This Is Your Life: Henry Cotton

Henry COTTON MBE (1907-1987)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Henry Cotton, former golfer, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews while being presented with a gold medal for services to golf during the National Golf Show at the Barbican Centre in London.

Henry, who was born in Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, grew up in Dulwich, London, and excelled at cricket while attending Alleyn's School. He began playing golf at the Aquarius Golf Club in Honor Oak in 1920 before beginning his career as a professional golfer after leaving school in 1923.

Henry achieved fame in the 1930s and 1940s with three victories in the British Open Championship in 1934, 1937 and 1948, becoming the leading British player of his generation. The Rookie of the Year award in the European Tour was first presented in his name during the 1960s.

programme details...

Edition No: 694
Subject No: 689
Broadcast date: Wed 5 Feb 1986
Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
Recorded: Wed 5 Feb 1986
Venue: Royalty Theatre
Series: 26
Edition: 16
Code name: Reel

on the guest list...

Jimmy Tarbuck
Sandy Gall
Cliff Michelmore
Ted Dexter
Peter Allis
Florence Desmond
Ernest Hargreaves
Dorothy - sister
Chickie - stepdaughter
John - nephew
Geoffrey Wragg
Trish Wragg
Reg Hill
Colin Cowdrey
Fred Daly
Max Faulkner
Tony Jacklin
Bernard Gallacher
Sam Torrance
Mark James
Jeremy Bennett
Sandy Lyle
Leslie - brother
Fred Perry
Arnold Palmer
Sam Snead
Bob Hope

production team...

Researchers: Sue Green, David N Mason
Writer: Norman Giller
Directors: Terry Yarwood, Michael D Kent
Associate Producer: Brian Klein
Producer: Malcolm Morris

names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

related pages...

World of Sport

serving up tennis and golf

Henry Cotton This Is Your Life Big Red Book

Screenshots of Henry Cotton This Is Your Life - and a photograph of Henry Cotton's big red book

Scriptwriter Roy Bottomley recalls this edition of This Is Your Life in his book, This Is Your Life: The Story of Television's Famous Big Red Book...

The glory days of British golf were celebrated on 5 February 1986 when we surprised Henry Cotton, three times British Open Champion.

We went to the Barbican for the International Golf Show where Henry was being awarded a gold medal for services to the game.

Helping with our surprise, driving off an indoor tee, were Sandy Gall, Ted Dexter and Cliff Michelmore, and back at the studio some of the greatest names in the sport, including former Open Champions Max Faulkner and Fred Daly, the then reigning champion Sandy Lyle, plus Bernard Gallagher, Sam Torrance, Mark James and Jeremy Bennett, all former winners of Henry's 'Rookie of the Year' award.

Arnold Palmer and Sam Snead greeted from America, as did another old pro – Bob Hope.

Former Life subjects Peter Allis and Jimmy Tarbuck were there, and so was Britain's Ryder Cup captain Tony Jacklin.

Ernest Hargreaves recalls this edition of This Is Your Life in his book, Caddie in the Golden Age...

I last saw him in action at Tewkesbury Park, where I spent the last twelve years of my golfing life as starter, before retiring at the age of seventy-nine. He was staying with his old friend Sir William Carr, and he came down to see me and give a few lessons. He brought a tyre with him and insisted on well-bred ladies attacking it as hard as they could, exhorting them to greater efforts as though it were a live thing, like an old-fashioned sergeant urging on his men to bloodthirsty bayonet drill.

On Christmas Eve 1982, he and Toots played nine holes of golf together at Penina and then attended evening Mass. On the morning of Christmas Day, after they had exchanged presents, she died suddenly and quietly. She was a little older than her husband; in her own unique manner, she had supported and organised her Henry for almost fifty years.

I don't think he ever recovered properly from her death. I saw him once more, when he was the subject of the television programme This Is Your Life in 1986, and I appeared with many of his old friends before the cameras. It was sad to see him at the party afterwards without his beloved Toots. He was glad to see us and talk over the old times, but he had the air of a man waiting for death. For one of his serene faith, that was not illogical; he was merely anxious to rejoin his beloved wife. If they are together somewhere now, it will be a noisier and a livelier place for their presence.

Series 26 subjects