Adam Slicer ~ Not a Slicer!

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 35 (AT WORK)

In golf the phrase SLICE refers to a poorly executed golf shot. I imagine that my X2 great uncle, Adam Slicer, enjoyed a lot of teasing about his last name since he was employed as a Golf Pro.


This census record was the first evidence I found that Adam was a golf pro.

1935 Vancouver Voter's List, Adam Slicer, Golf Professional
 with wife Mary (nee Graham)

I was intrigued by this because I had never heard that anyone in my dad's family had ever played golf. 


When trying to find more information about Adam and his golf career it was very difficult. All the sites with Adam, Slicer & Golf brought up slicing as a golf shot. 


It wasn't long before I discovered that part of Adam's career had been very close to my own hometown.

 "Our investigation of the Mission G&CC began with an
announcement in the Vancouver Daily Province, April 11, 1925.
“Adam Slicer, formerly the assistant professional at the Calgary G&CC
and latterly attached to the staff at Shaughnessy Heights,
has been appointed professional at Mission G&CC."

By May the club had 6 holes open for play and invited the Chilliwack golfers
to join them for a match. Unfortunately the mighty Fraser appeared
stronger than the dykes erected to protect the course. On June 13, 1925
the course laid submerged under six feet of water.

“Not to be undaunted by this set-back officials of the club proceeded to
look for new ground. Through the energetic efforts of the President R.P. King
a lease has been secured on the property known as the Morton estate.”
This tract of land occupied Lot 165 (see map). The club constructed the course
on the high ground adjacent to the CPR line. Adam Slicer described the new site
“as an ideal one, and when the regulation 18 hole course is completed next year, Mission City will have a golf course equal to the best in the province.”  1

Adam was one of 11 children born to: 
Peter Slicer
BIRTH 23 OCT 1852 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 10 MARCH 1910 • North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
and
Marion Jack
BIRTH 4 APR 1857 • Whittinghame, East Lothian, Scotland
DEATH 1917 • Craigielea, North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland

8 of their children lived to adulthood, and are pictured in the photo below with parents Peter & Marion.

SLICER FAMILY
 (Adam up front third from right)
BACK: Jane, Peter, Dave, Lizzie (my great grandmother)
FRONT: Eva,  Peter, Jimmy, Adam, Marion, Mary

The three who passed away before reaching adulthood were: 

Harriet Jack Slicer (1883-1884, age 1 - unknown) 

Eva Bruce (Edie) Slicer (1889-1897, age 8 - Diptheria)

James Wright Slicer (1892-1898, age 6 - Diptheria)

It seems that golf skill is a trait from both sides of my dad's maternal family line.  Adam Slicers's sister was my great grandmother Elizabeth Young Slicer (known as Lizzie). She married Thomas Thomson. Their daughter Mary Elizabeth Thomson is my grandmother. 

Thomas' uncle (my grandmother's great uncle) Jimmy Glass was a golf pro in New Jersey (1908) before returning to North Berwick, Scotland in 1911. 

Retrieved August 30th 2019 from
http://www.northberwick.org.uk/clubmakers.html#glass

Jimmy's grandson was Leslie Brownlee the golf pro from Arkansas & Oklahoma. 

Retrieved August 30th 2019 from http://www.northberwick.org.uk/clubmakers.html#brownlee

North Berwick is a small seaside town. In 1871 the population was less than 1500. Both sides of my dad's maternal family tree lived side by side. They shared many interests and activities. I knew many of my ancestors were fishermen, builders, and stonemasons. I now know that Golfing was legitimate employment for my ancestors.

"With a population of just under 7000, more and
more families move to the area each year, while sailors, 
rowers and paddleboarders enthusiastically float
around waters which are rich in wildlife." 2

It seems paddling is in my blood!

     

Me, Dragonboat Medal, April 2019

Me, Paddleboarding, August 2019

Maybe golfing is in my blood too. I had decided to wait until retirement to try golfing, but maybe I need to reconsider. 



Discovering your family's unknown traits & talents!







This is why I search - 



Cause ... 





You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!















***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***



Citation:

1 Golf In Mission is at least 90 years old, Early Golf in Mission, BC Golf House Society,  October 12, 2015 by bcgolfhouse_admin, Retrieved August 30th 2019 from
http://www.bcgolfhouse.com/early-golf-in-mission-bc

2 North Berwick named best place to live in Scotland, Edinburgh Evening News, Published Friday 17 March 2017, Retrieved August 30th 2019 from
https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/north-berwick-named-best-place-to-live-in-scotland-1-4394313

Sources:

North Berwick, Club Makers, Professionals and Course Designers, North Berwick's Golfing Pioneers, Retrieved August 30th 2019 from 
http://www.northberwick.org.uk/clubmakers_2.html

Roland, James. Golf Slice Definition. Golf Week. Golf Swing Tips. Quick-Fixes. Retrieved Aug 30th 2019 from 
https://golftips.golfweek.com/golf-slice-definition-1864.html


Royal Burgh Of North Berwick, Retrieved August 30th 2019 from
http://www.northberwick.org.uk/story.html






Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/





Related Previous Blogs 

3 Bricks in the Wall ~ Thomas Thomson (Stonemason, Brick House, Genealogical Brick Wall)
https://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/2019/04/3-bricks-in-wall-thomas-thomson.html

Elizabeth & Thomas - Together Again
https://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/2019/05/elizabeth-thomas-together-again.html

Remembering - Thomas & Elizabeth Young (nee Slicer) Thomson, and politics
https://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/2019/02/remembering-thomas-elizabeth-young-nee.html

Searching Far & Wide ~ Found Across Town
https://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/2019/04/searching-far-wide-found-across-town.html

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