Newark Golf Club
Clarence Woodhouse was appointed Secretary in March 1927 and held this office for almost 24 years, years which covered the move from Hawton Road to Kelwick and, of course, the Second World War, when there was no office accommodation at the Club. The job was really an honorary one never paying him more than a salary of £25 a year with £25 for expenses - no doubt small recompense for the amount of work involved even then. At the 1947 AGM he himself said that although he did not want to stress it too much, it was 'a job of some magnitude'. He had at that time completed 21 years as Secretary and he told the members that before he retired he wanted to see the compensation claim settled and the full 1 8 holes in play again. When the claim was settled the following year he was presented with a cheque in recognition of his services. This was subscribed for by the directors and members.
The Newark Advertiser reported that at the AGM in June 1950 he announced his intention to resign the following December. He said there were reasons for his decision which he could not mention at the meeting but he thought it would be in the best interests of the club that he should resign.
What the reasons were for his resignation we cannot say but his departure brought complications. There is a gap of almost a year in the Minutes. The next ones were for a Special General Meeting of directors and members held in May 1951. At this meeting the President introduced a Mr Boswell, who had been appointed by the directors to take over from Mr Woodhouse. He went on to tell the members that unfortunately Mr Woodhouse had not handed over any of the books of the company. He asked members to leave this in the hands of the directors for further action. Legal advice was later taken and the situation then appeared to have been resolved because in September 1 95 1 the board granted honorary life member membership to Mr Woodhouse in recognition of his many years service to the club. However, over a year later the books had still not been returned and the club's solicitor was consulted in December 1952 with a view to threatening legal proceedings. That must have done the trick because this matter is never referred to again in the Minutes.
Secretaries 1901- Present
Honorary Secretary
1901-1903 FFCorballis
1904-1911 HGBaguley
1912- Mr Auckland
1919-1920 RD Hunter
1920-1921 FA West
1921-1922 JohnEsam
1923-1926 James Gardener
1926-1927 GB Barber
1927-1950 Clarence Woodhouse
1951-1953 AFBoswell
1953-1957 HMasding
1958-1960 GRNeedham
1961-1973 Wilf Cocking
Secretary
1973-1980 Wilf Cocking
1980-1982 TedDowling
1982-1989 John Simpson
1990-1999 Tony Morgans
1999- 2002 Peter Snow
2002 David Collingwood