Uncle Arthur Ross, Golf Club Maker from Carnoustie
Following my family history leaves me one step closer to solving a mystery.
I’m the family historian and caretaker of many old pictures and historical items.
Lately, I’ve been going through boxes of pictures and other things handed down through the generations.
My grandpa William (Bill) Ross (1922–1999) was born in Scotland, and came over in July 1929 aboard the U.S.S. Transylvania, departing from Edinburgh. The passengers listed are Bill, his mother Mary Young Ross (1890–1952), and brothers David Lawrence and John (Jack).
Their father John Ross (1889–1977) was already a U.S. citizen and in Detroit at the time. Better economic opportunities had to be the driver for that.
My great-grandfather John Ross had six brothers, and no sisters, and one of them was Arthur (1883–1955).
Let’s get right to Arthur’s golf clubs and shop in Carnoustie.
I’ve never been to Carnoustie and based on what I’ve seen it doesn’t resemble the Carnoustie of today. What I have learned is that there are golf courses everywhere and everybody is a golfer. There are famous courses there.
When Bill Ross passed in 1999, Dad got a lot of family items, and I have many of those now.
Dad assembled the frame above about twenty years ago. He added his golf glove, a ball, and a tee. I am going to hang it on my living room wall soon.
What does the newspaper article say?
Things are going to get a little more interesting now.
GOLF
OPENING ANNOUNCEMENT
I, Arthur Ross, beg to intimate that I have opened a GOLF CLUB-MAKING BUSINESS at LINKS AVENUE, CARNOUSTIE. I hope by expert workmanship to receive a share of public patronage. I have lately been Foreman Clubmaker with George Nicoll, Leven.
Also in my possession now are four clubs above.
From left: Grandpa Bill Ross’s putter, probably from the 1970’s or 1980’s. I have used it, but probably not as successfully as he did. He was a scratch golfer and played every day.
The three other clubs are antiques from Scotland. They have wood shafts, worn grips, and forged iron heads.
Let’s look at each one more closely.
Starting second from left in the picture of the four old clubs, we have this one.
This one is a Niblick, and according to Google, it’s equivalent to a 9-iron. The origin of the word Niblick remains a complete mystery.
It’s a J.P. Cochrane. Interesting quote in that link:
Even during the First World War the firm was busy, with an advertisement in the Edinburgh evening paper in 1915 ‘Girls Wanted — just left school to learn golf ball making’. Whether this was because of the shortage of men because of the war, cheaper labour or perceived better skills is not clear.
The middle club is next.
Hard to read the image here, but I see “Accurate” with an arrow. Then “Special” and “Hammer Forged”.
And now for the club on the far right.
The image is hard to read once again, but I see “Zenith Mashie”, “Forged in Scotland”, and George Nicoll. He’s the guy Arthur Ross worked for.
According to Google, a Mashie is used for approach shots and is the equivalent of today’s 5-iron.
Notice the hand. According to this article, this is the signature “Hand of Friendship” on Nicoll clubs.
George Nicoll
LevenGeorge Nicoll began the business in 1881 and used a ‘hand of friendship’ as his cleek mark. This symbol was used, in various forms, throughout the hundred and two years of the company’s history, and clubs can be dated effectively by looking at the form used.
Other than its long history, the company is known for its patent leather-faced cleek of 1892. This was supposed to absorb some of the impact of striking the hard guttie ball and protect a player’s hands. Other notable innovations included a ‘fluted-face’ pitcher, a ribbed face made around the end of the first world war when deep grooves were added to clubs to increase backspin, and later designated illegal by the R&A, and later, in 1926, with the Indicator series, the first ever set of matched irons. Indicator was the name as each club was marked with its yardage.
He died in April 1945 at the age of 83.
It also has “L” and “Fife” on it. The letters after the “L” are worn and hard to read, but I think it’s supposed to be Leven.
From Google:
Leven is a seaside town in Fife, set in the east Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies on the coast of the Firth of Forth at the mouth of the River Leven.
And what is a “Guttie” golf ball? From Google:
The Gutty golf ball was created from the dried sap of the Sapodilla tree. It had a rubber-like feel and was formed into ball shapes by heating it up and shaping it while hot. The arrival of the gutta percha ball or “gutty”, as it was called, revolutionized the game of golf and allowed its spread to the masses.
All of the above clubs are very well-worn. The grips are in tatters.
And then there’s this one. My oldest son sent me this the other day. We think the “L” means lob wedge.
So now we’ll cut back to some family history.
An internet search finds this link to antiquegolfscotland.com which has more Arthur Ross biography information. I will copy the text here and give more interesting details below.
Arthur Ross
Leven / Carnoustie
In a reversal of the usual Carnoustie story, Arthur Ross was born in the United States around 1883. When his father died his mother Elizabeth brought the family to Scotland so, at the time of the 1901 census, Arthur was living in Gladstone Street, Leven, with his mother and six brothers. He was a passionate golfer and won the Leven Boys’ Championship.After school he served a clubmaking apprenticeship with Alex Patrick in Leven and remained in the town working for J R Carstairs. A move to Edinburgh followed ‘to revitalise a large clubmaking business’.
His reputation spread and he was brought back to Leven to be head of clubmaking at Nicoll and to introduce the manufacture of wooden clubs to a business which had established its reputation making irons. In 1929 he played for the victorious Leven team in the 50-a-side match against St Andrews.
In 1935 he moved to Carnoustie and set up his own clubmaking business in Links Avenue. In addition to clubmaking he earned a reputation as a fine teacher of golf but persistent ill-health restricted his playing and coaching activities.
He died at home in Kinloch Street in March 1955, survived by his wife and four sons, of whom one at least, Roy, followed a career as a professional golfer.
I have what I believe to be my great-great grandmother Elizabeth’s address book. It contains the names and birthdates of the entire family.
Arthur, my great grandpa John, and most of the boys (all boys) were born in Massachusetts. Their parents were born in Scotland. Many of the boys, including great-grandpa John and Arthur, moved back to Scotland.
Their brother James was killed in World War I. He shared a September 13th birthday with my dad.
From great-great-grandma Elizabeth’s book:
I made some mistakes in my family tree on Ancestry.com at the great-great-grandparent level, but now that I have all the right information, and will get it updated.
And as for the other three brothers or other cousins? We will find out, and rather soon.
Is Donald Ross, the great golf course architect, somewhere in the mix?
He did migrate from Scotland to Massachusetts, the same as my Great-Great-Grandparents.
Would love to hear from any Ross’s from Scotland.
Thank you for reading.
