Royal Park was founded in 1903 but did not play an active part in the foundation of the association or the beginning of pennant competition.
Sometimes referred to as West Perth Croquet club and situated at 180 Charles Street.
The complex contained both croquet and bowls, sometimes sitting uneasily with each other.
Another example of an inner suburban club near the major public transport of the day.
The clubs colours were Purple and Gold.
Pennant success was again confined to the lower levels, never winning the major title, although like Leederville some years they pushed down by the sheer volume of entries.
Mrs McSorely, Mrs George, Mrs Williams, Mrs Rossiter
Photo from The Yardline No32
B Grade 1914, 1915, 1930, 1932, 1939, 1960 ( this was one out of the blue in a very strange year )
C Grade 1938
A2 in 1936, 1937
A3 in 1938, 1942
Div 5 in 1968
The club disbanded in 1973.
The site is now the headquarters of Volleyball WA with a couple of beach volleyball courts, the hall and some nice gardens.
In the News
When one goes back through the newspapers of the day, one gets a real sense of community that the early croquet clubs possessed and their love of acknowledging the efforts of others.
Undertaking a search of Mrs McSorley revealed that for a time she was the president of the Royal Park Croquet Club. Below are a few extracts from the newspapers of the day.
Yesterday Mrs. McSorley, the president of the Royal Park Croquet Club, invited the members to afternoon tea and progressive croquet. During the afternoon the non. secretary, Mrs. R. R. Jones, was presented with a handsome folding chair as a mark of appreciation by the members of the club.
The ladies of the Royal Park Croquet Club provided a pleasant surprise last week for their president (Mrs. H. F. McSorley), on the occasion of her visiting the Eastern States on a holiday. On behalf of the members, Mrs. Poveoy presented Mrs. McSorley with a handsome handbag, at the same time conveying cordial wishes for a pleasant trip. The recipient, who was quite taken by surprise, suitably acknowledged the token of goodwill, and refreshments having been par taken of, a very happy event concluded with general expressions of “bon voyage” to Mrs McSorley.
Advantage was also taken to present the retiring president (Mrs. H. F. McSorley) with a handsome salad bowl, in recognition of her enthusiastic work during her term in office.
Mrs Rossiter also was a part of the winning pennant team and it was quite clear she was also a hard working member of the club. This appeared on the 23rd January 1925
On Thursday evening last, the members of this club prank a surprise on Mr A.E. Rossiter, who for many years was their energetic secretary and delegate to the council, by presenting him with a bowling satchel, and also acknowledged Mrs Rossiter’s active interest in the club by the gift of a nicely fitted work basket
President McSorely was the chief spokesman, but several members supported his eloquent recital of Mr and Mrs Rossiter’s great services rendered so cheerfully at all times, and their fine social qualities.
The secretarial recipient, with characteristic modesty, disclaimed his worthiness and expressed astonishment of at their generous estimation of his good services: but he did realise their tokens of goodwill toward his wife and himself, and the fact that they had recognised his earnest endeavours made their gifts doubly acceptable.
