THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: Attack on golf greens in Belfast blamed on suffragists

From the News Letter, May 28, 1914
Knock Golf ClubKnock Golf Club
Knock Golf Club

An attack on the greens at the Knock Golf Club was being attributed this week in 1914 to militant suffragists who had been active in the past number of months on the greater Belfast area.

The News Letter reported how pieces of turf had been cut out in a circle around the holes on the golf course and in a further attempt to damage the greens weed killer had been spread on the greens.

The greenkeeper had discovered the attack early the following morning when he was making his rounds.

Speaking to reporters at the damaged greens Detective Alan Mitchell said that he believed that the cost of the damage to the club was estimated at £10 but that that the chief injury which had been occasioned was inconvenience to club members who wished to play the daily round of golf.

It was noted by the News Letter that on each of the greens which had been “mutilated” suffragette literature had been left by the perpetrator or perpetrators while elsewhere on the greens were discovered a number of messages and declarations “in feminine handwriting” which lent support to the campaign of the Women’s Suffrage movement.

One inscription that had been left on the damaged greens at the Knock Golf Club had read: “Be sporting and give equal sporting chances all round”.

Meanwhile, a further note referred to the leader of unionists in Ulster, Sir Edward Carson, it read: “Send the bill to Sir Edward Carson.”

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