The Lost Trophies

In 1949 when fire destroyed the old Summerlea clubhouse and its contents, all the trophies were lost with the exception of one silver bowl that was out for engraving.

During the fall of that same year, Guy Hamelin, a Summerlea member with a great interest in antiques, was browsing in an antique shop when he spotted an old, blackened cup...obviously a trophy of some kind. On closer investigation, the engraving read “Summerlea Golf Club, President's Cup. E.N. Todd, 1923".

There were other smaller cups that bore the inscriptions Summerlea Golf Club, President's Cup, 1923, won by H.F. Mills and another cup that read “Summerlea Golf Club, 1927, Two Ball Foursome, won by H.F. Mills, U.D. Woodward.”

Construction of Summerlea Golf Club at Lachine began in 1921 and was finished in 1923. Monday, July 3, 1923, was opening day of Summerlea's 27-hole course. The event was celebrated with a golf match between the President's and the Vice President's teams with 127 players entered in the competition. It is very likely that two of those cups were presented to the winners that day.

The only information available regarding these important acquisitions is that the person who sold them to the dealer picked them up at a garage sale. Where they spent the intervening years shall remain a mystery.

Guy Hamelin purchased the trophies and presented them to Summerlea. Cleaned and repaired they have taken their rightful place at Summerlea Golf Club.

Marion Dunn