As the London train gathered speed to pull away from Boxmoor Railway Station at Hemel Hempstead, a group of businessmen in a first class carriage settled down in their seats and unfolded copies of the daily newspapers. The year was 1890, the Boer War was nine years in the future.

The gentlemen being transported from Hemel Hempstead to London were residents of Boxmoor and they all lived close by common land administered by the Boxmoor Trust.
As the discussion of golf continued one of their number probably suggested that as several clubs had been started using common land, why shouldn't they form a club to play golf on Sheethanger Common.
The more the idea was discussed the more feasible it would have become and we can imagine them agreeing to meet on the homeward journey to thrash out the details.

Several clubs in Hertfordshire were to be formed in the same way by building courses on common land. Harpenden started by using Harpenden Common and later moved to their own grounds at Hammonds End.

FORMATION OF THE CLUB

When the reply from the Boxmoor Trustees giving permission for Sheethanger Common to be used for golf was received by the first Secretary Mr F. Cornwell, a meeting was organised The meeting took place at the Boxmoor Railway station and the first minutes were recorded as follows:-

August 1890
A committee meeting of the Boxmoor Golf Club was held at the Boxmoor L & N.W. Railway in August.

Present T. Christopher Jnr
F. Cornwell
J. Courtney
N. Byass
A.K. Richings

Several members were elected and the rules of the Club were agreed and passed.

The first minute book, in which these initial meetings were recorded, was lost for many years. In 1980, ninety years after they were written, they were discovered in the loft of a house in Norfolk.

Possibly a member had retired to the country and had taken the old books with him. Unfortunately the minute books from 1920 the 1944 are still missing.
However, the finder of the very first minute book recognising its historical significance sent it to the Landlord of the 'Anchor' public house in Boxmoor.
He returned the book to the Club where together with the first account book they are treasured possessions.

Further meetings of the founder members took place aboard the 6pm trains from Euston and while the minutes of these meetings do not record many details a great deal of work must have been accomplished for at the third recorded meeting the following was noted.

J. Courtney proposed and T. Christopher seconded, that no play should take place on Sundays. F. Cornwell objected but the motion was carried by two to one.

So two months after deciding to start a Golf Club the commuters had planned laid out and constructed a course and the membership was growing.
More meetings took place aboard the 6pm train and the last meeting of 1890 was held on December 8th. The original founder members Messrs T. Christopher. F. Cornwell. R. Byass and J.F. Courtney were present.

The old course still survives as Harpenden Common Golf Club. The Clubs of Berkhamsted and Chorleywood were also formed using local common land in the same year as Boxmoor, but it is claimed that Boxmoor started just a month or so before the others in August 1890.

It has been claimed that Boxmoor Golf Club is the third oldest Club in England that is still playing the original course as laid down by its founders, and the course has changed very little since those early days.

Many of today’s members might wish that the founders had sought improvement and had completed the eighteen holes when land was available.

The gentlemen of Boxmoor concluded their discussions and a letter was drafted to be sent to the Boxmoor Trust.
The Boxmoor Trust minute book for that period states that on the 13th of August 1890 a letter had been received.
It was signed by the following:-

Messrs: Frank Cornwell
John F. Courtney
R. Byass
Rev’d A.R.C. Richings
Thomas Christopher
Sam Oxenham
And J.H. Clayton

The letter stated that the undersigned being residents of Boxmoor wished to use Sheethanger Common for the purpose of golf and were asking permission from the Trustees to do the same.

The Trustees replied stating that on the understanding that they conduct themselves in an orderly fashion and be liable for any damage incurred to the said Common and on payment of £5 per year, this could be agreed to. So began an association that has lasted to the mutual benefit of both parties to this day.

The minutes read as follows:-

It was proposed by N. Byass that as the Links contained only nine holes and if all the members (30) were present, it would be too crowded. Therefore from this date the entrance fee would be Two Guineas (£2) and the annual subs Four Guineas (£4), also that forty be the limit of subscriptions to the Club.
Seconded by J.F. Courtney and carried unanimously.

The Club today has approximately 200 members of all categories and many of the Full members might sympathise with this proposal that sought to give the Clubs founders leisurely rounds of golf.
Today, in many major competitions the entry list stretches to more than 60 competitors and it takes a lot of organising of tee times by the Competitions committee, to achieve smooth running and minimum hold ups.

The minute books for the first season 1890/1891, record that the membership was rising and the Club was employing help including caddies.
Competitions had been played and the Club was on a secure financial footing as shown on the first balance sheet.

Balance Sheet 1890/1891

To Account Paid B. Bail £30-7-0
“ “ “ R. Wilson £18-5-0
“ “ “ Extra Labour, Materials etc. Flags, hole cutter, golf sticks £8-8-7
“ “ “ Mowing Machine, Boys Caps, etc. Printer, Stationery, Adverts, Kirkaldy marking ground, £8-8-7
Postage etc. £20-16-3

Balance in Hand £22-8-8

£111-10-6

Per amount received from members entrance fees and subscriptions. £94-10-0
Amount received from members for friends playing 9-12-0
Sundry Receipts £7-8-6

£111-10-6

From rough moorland the Club had progressed to a Golf Club with a membership of 42.
Caddies had been organised and issued with caps, and finances were healthy.

THE CLUBHOUSE

The first committee meetings were held at the Boxmoor Railway Station at Hemel Hempstead, or on the evening trains from Euston. Later meetings were held at the Secretary, Mr F. Cornwell's home.
The minute book does not record what the members did for a Clubhouse for the years 1890 to 1894, but at the meeting of May 19th 1894, the following note appears.

May 19th 1894
It was decided that it would be necessary to cancel our agreement with Bail.
And at the meeting held on May 26th 1894, the minutes record the following.
The Hon. Sec. was requested to see Mr Gee about land for a house and to write to Smeathman informing him that we are going to build and asking permission from the Trustees for a legal agreement.
Other meetings followed and the next reference to Mr Bail
was in July.

July 1894
Mr Richings explained the difference that had arisen with Bail in the month of May last and that the then existing Committee had given notice to Bail that the Club would vacate his cottage on the 24th June last that the Committee had since been reduced to three by the resignation of Messrs Cornwell, Ward, Byass and Oxenham, that the committee had remonstrated with Bail on the unfortunate position that he had placed himself in, and that Bail had written a letter to the members.
The Chairman read the said letter, which was not considered by the meeting to express any regret for his Bail's part in the dispute.
The Committee at the request of the meeting retired to interview Bail and endeavour to get some expression of regret, or apology from him which they succeeded in doing. Mr Tapp proposed and Mr Clark seconded that the Committee renewed the tenancy of Bail's cottage on such terms as they may seem fit, and they further arrange the best terms with Nash for securing the cottage at Cold Harbour.
Carried with but one dissentient.

From these recorded minutes and the balance sheets for the first year, we know that the Club were renting Mr Bail's cottage for use as a Clubhouse.
What the later dispute was is not explained, and there is no further mention of the cottage at Cold Harbour.

The disagreement which had occurred seemed to have been resolved in December 1894 the following was noted.
It was decided to build a room in Bail's garden for lunch and teas
Some months later in April 1895 the following was minuted. That Mr Tapp should write to Mr Richings and make arrangements for the cottage to be given up as soon as possible.

At the meeting on May 18th 1895 the minutes record that It was decided to give Bail notice that we leave his house in a month from date and to call a general meeting for May 25th next re. building a Golf Pavilion.
It was proposed to raise £100 in shares of £5 each, to earn interest of 5%, and a certain number to be paid off annually by lot, according to the surplus income of the club.
On May 24th 1895, messrs Courtney, Richings, Mackintosh and Cornwell met at Boxmoor Station where they agreed that they would try to get £120.

At a General meeting on May 25th 1895 it is recorded that The entire meeting approved of the step that had been taken by the Committee vis. to leave Bail's house. The letter was read by Mr Tapp and it was agreed to raise £100/£120 for a new pavilion and order same at once.

On May 25th 1895 the following members agreed to take £5 shares.

W. Gillilan F.P. Colliver Dr Mahon W. Owen
A. Fox W.M. Tapp J. Groom J.B. Wildman
W.H. Mackintosh C. Millar J.F. Courtney Capt.Wemyss
F. Cornwell(2) Dr. F.Fisher N. Micklem P.Hall
N. Byass H. Marnham J.H.McArthur F.Bassett
J.Southall M.Thompson G.H.Naughton E.W.S.Smith
H.E.Ambler W.R.Messum T.C. Curven

The next Committee meeting was held at a Mrs Allen's cottage on June 22nd 1895.
Committee members present were Messrs Courtney, Bassett, Richings, Mackintosh and Cornwell, and the following resolution was passed.
It was decided to build a Golf pavilion on Mr Ryder's ground and to write to Mr Girdwood and thank him for getting permission.
It was decided to accept the tender from Humphries £97-10-0 for wooden pavillion 16 x 22 and 10 x 22.

The 27 members named above had sufficient faith to invest £5, quite a large sum of money in 1895, in the future of the Club.

Without that investment the Club could have shut down as many others did at this time.