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Cannock Chase Golf Club, Milford Common Course. (1894 - 1922)

There is evidence of a club playing on Stafford Common in the early 1890s (see separate Staffordshire Golf Club entry.)

The Cannock Chase Golf Club was founded in 1894. The club rented land on Milford Common, between the villages of Milford and Brocton, at a cost of 1 shilling a year. The nine-holes were quickly laid out at a cost of just £70. The professional at the outset was J Hutchings and he continued until the club’s closure in the early 1920s.  The railway station at Milford and Brocton was 10 minutes away.

The club members originally used a small pavilion next to the Barley Mow Inn. By 1898 the impressive thatched clubhouse was built. To celebrate the opening of the clubhouse a 36-hole match was played between the professional J H Taylor (Royal Wimbledon) and amateur John Ball (Hoylake), Taylor won the match by 6&5. J H Taylor was a five time winner of the Open Championship. John Ball was the first English-born player to win the Open in 1890, he also won the Amateur Championship in the same year, newspaper report below.

 

Cannock Chase Golf Club, Milford Common Course. Match report and opening of the clubhouse in September 1898.

Birmingham Daily Post Saturday 24 September 1898. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

Cannock Chase Golf Club, Milford, Staffs. The Cannock Chase golf course at Milford.

 

Cannock Chase Golf Club, Staffordshire. The golf course and clubhouse.

The course and the impressive thatched clubhouse. Authors Collection.

 

Below is the result of a match played against South Staffs at Penn on Saturday 13 May 1899. 

South Staffs Golf Club   Cannock Chase Golf Club  
M Wilkie 0 J A Fairhurst 2
Noel Fowke 0 B J Fitzherbert 4
Dr Lamb 5 B Moore 0
C Elwell 3 Conway Morgan 0
Dr Chesshire 7 R J Dunn 0
G O Lees 7 J W Dunn 0
Rupert Smith 0 J G Gifford 1
E W Cozens-Hardy 0 J H Ketley 4
Rev A H Harrison 3 G Reid 0
R J Lawrence 0 Rev F W Haden 7
  25   17

On Saturday 3 June 1899 Cannock Chase played two home matches on the same day. The game against Burton on Trent was a one sided affair, the other match against Notts Golf club was much closer, results below. 

Cannock Chase Golf Club   Burton on Trent Golf Club  
B Moore 11 H Trafford Nadin 0
Conway Morgan 1 H Beck 0
J G Gifford 2 A H Dudney 0
Rev F W Haden 2 J W Birrell 0
F J Nesbitt 8 W Ward 0
R H Hand 0 R J G Griffiths 0
H O Jones 2 F W Browne 0
  26   0

 

Cannock Chase Golf Club   Notts Golf Club  
J A Fairhurst 6 J Hall 0
B J Fitzherbert 1 N M Robinson 0
B Knyvet Wilson 5 C R Hemingway 0
H G Nadin 0 J G Mellors 6
J H B Bamford 0 J Bright 1
J G Gifford 0 H J Neilson 4
  12   11

 

Cannock Chase Golf Club, Milford, Staffs. Clubhouse and cars.

Lovely postcard of the clubhouse and veteran cars at Milford. Image courtesy of David Heath.

 

In 1906 the secretary was Dr George Reid, Brocton, Milford. Course records were amateur K Wilson 75 and professional J Hutchings 70. Visitors’ fees on introduction were 1/- a day and 5/- a week.

 

Cannock Chase Golf Club, Milford, Staffs. The clubhouse at Milford.

Early postcard of the clubhouse Milford. Authors Collection.

 

Below is the result of a match against Buxton and High Peak Golf Club played in May 1906 at Buxton. 

Buxton & High Peak Golf Club   Cannock Chase Golf Club  
Capt Taylor (1up) 1 T C Fitzherbert 0
Dr H Shipton (half) 0 R J Dunn (half) 0
Dr Little (half) 0 T H B Bamford (half) 0
R J Kerr 0 W H Rogers (1up) 1
Dr Braithwaite 0 H C Pearson (2&1) 1
D H Greenwood (8&6) 1 W C Stubbs 0
Dr Gunn (6&5) 1 J W Dunn 0
P Shaw (2&1) 1 A E Hughes 0
A Galbraith 0 Rev G C Bruton (7&5) 1
  4   3

Result of a home match against Church Stretton Golf Club in October 1908.

Cannock Chase Golf Club   Church Stretton Golf Club  
Rev. Melville Scott 0 F G Corser (2 and 1) 1
C Morgan 0 Shirley Baldwin (5 and 4) 1
Rev. G C Bruton (2 and 1) 1 Rev. P A Lushington 0
G Reid 0 J B Harding (3 and 2) 1
K Benham (4 and 2) 1 H J Bennett 0
F J Nesbitt (3 and 2) 1 N J Roughton 0
J P Stubbs (1up) 1 G Higginson 0
  4   3

Result of a match between Milford and Whiitington played at Brocton on Wednesday 8 June 1910. 

Milford   Whittington Barracks  
Rev Melville Scott  1 Captain Duckworth 0
Rev G C Bruton (half) 0 C A CBentley (half) 0
K Benham 1 N S Smith 0
V Bloor 1 N M Powell 0
C Morgan 1 E C Schooling 0
F J Nesbitt (half) 0 Colonel East (half) 0
J Powell 1 F Thompson 0
H W Gardner 0 S H Stokes 1
  5   1

Below, result of a match played at Whittington Barracks (against Milford on this occasion) in October 1910. 

Whittington Barracks   Milford  
Captain R Duckworth (2&1) 1 ???? 0
C A C Bentley  0 Rev G C Bruton (1up) 1
A E Smith 0 J P Powell (2&1) 1
E D Jervis (2&1) 1 J G Gifford 0
A H Barnes (5&4) 1 W H Bannister 0
W S Halliley (2&1) 1 H C Gardner 0
H S Cooper 0 R Bamford (3&2) 1
  4   3

Results from the Spring Meeting in May 1911.

 

Cannock Chase Golf Club, Milford Common Course. Results from the Spring Meeting in May 1911.

 

Cannock Chase Golf Club, Milford Common Course. Results from the Spring Meeting in May 1911.

 

Cannock Chase Golf Club, Milford Common Course. Results from the Spring Meeting in May 1911.

Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 13 May 1911. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

Below is the result of a match played against South Staffs Golf Club at Tettenhall on Saturday 15 June 1912.

South Staffs   Cannock Chase  
E A Creswell (4&2) 1 J P Powell 0
W Vincent Vale (4&2) 1 Rev G C Bruton 0
C Howl (2up) 1 J G Gifford 0
J D Graham (3&2) 1 W H Bannister 0
A Whitlock (5&3) 1 H B Farquhar 0
  5   0

 

Below is the result of a match played at Little Aston Golf Club in April 1913. 

Little Aston Golf Club   Cannock Chase Golf Club  
R S Mackenzie (half) 0 T H B Bamford (half) 0
B Lorrimer 1 J P Powell 0
T Pollock 1 G C Bruton 0
H Ansell 1 W W Morgan 0
J G Sheldon 1 G Reid 0
S Powis (half) 0 R Bamford (half) 0
F Bill 1 H L Underwood 0
  5   0

Below are the results from the Ladies’ Autumn Meeting held on Thursday 16 and Friday 17 October  1913. The course was in excellent condition and there was a full entry for all competitions. Arrangements had been made by the secretary, Mrs Conway Morgan, assisted by a special committee, as follows; Mrs Hand, Mrs S W Morgan, Mrs Allan Hughes, Miss Bull, Mrs Nesbitt and the Misses Southam.

Thursday morning bogey competition, prize given by Miss Wolfe Barry. Mrs Beard won the play off against Mrs Fernie. There were 13 no returns.

Mrs Beard all square Miss M Robinson 4 down
Mrs J Fernie all square Mrs Farquhar 5 down
Miss Llewellyn 1 down Miss Meakin 5 down
Mrs Reid 1 down Miss D Twigg 5 down
Mrs Howard Mander 2 down Miss D Johnson 5 down
Miss P Johnson 4 down Miss Bull 6 down
Mrs S Morgan 4 down Miss E Southam 6 down
Mrs C Morgan 4 down Mrs Hand 7 down
Miss Wilson 4 down Miss G Southam 8 down
Miss Twigg 4 down    

Leading scores for the Thursday afternoon foursomes medal, prize donated by Mrs Allan Hughes and the Misses Twigg.

Mrs S W Morgan & Miss Bell 101 18 83
Miss Llewellyn & Miss Robinson 95 11 84
Mrs Dixon & Miss Nadin 95 11 84
Miss Meakin & Miss D Johnson 98 11 87
Mrs Beard & Miss Wilson 103 15 88
Miss Twigg & Miss M Twigg 110 21 89
Mrs Homan & Miss Landor 114 22 92

Friday morning medal competition, prize given by Miss Nadin.

Mrs S W Morgan 92 17 75 Miss Bull 105 20 85
Mrs Hand 97 18 79 Miss E Southam 100 11 89
Miss Llewellyn 83 2 81 Miss D Johnson 103 14 89
Miss Twigg 106 24 82 Miss Meakin 97 8 89
Mrs Farquhar 96 13 83 Miss Landor 106 16 90

Friday afternoon mixed foursome, prizes given by Mrs Hand and Miss Morgan.

Rev M Scott & Miss E Southam all square Dr Steele & Mrs Hignett 4 down
Dr G Reid & Mrs Reid 2 down K E Poyser & Miss D Twigg 4down
C S Allison & Miss Southam 3 down Rev G C Bruton & Mrs Bull 4 down
Rev Humpley & Miss Philips  3 down J P Powell & mrs Farquhar 5 down
H Beevor & Mrs Nesbitt 3 down Dr F Fernie & Miss Llewellyn 6 down
M Eddy & Miss Twigg 3 down C Beard & Mrs Shelton 7 down
G H Grummit & Miss Landor 4 down M Brown & Mrs C Morgan 7 down
Conway Morgan & Miss Bull 4 down C Rogers & Mrs Beard 7 down
W W Morgan & Miss M Twigg 4 down C H James & Mrs S W Morgan 7 down

In 1914 the secretary was F J Nesbitt, Tixall Lodge, Stafford, the ladies’ secretary was Mrs Conway Morgan, Queensville, Stafford. At this time the club had a membership of 140 gents and 70 ladies. Entry fees for gents were £3/3/0 and ladies £2/2/0. Subs for gents £2/2/0 and ladies £1/1/0. Visitors’ fees were 2/6d a day and 7/6d a week. Ladies were not allowed to play on Wednesday or Saturday afternoons except in mixed foursomes or on competition days. Sunday play was not allowed. There was also a small working men’s club, composed mostly of ex-caddies, who were allowed to play after 1pm on Sundays.

In the early 1920s membership was 103 gents and 70 ladies. Visitors were required to be a member of a recognised club and were permitted on introduction at 2/6d a day, 10/- a week and 25/- a month.

Result of a match played at Beaudesert in May 1921.

 

Cannock Chase Golf Club, Milford Common Course. Result of a match played at Beaudesert in May 1921.

Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 28 May 1921.

 

Cannock Chase Golf Club, Milford, Staffs. Report on the fire that destroyed the clubhouse.

 

Cannock Chase Golf Club, Milford, Staffs. Report on the fire that destroyed the clubhouse.

From the Staffordshire Advertiser Saturday 25 March 1922.

 

The fire that devastated the picturesque thatched clubhouse in March 1922 no doubt contributed to the demise of the Cannock Chase Golf Club.

At about the same time land became available nearby and this became the current Brocton Hall Golf Club.

 

Cannock Chase Golf Club, Milford, Staffs. The course and clubhouse.

Milford clubhouse. Postcard by W H Smith & Son, Greengate, Stafford. No 82c.

 

Cannock Chase Golf Club, Milford Common Course. Picture of the former clubhouse in November 2023.

The former clubhouse in November 2023, now a private residence.

 

Cannock ChaseGolf Club, Milford, Staffs. Location of the Milford golf course.

Location of the course on Cannock Chase.