Violet Leslie Henry-Anderson (1882-1935)
Violet Leslie Henry-Anderson (1882-1935)
Blairgowrie's Trailblazing Female of the Fairways
Many famous names of winners of Golf competitions held in Blairgowrie have appeared in newspaper reports.
Back in the last decade of the 19th century and in the early 20th century one name appeared again and again.
That name was Violet Henry-Anderson.
It would have been fairly unusual for a female to enter golf competitions back then, and winning the Watson Gold Medal in September 1894, before she had even reached her twelfth birthday, would have been exceptional.
This is her Life Story.
Violet Winifred Leslie Henry-Anderson was born on 15 December 1882 at Commercial Bank House, Blairgowrie. She was the third of four children born to Isaac Henry-Anderson, a local solicitor and banker, and Katherine Blyth.
Isaac Henry-Anderson built Druidsmere, Blairgowrie, a mansion house built in the style of a French chateau overlooking the White Loch. Lansdowne Golf Course, completed in 1889, adjoins the grounds of Druidsmere and Isaac Henry-Anderson was appointed the first secretary of the Lansdowne Club.
Violet Henry-Anderson could be said to have been from a privileged family background. She had learned to play golf at a young age during family holidays in North Berwick.
Following her father's bankruptcy and the break up of the family, she and her brothers Godfrey and Edward emigrated to Canada.
As a member of the Montreal Ladies Golf Club she helped to make golf a popular sport for women.
A move to Vancouver followed and Violet won the Vancouver Ladies Golf Club Championship in 1917, 1919 and 1920.
In 1922 she won the Ladies City Golf Championship and the trophy, with her name engraved, may be seen on display in the British Columbia Golf Museum.
Violet Henry-Anderson died on 20 June 1935 aged 52 in San Francisco.
For more information go to
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violet_Henry-Anderson