CCOGS HISTORY
Section links are in the top right hand panel.
A HISTORY OF CCOGS
- The Foundation

If in reading the pages on this site you feel that some of the words seem familiar - this is not surprising.
I am deeply indebted to Ian Ramsay for all the excellent work he did in researching and publishing his superb and comprehensive booklet
"CCOGS - The First Forty Years".

Ian joined the Society in 1970 and therefore was personally acquainted with most, if not all, of the early members. His researches have enabled information and pictures to be made available which would otherwise have been lost to us for ever.
It is meant as a tribute to Ian's work that in many instances I have just taken passages from his text for this site.

This has been done for two reasons. First it is a way of ensuring accuracy and secondly he has expressed his views in a way which are both clear and fully in keeping with the ethos of the society.
Thank you Ian.

 ..... ...1985...............Recent
..... . ...............
Notice - He must have been a child when he joined in 1970, and that although Ian has slightly less hair, he still has the same enjoyment of life.
A HISTORY OF CCOGS - Foundation
Golf did, of course, exist in Cheshire County Council prior to the formation of CCOGS. Informal team matches took place with other organisations on an ad hoc basis. It was because of these the then Vice Chairman of the County Council Herbert Dewes (later to become Sir Herbert) called a meeting of interested officers to suggest the formation of a 'Golf Society'. It goes without saying that the meeting took place in the Chairman's room in County Hall with suitable refreshments provided! The founder members involved in the first meeting were Tom Carey, Jack Hickson, Tom Ryan and Maurice Yarwood.
As can be imagined Sir Herbert's suggestion had unanimous support and so in 1959 the Cheshire County Officers Golfing Society enjoyed its first season.
All the founder members have (hopefully) now teamed up to form a golfing society in the next life. We are, however, indebted to Tom Ryan, who was the last of the founder members to die in May 1999, for providing the helpful information on the early days of CCOGS.

All the founders at
the Annual Dinner 1968.

In this picture can be seen the founders with the Captain in 1968*
Back row:
H.R.Callcott, J.Hickson, K.Dryland, T.Ryan, M.Yarwood, T.Carey
Front row:
Unknown, Unknown, Sir Herbert & Lady Dewes, C.Royle* & Mrs.Royle.
It might be that the unknown people include W.Kavanagh, E.Taberner, or Eileen Williams who were all prominent in the early days.

Although formal records existed in abundance during the reign of Jack Hickson as Secretary these unfortunately went astray following Jack's retirement. More about Jack later and also one very important legacy which he left behind. However, despite the lack of formal records one useful source which still exists are the many trophies that were donated for competitions and which are engraved with the names of the winners. Fixture cards also provide us with the names of all Past Captains and many of the officers of the Society over past years.

So CCOGS was up and running for the 1959 season and although the extent of individual competitions was much less than it is today the foundations were firmly laid on which to build.