Antique Golf Clubs from Scotland: Clubmakers

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Clubmakers

Archibald Dickson
Musselburgh/Chatham
Archibald Dickson was born in Musselburgh on 20 October 1868 the second youngest of five sons born to James Dickson, a carter and later a labourer at the Musselburgh (linseed) Oil Mill, and his wife Johan Napier.

At the time of his marriage to Janet Tait in December 1891 he was described as a professional golf teacher. When his fellow townsman Peter Paxton became professional at Tooting Bec in 1893 he joined him as an assistant and clubmaker. His obituary which called him a ‘leading minor golf professional’ records him as being professional at Chatham (the Royal Engineers club) and Maidenhead before coming back to Musselburgh. I cannot trace dates for these posts but he was back in Musselburgh in 1897 so they appear to be immediately after his time with Paxton.

In 1897 he played in the traditional caddies’ tournament in Musselburgh in which all caddies, whether they played or not, received some of the publicly subscribed prize money. It sounds rather low key but consider that Dickson and Jack Ferguson defeated a triple Open champion in Bob Ferguson and his playing partner Bob Tait, best man at Dickson’s wedding.

His obituary recorded his greatest tournament success being at the Bridge of Weir professional tournament where he finished second. In fact he finished tied eighth (with the Ł1 prize shared between three!) in 1890.

However, his life and career were cut short when he died in Musselburgh, already widowed, aged 37, of tuberculosis on 26 November 1907.

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