Eddie: When I started, I was thirteen and a half, and I won the (RND Junior) Medal two years running… The gentleman was Captain Sidney Bell, he used to give the medals for the winners. And the second time I won it, he said to me, “what are you going to do with your life?” so I said, “well I’d like to work in the shop (Gibson’s), if I could” and he said “I’ll see what I can do for you”. But I didn’t leave it to him. I went down to old Charles Gibson – three times I knocked at the door – I don’t know if he was putting me up to a test, but yeah, eventually I got the job.
Q: Had you been caddying before that?
A: I’d done caddying before that, oh yeah.
Q: At what age would that have been?
A: Well, I was there……I used to caddy for Colonel Davies – same name as me, Colonel Davies – I used to have him by the week, thirty shillings a week.
Q: Thirty shillings a week, that’s good money –
A: It was two hours a day, caddying.
Q: Oh, two hours a day?
A: Yeah, thirty shillings a week, that was good money, then, yeah. Always been mixed up with it. And then, there was eight of us in the shop working, club making. And we were six months behind orders.
Q: Six months behind…where were all the clubs going to?
A: Well, different Pro’s, we’d put their name on, but we’d make them. Selling them out abroad, as well.
Q: What was your first job in the Pro shop, can you remember? When he (Charles Gibson) took you on?
A: Oh, I was just making pins.
Q: With hickory dowel?
A: Pins for fixing the ram’s horn on. But, the steel shaft, it had just started to come in then, 1927. And a Northam boy – well, he was older than me -he was Jack Fulford, he was working for them, for Accles and Pollack, the steel shaft people, and he came on and travelled for us. Like I say, Jack Fulford, Northam boy, he was at Accles and Pollack, I think they’re still going aren’t they? That was the name of them, Accles and Pollack, steel shafts. And, like I was say, we were six months behind orders, and then we used to start half past 8 in the morning ‘til 6 in the evening – that was for me. But they were working on ‘till 8. They sent me home, and it brought tears to my eyes. Because they said I wasn’t old enough to stay there – I wasn’t 16.
Q: You had to be 16.
A: I wasn’t 16, see. Well, anyway, I was three years with the old man, Chares Gibson senior, and I was the only one that he used to take up turning the heads out. My first job up there, we had 5000 (persimmon) blocks in, from America. And I had to stacked them all so the air could go right through them, for drying purposes. But then he took me on and showed me how to turn the heads. Then he died suddenly in 1930 – let me get this right – 1931, 32. So I was with him about 4 years – 1932. And George Cann, he was executor of the will (Gibson’s), JH Taylor’s partner, and he came down, ‘cause Charles Gibson’s son took over as professional there (Royal North Devon GC)- and George came up to the top shop where we used to do the turning, to show the son how to do it, and he seen me working, so he said “well this boy knows more about it than I do!”. That was George Cann! So from then on, I used to do all the turning for him (Charles Gibson Junior). And then, 1940, the war came, and after 12 years down there working I had to get out. But I still kept in the woodworking line, I still had my little shed home where I still used to do club making.
Q: Doing repairs and that sort of thing.
A: Yeah. Then repairs for the gentleman for a lot of old clubs, scared-heads and all that. And then Jack came home, another son, Jack came home from the States, and he started down the club (RND)… club-making, I was down with him in the old caddy shed.
Q: ‘Cause Jack had been out in the States, hadn’t he, he had a hickory shaft firm, didn’t he?
A: That’s right.
Q: And he was sending the hickory shafts back (to his father)?
A: He was sending the hickories back, yeah. But then, then he went out to Smouha City (Egypt), that’s where I used to send the clubs out then, to him.
Q: What price were you making those clubs for, back then? You were saying that you were putting the plate in and all that, for Jack.
A: Yes, when he was Pro there … all he had to do was shaft them up.
A lot of them didn’t know that Jack Fulford travelled for us, from Accles & Pollock. Yeah, he was the first one. But he was a big drinker. Poor old Jack. He lost the job then.
Q: So you had to put the ram’s horn in, and the (sole) plate?
A: Yeah, file them all up, sand them, and take the neck down, all polished, all ready to put the shaft in.
Q: For how much, what were you getting?
A: A shilling a club. But he supplied the material. Working with a candle – didn’t have no electric! Gad they don’t know what it is (like these days).
Q: Can you remember any of the old members down there (RND) when you started?
A: Members, Oh yeah…
Q: There were some famous ones down there?
A: Yes, Michael Scott. The old secretary down there was Major Newton-King . He was a terror.
I had to go in front of him, for driving into members! Ha. They reported me.
Q: And these were some of the ones that you caddied for?
A: Major Tamworth. There was Charles Bell, he was a great member there, he was – Captain Sidney Bell’s brother. He was one of the leading lights there.
Q: What did you get paid for caddying?
A: It used to be two and four pence all together. It used to be one and six, but it worked out to two and four pence because you used to get a six penny tip. It used to be one and ten, then. A six pence tip if you were a first class caddy.
The Duchess of Manchester was there – she had a big house there. There were quite a lot – Phillip Scrutton – that was latterly he played there. Some good players there – Greathead(?), Chard…..
I’ve seen as many as a hundred caddies down there (RND) at the August meeting.
Q: When did you start teaching at Torrington Golf Club?
A: After a weeks work, I used to jump on my bike – we used to finish at 12 o’clock on Saturdays – take a ball of whipping and a few grips in my pocket, cycle through Weare Gifford up to Torrington, give 3 or 4 half hour lessons.
Q; Who was it you told me admired your bike?
A: Phillip Scrutton – he was a great player. He had this blimmin’ Bristol (car). He seen my bike and said ‘ what a lovely bike’.
Q: When Old Charles Gibson was down there (RND) did he mix with the members? Was he allowed in the club house?
A: Oh no. Not in the club house. No, if you wanted to get anything, you had to go in the back, to the Steward. In the backdoor. No you weren’t allowed in. And there wasn’t any Ladies then – in the Club. They weren’t allowed into the club, in the bar. No, my god no.
They used to have the annual meeting – the main club playing the Artisans. That used to be a big ‘do’. That was a big set up. The Artisan boys playing – Old Charles used to get half of them drunk!
I remember I played – I was the youngest, and the last one out. I was drawn against a gentleman called MacIntyre, and he was a big drinker – terrible, and he came down on the tee, he was drunk.
And he said to me ‘Davies, if I give you 50p (ten shillings) , shall we call it ‘half match’. And I said ‘My god, yeah’.
50p (ten shillings) he gave me – I thought I had the world! Yeah, it was true that. Yeah funny. What they call the ‘Good Old Days’.
Q: What about J H Taylor, didn’t he give you a (job) reference once?
A: Yes, he gave me a reference for down at Tehidy Park (Cornwall). I used to think a lot of JH, I used to see him nearly every day at Northam – a Northam boy, see.
Q; When was that?
A: Let me see – I was in Blackmoore’s working (building firm, working as a carpenter), it must have been 1950 I suppose, if I can remember. I should think it was.
Q: Can you remember Charles Gibson making the miniature golf clubs?
A: Charles Gibson done (made) them for the Queen’s (Mary) dolls house. I remember Bill (Gibson) telling me how he done it. He said he had the small little screws from the watch maker. And there was another one, Johnny Rowe, he was a Northam boy. He made some. And Reggie Old.
I started doing miniatures, and my son and grandson carried on from that. I wouldn’t like to say how many I’ve done!
Q: You made some clubs (hickories) for the Bristol and Clifton Centenary?
A: Yes, for Tommy Horton, and Brian Barnes.
Q: And the 125 years at RND?
A: Yes, they played with them (the long nose clubs). Brian Johnston (the RND Pro) and Paul Turner (Pro), he was the leading one. I made all them ,for them. That was the 125 years.
They used to say club making wasn’t all that, but it was hard work! It wasn’t easy. No.
Q: Charles Gibson trained quite a few apprentices didn’t he? Was George Cann the first one?
A: George was the first apprentice. Johnny Rowe, Royal Ashdown Forest. He had Alf Padgham with him. Then the two Cawsey brothers, they went out to America. They were two Northam boys.
Then another great golfer – J J Taylor. Jack, I used to play with him. Potters Bar he was Pro. Great player Jack. No relation to ‘JH’ though.
Q: He was an apprentice with Gibson?
A: No. The first one was George Cann, then I think there was Johnny Rowe, and then, from then on there was Freddie Griffey, Harry Williams, but Harry was a carpenter, he used to fit all the (sole) plates. He (Harry) never learnt his trade there, but he worked for them.
Q: Of course he (Charles Gibson) had his sons there.
A: Charles, Bob, Jack and Bill.
Q: They all went Pro?
A: Bob was out in Calcutta. He had a wonderful job, Bob. He had a top job there. Bill was Pro at Sheffield and he had Peter Alliss’s father Assistant with him. I told Peter about that – he knew. Yeah, he was with him. Then Bill was at the all-weather Golf School, he had about 8-10 Pros under him up there. And then he went from there to Saunton, and then back to Westward Ho! That was his last job.
Q: When did the Gibson’s actually finish down there (RND)? How did it come to an end?
A: They retired then.
Q: Who was the last one working down there? Jack didn’t go back down there did he? He came back home to work?
A: He went down there club making. In the old Caddy shed. And Taggart was Pro there then.
Q: As late as that?
A: Oh yeah. He started up down there. I was there. We had the turning machine down there in the old caddy shed. Stan Taggart was there then. What year did he take over from Gibson? 1955 he took over from Charles Jnr., the son. And young Charlie (Charles Jnr. son) was there for a few years.
Q: When did they lose the top workshop, when did that go?
A: When the old man died, the business side had to go to his son, he took it on, and that came in to it. But, it was on Annie’s ground (daughter of Charles Gibson Snr.). It was very difficult, and that was what all the row was about, because he (Charles Junior) sold that ‘shop to Jack Dunn.
Q: They actually worked at the Golf Club, the benches, where the club making was done, were down there, and the turning machine was up there (‘Top ‘shop’, Northam)?
A: Well, before my time they used to work up there as well. They had benches there, club making. But they used to start 6 o’clock in the morning, the Old man used to tell me, then go home to breakfast at 8, Yeah, start at 6, go home and have their breakfast at 8. Different times then. When you were down there, you had to do club making, a gentleman may come in and he’d want a lesson – off apron, and you had to go out. Or a gentleman would come in and you’d have to go out and play. You had to be able to do everything. Yeah, you had to do it all then. It was a wonderful workshop down there. You imagine – 8 of us down there. In the summer it was red hot in there.
Q: How many clubs would they expect you to turn out? If you were given a job, what would it have been, do the clubs from start to finish?
A: Oh yes – from start to finish. You would do a dozen at a time, may be a dozen and a half, say drivers, brassies and spoons, and do them all in sections, rams horn in, plates in, shape them up. We had a buffer down there, and sander. See you never had any (hand) power tools then. We used to have a machine were you put them (club heads) in and slide them up into the drill.
Q: When did they let you lose making your own clubs? When did they think you were ready to make your own?
A: Quite a few years really – it wasn’t so easy – they wanted them right in those days. Now you’ve just got to accept it. You couldn’t put a bit of hook on, or a bit of slice. You can’t put loft on them now – metal heads – a bit of a job! Yeah, and the grips were different. Used to cut the skins – cut the grips. Now it’s easy – just slide them on.
Q: You had to select all the hickory shafts?
A: I can see the old man now, he’d pick them out especially, ‘The better the player, the better the shaft’. He would get up and test them like that, you know, the spring. He was a clever old chap.
Q: Can you remember any big tournaments down there (RND)?
A: Yes, they had the Amateur (Championship) there. That’s when they had Douglas Fairbanks Senior.
Martin Smith and John De Forest, in the final.
Q: You saw that?
A: Yes, 1931? Yes, Douglas Fairbanks. All the blimmin’ crowd was watching he and he was a rubbish golfer. Ha! I always remember John De Forest, he used to lie flat out on the green, for the line of the putt. Yes! I think he lost, I know it was the last hole – I watched them play the last hole in. And I’ll tell you another one who came there – when he won the Open – Densmore Shute. His father went out to America, and Densmore came over and won the Open. His uncle lived just along from here (Westward Ho!). He was a school teacher. I watched them play – he had the Hon. Dennis Scott as his partner, against Eddie Bond (went as professional to Datchet) and Billy Curtis (went as professional to Seaton), apprentice’s in the shop. First time, never seen the course, 72 he done. Round in 72 , Densmore Shute, never seen the course before. His father was a Northam boy. Turned out some golfers. I suppose ‘JH’ was the greatest. The best club maker was George Cann, apart from the old man.
Q: They had the big Hotel alongside the Golf Club then?
A: Yes, The Dormie House (Hotel). They had some celebrities there. That’s where Peter Mills’ (Ryder Cup player) father worked. Peter’s father Ron, he was head waiter.
Major Newton King, the Secretary (RND 1890-1931) he was a one! He was a boy! I had to go in front of him. I had my apron on, I tucked it up, and the old man said ‘Auch away man, take that apron off!’ I went over and knocked ‘Come in!’ I sat down, and he had the rule book out, and he wouldn’t let me say anything. ‘Don’t let this happen again!’ Frightened me to death!
Q: What had you done?
A: Well, one evening I went out with a couple of my mates, and at the 10th , there was two Saltmarsh brothers, slow as anything, giving each other a lesson. We were a four ball. So Jack Dunn, a Northam boy, said ‘Go on Eddie, let one go.’ So I drove one with a little bit of draw, and drove in to them at the 10th. Reported me. A wonder I didn’t get the sack there! They were pretty hot. They were the cats whiskers, the King pins. You couldn’t say anything. No, all different then.
Q: Can you remember the chap who used to rake the burn (at the 18th)?
A: Oh yes. Old Charlie Dallon. A hump back he’d got. They had a little hut, full time then, that was his job, just raking out the balls from the burn. Golf balls, we had to paint them then. Roll them up in your hand, paint them, let them go on the thing to dry – repaints.
You fancy 8 of us working there then. In the summer it used to hot there.
Q: You must have made some clubs?
A: We made some clubs! Six months behind orders – flat out!
Q: What did you used to get paid when you first started?
A: Yes, Six and six a week. Ten and six when you were out of your time. No, twelve and six when we were out of our time, after a five year apprenticeship.
Q: And it was a five year apprenticeship?
A: Five years. But they all used to find jobs. I was the only one that they kept on. All the others used to go, and they’d find jobs for them. Assistants, or club makers somewhere. But I was the only one they kept on. I used to do all the turning for them. Learnt it off the old man (Charles Gibson Snr.). They couldn’t do it, his own son (Charles Jnr.).
Q: You didn’t think of becoming a Pro?
A: No, I used to like club making. I’ve seen some good players. I’ve seen, only once, Peter Alliss’s father, Percy, playing with Reggie Whitcombe. That was a big tournament down there (RND). They made a special tee then, at the first hole. Right up in the field on the right there.
Q: Who did you play, that you said if you couldn’t beat, you couldn’t make it as a Pro?
A: Oh, Phillip Scrutton. I played with him – Amateur. My gad he was hot. I used to play with Jack Taylor, ‘JJ’. And Eddie Bond, he was a good player. He was my mate, I used to make the clubs for him. Learnt his trade down there (RND), then he went away to Exeter, Assistant. He couldn’t make a club. No, I used to make his clubs for him.
Eddie Davies died 10th December 2004. Aged 90.
