. He was a good yachtsman and owned the yawl CHAMELEON which he kept locally.
</p><p>
Charles Scott was born in Westminster in 1903. He learned to fly in the RAF in 1922, but in 1926 left the RAF and emigrated to Australia where he was a commercial pilot in the early years of the company that is known today as Qantas. He was a complex and colourful character, married 3 times, and died in 1946 by suicide.
</p>
<p>See wikipedia for a detailed biography of Charles Scott.</p>  BS01_033
ImageID:   BS01_033
Title: Mr Charles Scott being carried by two bathers after landing at the Golf Course. Barbara Mears is on the left with Bob Munro next to her. Charles Scott's first wife is just right of centre - wearing a coat.
The bather on the left of the picture is Mr Frank French from Brightlingsea - did he swim across or come on the ferry ? He was a local milkman in Brightlingsea.

C.W.A. Scott was a famous aviator who held a number of records for flying between England and Australia in the 1930s. He was a Mersea resident for some time and a member of West Mersea Yacht Club and the Golf Club. He was a good yachtsman and owned the yawl CHAMELEON which he kept locally.

Charles Scott was born in Westminster in 1903. He learned to fly in the RAF in 1922, but in 1926 left the RAF and emigrated to Australia where he was a commercial pilot in the early years of the company that is known today as Qantas. He was a complex and colourful character, married 3 times, and died in 1946 by suicide.

See wikipedia for a detailed biography of Charles Scott.

Date:13 July 1932
Source:Mersea Museum / George Farthing Collection
 Mr Charles Scott's journey through the village, towed by firemen. C.W.A. Scott was an aviator who had flown to Australia. He was a Mersea resident. Picture was taken on Colchester Road, Mersea. There is an Underwood's bus in the background.  BS01_034
ImageID:   BS01_034
Title: Mr Charles Scott's journey through the village, towed by firemen. C.W.A. Scott was an aviator who had flown to Australia. He was a Mersea resident. Picture was taken on Colchester Road, Mersea. There is an Underwood's bus in the background.
Date:13 July 1932
Source:Mersea Museum / George Farthing Collection
 Mr Charles Scott's journey through the village, towed by firemen.  BS01_035
ImageID:   BS01_035
Title: Mr Charles Scott's journey through the village, towed by firemen.
Date:13 July 1932
Source:Mersea Museum / George Farthing Collection
 East Mersea Golf Club. C.W.A. Scott landed in a pool on Mersea Island golf course.  BS01_036
ImageID:   BS01_036
Title: East Mersea Golf Club. C.W.A. Scott landed in a pool on Mersea Island golf course.
Date:August 1932
Source:Mersea Museum / George Farthing Collection