THE LONDON SHOE & LEATHER and ALLIED TRADES GOLFING SOCIETY

Motto: `AREN`T WE LUCKY THEN`

The inaugural committee meeting was held on 21st June 1923 at No 1 South Place, Finsbury, London, EC2 in the board room of Messrs Frederick Cook Ltd at 12.30pm. Sir Edward Penton had been voted into the Chair. Mr DE Reeves made a brief statement as to the circumstances which had led to calling the meeting and announced that, in response to an invitation published in the `Shoe and Leather News` some forty gentlemen had written supporting a proposal to form a golfing society for the London Shoe and Leather Trades. Mr Reeve then moved `That there be formed at this Meeting a Society to be called the London Shoe and Leather trades Golfing Society`. The resolution was seconded by Mr CW Randall and carried unanimously. The following pointed were decided upon:

  1. That membership of the Society will be restricted to gentlemen connected to the shoe, leather and allied trades whose residential or business addresses were within a radius of 30 miles of Charing Cross and who are members of recognised golf clubs.
  2. That the subscription be one guinea per annum

MR DE Reeves announced that the Shoe & Leather News` would present a silver challenge cup for competition to be held by the winner for one year or retained by him on winning it for a third time. On 16th July 1923, Mr Fred J Brown, a director of Messrs E Brown & Sons, offered a prize challenge cup to be called `The Metlonian Cup`. These trophies are still competed for today.

An Autumn Meeting was proposed and fixed for Wednesday, 24th October 1923 at Porters Park Golf Club. Note was taken that the green fee would be 5 shillings per member and that no gratuities were to be given to the club servants. It was resolved however that a sum of two guineas from the Society`s funds be handed to the steward for the Club Servant`s Gratuity Fund. The following arrangements were decided upon:

  • Morning – medal round: Afternoon – Bogey Foursomes. Competitors in the morning round to start no later than 11am.

The Annual Dinner was held at Oddenino`s Imperial Restaurant on 18th December and 86 members attended. The cost of that first dinner was £18.6s.3d. Total costs for that year were £81.6s.0d and income £102.10s.0d, revealing a surplus of £21.4s.0d and a bank balance to match.

The 1924 Spring Meeting was held at Northwood Golf Club on Wednesday, 9th April 1924. It was agreed that the Autumn Meeting should take the form of a weekend at Cooden Beach from 24th – 27th October.

The first Annual General Meeting of the Society was held on Thursday, 6th June 1924.

At a Committee meeting on 6th November 1924 the question of handicaps was considered in connection with the success of Mr. F. H. Lehany, playing off 24 at the Autumn Meeting as well as the Spring Meeting. It was recognised that the committee had no power to alter handicaps but it was decided that a suggestion be conveyed to Mr. Lehany that in future competitions he might voluntarily offer to play off 18.

The Spring Meeting in 1925 was held at Worplesden on 28th April and the Annual Dinner was held in the evening of the same day at the Café Royal attended by 25 members.

1934 Fixtures:

Spring Meeting  – Cooden Beach

May – Match v Norwich Shoe & Leather – West Middlesex

June – Match v Kettering Shoe & Leather – Moor Park

June – Match v Tanners Federation – Sunningdale

July – Evening Meeting – Sudbury

September – Autumn Meeting – Kingswood

There are no records of meetings between May 1940 and February 1948 although in May 1940 it was resolved that the Society’s activities be continued during the war but that the subscription be reduced to half a guinea during the war period.

1952 Fixtures:

Spring Meeting – Royal Cinque Ports

Summer Meeting – Burhill

Autumn Meeting – The Berkshire

Applications for membership had to be proposed and seconded, then approved at a meeting in Clark`s London Showroom. The first `non-trade` member, Bill Miller, was elected in 1961 and new members are today welcomed from all occupations with the common theme of wearing shoes!

1964 Fixtures:

Spring Meeting – Royal Wimbledon

June Meeting – Walton Heath

Summer Meeting – Burhill

Autumn Meeting – Brookmans Park

1977 Fixtures:

Spring Meeting – Worplesden

May Meeting – Denham

Summer Meeting – Temple

Autumn Meeting – Stoke Poges

1983 Fixtures:

Spring Meeting – Northwood

May Meeting –Hendon

Summer Meeting – Hankley Common

Autumn Meeting – Harewood Downs

Certain disciplines have prevailed to this day – jackets and ties are preferred at post meeting lunches and dinners and `proper` golf attire worn during each round of golf. 2024 saw the recruitment of our first woman member and it is hoped to bring in more women if the future. Whilst golf is taken seriously, the accent is upon enjoyment and fellowship rather than success. Wine is provided at lunches and dinners and there is generally a ball sweep during each meeting.

The roots of the Society are never forgotten with annual donations from revenues made to two trade charities, Footwear Friends and the Leather and Hides Benevolent Institution each year.

2024-2025

CAPTAIN:                        David Fishman

VICE CAPTAIN:                Richard Cox

LIFE PRESIDENT:            Bill Bowley

VICE PRESIDENTS:          All Past Captains

SECRETARY:                    Simon Thornton

TREASURER:                    Peter Jackson

HONORARY INDEPENDENT CHECKER:      Bob Baker

CENTENARY LUNCH

On 22rd June 2023 a lunch was held at the Union Jack Club, Waterloo, to celebrate the centenary of the Society. Proceedings commenced with a reception with canapes and sparkling wine followed by an excellent three course lunch provided and served by our splendid hosts. Grace and toasts were proposed by Bill Bowley, the Honorary Life President, Peter Squire, Immediate Past Captain, to absent friends, Peter Jackson, Treasurer, who gave a brief history and a response by Bill Bowley. Jeff Addison, Vice President, concluded with a splendid appreciation and thanks to Bill Bowley.