tgsyorkshire.co.uk

HISTORY OF THE TRANSPORT GOLFING SOCIETY.

Founded in 1930 by Harry England, Chairman of the West Riding Automobile Company Limited of Wakefield, as a socially agreeable meeting place for those engaged in the passenger road transport industry and invited commercial interests. The annual subscription was (25p).
The wearing of the society tie at meetings was a must and failure not only produced a fine, but required the immediate purchase of another tie!
It was Harry England's oft expressed belief that a well organised manager should be able to organise an afternoon off to play golf without affecting his efficiency.
Prizes were originally a tribute to the handiwork of the West Riding Coach Building staff, but these were superseded as silver was donated or acquired. Many firms were able to help with "sponsorships". It was a strict rule that no business could be discussed on the day of the meeting. Although it is said that supplier's representatives did not usually mention this to their employers!
A good friend of Harry England was Ned Edwards, managing director of Lancashire United Transport and Power Company and in 1932 he formed the Lancashire and Cheshire Society. It would be wrong to suggest that these two gentlemen ruled their societies with a rod of iron, but few dared to question their proposals or decisions.
Nevertheless the "meetings" were highly successful and the word soon spread with membership extended to other transport operators and ancillary suppliers of tyres, fuels, oil, etc. Other societies were formed in London (1935), the South, the Midlands, Wales, Scotland, and the North East. Although there is no formal central link we still retain the name "The Transport Golfing Society" as the original. Our activities are confined to "Yorkshire" courses although we play alternative years, home and away, in an annual match in May with the Lancashire and Cheshire Society.
Minutes of meetings exist from 1946. In 1963 Bob England (son of the founder) travelled from Bournemouth to Ilkley for the AGM on 2nd May 1963, bringing with him the original records of the foundation of the TGS.

Minute 3 Reads -
"He (Mr P B Higgins, Acting Secretary) explained that in those days no minutes were kept because Harry England was a law unto himself and was in fact the Transport Golfing Society. The original records were very valuable and would be passed to Sid Mortimore (Secretary) to read whilst he was in hospital, and would cheer him up no end."
Sadly the records did not have the desired affect and Mr Mortimore died. It can only be concluded the records went with him.

We have seen tremendous changes in the transport industry - Nationalisation, de-nationalisation, deregulation and privatisation and so members are recruited from transport in its widest sense with all branches represented. Including persons with skills far beyond those of the original members.

Our Golden Jubilee was celebrated in June 1980 at Pannal Golf Club with sponsorship from 20 companies, but unfortunately this form of assistance no longer applies and our last significant sponsorship was by Leyland DAF in 1989. the last of our very successful annual dinner dances was in 1988, through lack of support from "trade" and operators, but also the modern trend away from this type of event. From 1989 we have replaced this annual occasion with a dinner, AGM and presentation of trophies at the end of March.
The North Eastern society was disbanded in 1997 and some members transferred to the society.

The above has been possible by some reminiscences from a life member who joined in 1933, Mr F W (Jim) Spence, who attended the annual dinner and AGM at Pike Hills on 24th March 1995. He continued to take an interest in our activities until his death in 1998 after being a member for 65 years.

Our society continues to flourish and holds a golf meeting with a meal afterwards each month from April to December (or March to November) at various courses in the county.
New members are always welcome.

Compiled by A Darbyshire, President 2011, Secretary / Treasurer (2000 - 2009)

The History of the Society Tie;
"The White Stripe as White Flags Out
The Red Stripe as Red Flags In
The Green Background for Greens and Fairways
And the Black Stripe for the Time We arrived Home!"