Antique Golf Clubs from Scotland: Clubmakers

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Clubmakers

Albert Rathbone
Wilsmslow
It is clear Albert Rathbone was professional at Wilmslow in the 1890s. This was the first Wilmslow course laid out by George Lowe around 1890, rather ignored by the club today which focuses on its ‘new’ course of 1903.

He played in a small tournament of local professionals over the course in June 1894 but, despite preparing the course, and earning praise for the quality of the greens, he finished sixth of six. A similar friendly competition was arranged in November 1899 with Rathbone playing against Collins of Llandudno, Alfred Vardon of Timperley and Gaudin of Trafford Park.

Other than this definite stint of five years as Wilmslow’s professional, it is hard to say categorically who Rathbone was. I believe he was the son of James and Ann Rathbone, born in Wilmslow in 1872, and living in Fulshaw at the time of the 1891 census and working as a domestic gardener, as was his father.

I find no record of him as a professional golfer after the turn of the century but there is an “A Rathbone” who was a scratch golfer playing at the Fulshaw club. An Albert Rathbone, of the right age, also appears on the 1901 and 1911 censuses married to Mary and a farmer at Fulshaw Park.

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