Abbeydale

The following is an edited extract from A Matter of Course: The life of William Herbert Fowler 1856-1941 by Derek Markham:

“At the end of [World War I] hostilities, the Abbeydale club in Sheffield was in poor shape. The cost of endeavouring to return the course to its pre-war standard had driven the club significantly into debt. There was much speculation in real estate in the area which was ripe for house building. Providentially, one of the would-be developers offered the club suitable land nearby on which to build a new course.

Enter Herbert Fowler once more as chief adviser and course architect. On 2nd October 1922 he presented a glowing report to about 150 members at the King’s Head Hotel. Fowler gave his audience the hard sell: ‘If you carry this proposition through, it will be a pleasure to me to make one of the best courses in Yorkshire for you… there would be nothing of the same class in the neighbourhood of Sheffield.’

The Fowler and Simpson Partnership was engaged by Abbeydale to supervise course construction and the club committee were heavily relied on for all kinds of advice. During the construction of the new course and clubhouse Fowler was called in frequently. The Board was strong in numbers, with more than twenty members. After a great deal of delay, particularly with the clubhouse construction, the course finally opened in June 1924.

Abbeydale was only occasionally profitable during the inter-war years. The outbreak of the second world war coincided with an unsustainable level of liabilities. Eventually the club sold the land to the Sheffield Council and entered into an agreement to lease the course back. This ensured the club’s survival under acceptable conditions, and today the club flourishes. The contribution of Herbert Fowler to its history remains suitably acknowledged.”