The Madras College Archive

     


Former Pupil Biographies

Dr Elsie Laura Kyle (1891 - 1982)

Elsie was the eldest of six children - three girls and three boys - born in St Andrews on 3rd August 1891 to Dr David Hamilton Kyle, a local GP,  and Laura Margaret Parr.  The family initially lived in Queen's Gardens but later moved to 16, The Links.

Elsie won the Scottish Ladies Amateur Championship at Machrihanish in 1909  and repeated this feat at Nairn in 1910.

She reached the final of the Cruden Bay Open Tournament 1909, was winner of the Gold Medal and Scratch Award Ranelagh International Tournament in 1910. She tied for sixth Handicap prize, Men's Open Tournament, St Andrews 1920 and represented Scotland in International Matches 1909 1910.

Elsie became a well-known and skilful eye surgeon in Southampton where it is said that there was a ward named after her. She won 8 medals and 1st prizes for elements of her degree at St Andrews University. She died on 28th June 1982 at Ferndowne, Dorset.

(Much more information can be found in 'The Golfing Kyles of St Andrews' by Dr Eve Soulsby, former Principal Teacher of Geography in Madras College).

The School Notes of the Madras College Magazine for June 1909 reports:

"Elsie Kyle's victory in the Ladies' Golf Championship of Scotland at Machrihanish was as popular as it was deserved, and we offer her our heartiest congratulations. We look forward to her winning the Open Championship at no distant date. Ida Kyle has also made herself a reputation and may be expected to follow in her sister's footsteps. Theirs is another instance of the happy combination of work and play, for both did splendid work in their classes this session, and the Lady Champion, who is only seventeen, passed the recent Preliminary Examination of St. Andrews university in English and Higher Latin."