Issette Pearson
{{Short description|English golfer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox golfer
| name = Issette Pearson
| image = Issette Pearson golfer.png
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| caption = in her 30s
| fullname = Frances Issette Jessie Pearson
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| birth_date = {{Birth date|1861|11|2|df=y}}
| birth_place = Littlehempston, Devon, England
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1941|4|25|1861|11|2|df=y}}
| death_place = Singleton, Lancashire, England
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| spouse = Thomas Horrocks Miller
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| status = Amateur
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Frances Issette Jessie Pearson (2 November 1861 – 25 April 1941) was an English golfer and the first honorary secretary of the Ladies Golf Union (LGU) which was founded in 1893.{{cite ODNB|id=65150|title= Pearson [married name Miller], (Frances) Issette Jessie (1861–1941), golfer | last=Pottle | first=Mark }}
Personal life
Pearson was born at Gatcombe House, Littlehempston, near Totnes, Devon. Her given names were Mable Frances, but she used the names Frances Issette Jessie and was known as Issette. In 1911, she married Thomas Horrocks Miller (1846–1916) of Singleton Hall, Singleton, near Poulton-le-Fylde. In 1916, upon her husband's death, she became life tenant of Singleton Hall.{{Cite book |last=Singleton History Group |title=Singleton's Story: The Fylde's Model Village |publisher=Landy Publishing |year=2009 |isbn=9781872895802 |location=Blackpool, United Kingdom |page=8}}
Golf career
File:Pearson SB and Scott littlestone medallists1894.jpg
In 1893 Pearson visited Littlestone golf club in the autumn of 1893 to see if the national championship could be hosted there. She was hosted by Littlestone's ladies's captain Mabel Stringer. Stringer beat her on their first game together, but they became life long friends and colleagues.{{Cite journal |last=Kirkwood |first=Gillian |date=June 2005 |title=Littlestone 1894 |url=http://www.gilliankirkwood.com/ercn86/History/Littlestone1894/Littlestone.htm |journal=Through the Green - the Journal of the British Golf Collectors' Society}}
Pearson had reached the final of the British Ladies Amateur Golf Championship in 1893 and she would repeat that position in 1894, losing to Lady Margaret Scott on each occasion.{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=7 May 1941 |page=6 |title=Mrs T. H. Miller}}
Legacy
While telegraphic addresses were in use the LGU's address was "Issette". A brand of ladies' golfwear is named "Issette" in her memory.{{cite web|title=About Issette|url=https://issette.com/about|publisher=Issette|access-date=16 May 2017}}{{cite web|title=Branding for Issette golfwear|url=https://mark-design.co.uk/project/golf-branding-web-design-issette/|publisher=Mark Design Limited|access-date=16 May 2017}} She founded a cup and a handicap system that allowed men and women of mixed abilities to compete together.[http://www.slcga.org/AboutSLCGA/History.aspx history of] SLCGA, Retrieved 18 May 2017
Publications
- The Ladies' Golf Union year book / compiled and edited by the Hon. Sec. Ladies' Golf Union (I. Pearson). (London : Ladies' Golf Union, 189?){{cite web|title=Catalogue record: LGU year book|url=http://explore.bl.uk/primo_library/libweb/action/display.do?tabs=moreTab&ct=display&fn=search&doc=BLL01001134317&indx=1&recIds=BLL01001134317&recIdxs=0&elementId=0&renderMode=poppedOut&displayMode=full&frbrVersion=&dscnt=0&vl(488279563UI0)=creator&vl(1423900464UI1)=all_items&scp.scps=scope%3A%28BLCONTENT%29&tab=local_tab&dstmp=1494953024599&vl(freeText0)=PEARSON%2C%20Issette.&vid=BLVU1&mode=Basic|publisher=British Library|access-date=16 May 2017}}
- Our Lady of the Green. A book of ladies' golf. With chapters by I. Pearson, A. B. Pascoe and others. Edited by L. Mackern and M. Boys. (London : Lawrence & Bullen, 1899){{cite web|title=Catalogue record: Our lady of the green...|url=http://explore.bl.uk/primo_library/libweb/action/display.do?tabs=moreTab&ct=display&fn=search&doc=BLL01002323536&indx=2&recIds=BLL01002323536&recIdxs=1&elementId=1&renderMode=poppedOut&displayMode=full&frbrVersion=&dscnt=1&fromLogin=true&tab=local_tab&dstmp=1494952450110&vl(freeText0)=issette%20pearson&vid=BLVU1&mode=Basic|publisher=British Library|access-date=16 May 2017}}
References
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Category:English female golfers
Category:British golf administrators
Category:People from South Hams (district)