ARTHUR BATH AND THE OSS GOLFING EVENTS
These are Arthur Bath’s recent recollections of the Old Symondians Golf both Triangular
and the Championship. Arthur turned 88 years old on the 27th February 2006.
In April 1926 Dr P T Freeman became Head of Peter Symonds following the retirement
of Rev. Telford Varley. Arthur Bath joined the school as a new boy in 1928 and shortly after that
the Old Symondians Association was formed. Various sports were introduced musketry and golf
etc…, and in the 1930’s Sunny Sharpe was the star performer in the golf section being county
champion many times as well as Hockley champion a record number of times.
Dr Freeman then decided to give a cup for Golf and the Association secretary at the time, Frank
Stillman, winner in 1933, and multiple winner, Sunny Sharpe, had their names put on the cup.
Arthur Bath left Peter Symonds in 1934 and became involved with the general running of the
Association and Reg Croft took over from Stillman as Secretary - this was all before the second
world war. After the war Reg Croft ran the Association and Arthur Bath ran the Golf.
Arthur became Assistant Secretary after the war. All golf competitions were held at Hockley Golf
Club except perhaps once in the 1950’s when it was held at the Royal Winchester Golf Club.
Arthur joined Hockley in 1948 and the Society championship was always played as a Stableford
competition.. The Triangular match has always been between the Old Symondians, Old Tautonians
and the Old Edwardians. It was first suggested by Dr Freeman and he asked Arthur Bath to organise
the event. The arrangements for the inaugural match were made in the early 50’s with a cup
commissioned especially with Dr Freeman presenting it. It was to be competed for annually at
Hockley but the first one, or possibly two competitions, may have been held at the Royal
Winchester Golf Club. Throughout this time Arthur Bath was the main organiser with help in the
early days from Dudley Harding. The Old Tautonians organiser at the start was Johnny Rush and
the Old Edwardians organiser was Wally Kemp, the brother of Dudley Kemp, the International
Rugby player. It is believed that Steve White took over from Johnny Rush with Jimmy Gray the
ex-Hampshire opening batsman, taking over at Old Edwardians. Jimmy Gray in later years handed
over to Ray Paul. Steve White has only in the last year handed over to Jamie Pincham who is also
the playing captain for the OT’s. Arthur has organised the golf for the Old Symondians up to 2005
being assisted by Bill Strip in the late 1950’s and Bob Stilwell since the late 1990’s who organised
this years golfing events on Arthurs behalf. The regular Old Symondian spectators were Reg Croft,
George Pearce, Eric Hammond and more recently Peter May. Notable Old Symondian
team players have been Sunny Sharpe, counts champion many times and Paddy Hine,
who won the Brabazon Trophy in 1949 when he was a member of Hockley Golf Club.
After leaving Symonds he rose to the rank of Air Chief Marshal in the RAF – he is now
Sir Patrick Hine. The Triangular matc h has always been very keenly contested and is
the prestige event and the highest levels of skill are required. These are the brief
recollections of Arthur who had a stroke a few years past which has affected his
mobility and speech, but I have made these notes as
he gave them to me as his memories of the golf he has organised since the late 1920’s.
These are Arthur Bath’s recent recollections of the Old Symondians Golf both Triangular
and the Championship. Arthur turned 88 years old on the 27th February 2006.
In April 1926 Dr P T Freeman became Head of Peter Symonds following the retirement
of Rev. Telford Varley. Arthur Bath joined the school as a new boy in 1928 and shortly after that
the Old Symondians Association was formed. Various sports were introduced musketry and golf
etc…, and in the 1930’s Sunny Sharpe was the star performer in the golf section being county
champion many times as well as Hockley champion a record number of times.
Dr Freeman then decided to give a cup for Golf and the Association secretary at the time, Frank
Stillman, winner in 1933, and multiple winner, Sunny Sharpe, had their names put on the cup.
Arthur Bath left Peter Symonds in 1934 and became involved with the general running of the
Association and Reg Croft took over from Stillman as Secretary -
world war. After the war Reg Croft ran the Association and Arthur Bath ran the Golf.
Arthur became Assistant Secretary after the war. All golf competitions were held at Hockley Golf
Club except perhaps once in the 1950’s when it was held at the Royal Winchester Golf Club.
Arthur joined Hockley in 1948 and the Society championship was always played as a Stableford
competition.. The Triangular match has always been between the Old Symondians, Old Tautonians
and the Old Edwardians. It was first suggested by Dr Freeman and he asked Arthur Bath to organise
the event. The arrangements for the inaugural match were made in the early 50’s with a cup
commissioned especially with Dr Freeman presenting it. It was to be competed for annually at
Hockley but the first one, or possibly two competitions, may have been held at the Royal
Winchester Golf Club. Throughout this time Arthur Bath was the main organiser with help in the
early days from Dudley Harding. The Old Tautonians organiser at the start was Johnny Rush and
the Old Edwardians organiser was Wally Kemp, the brother of Dudley Kemp, the International
Rugby player. It is believed that Steve White took over from Johnny Rush with Jimmy Gray the
ex-
over to Ray Paul. Steve White has only in the last year handed over to Jamie Pincham who is also
the playing captain for the OT’s. Arthur has organised the golf for the Old Symondians up to 2005
being assisted by Bill Strip in the late 1950’s and Bob Stilwell since the late 1990’s who organised
this years golfing events on Arthurs behalf. The regular Old Symondian spectators were Reg Croft,
George Pearce, Eric Hammond and more recently Peter May. Notable Old Symondian
team players have been Sunny Sharpe, counts champion many times and Paddy Hine,
who won the Brabazon Trophy in 1949 when he was a member of Hockley Golf Club.
After leaving Symonds he rose to the rank of Air Chief Marshal in the RAF – he is now
Sir Patrick Hine. The Triangular matc
the prestige event and the highest levels of skill are required. These are the brief
recollections of Arthur who had a stroke a few years past which has affected his
mobility and speech, but I have made these notes as
he gave them to me as his memories of the golf he has organised since the late 1920’s.
R Stilwell
