We have covered metro clubs on the website in the past, so here is a start on country clubs.
Croquet began in the Goldfields at a similar time to the metro area, many of you may have seen the historic photo of the Gwalia Croquet Ladies around the turn of the century { 1900 }. The Goldfields was in fact the first area of WA that had it’s own association, it consisted of Coolgardie, Mullingar { later Kalgoorlie } and Kylie clubs.
Kylie and Mullingar being private residences. Kalgoorlie eventually became the only club and lasted until the late 1980’s, having held a popular carnival for many years.
Mentions of random clubs exist from far flung places as Wiluna, Cue, Broome, Carnarvon and Norseman among many others. Usually these clubs did not affiliate to the Western Australian Croquet Association, they were not long lived, not well recorded and probably either at a private residence or driven along by a determined croquet player who had moved into whichever town for whatever reason.
Central Wheatbelt clubs certainly fitted into the fly by night category, popping up in places like, Merredin, Yealering (pictured below), Baandee, Dowerin etc and lasting for a few to maybe 40 years before vanishing again.
In 1924 the association decided to give a pennant and/or trophy for clubs in certain area’s to play for, as long as they affiliated to the association.
The first attempts were quite random and the first year { 1924 } for instance saw a playoff for Country champion club between the South West winner in Moorabinda playing against the Avon winner Northam St Johns, Moorabinda won and this trophy still exists in the Moorabinda clubrooms.
Other attempts at this have only sketchy records, still being looked into.
But by the 1930’s a pennant competition was running in the Great Southern League, primarily Wagin, Katanning (image below 1924-25) and Narrogin.
Also in the South West League between mainly Moorabinda and Busselton, with Harvey, Collie, Balingup and Bridgetown taking part from time to time.
Other clubs mentioned who may have been involved were Brunswick, Yarloop, Waroona, Donnybrook and Bunbury Central.
A country week was attempted starting in 1934, mainly to get metro players to teach country players how to play properly!
Country players were considered inferior back then and even payed a reduced affiliation fee.
What constituted country was also very different, Glen Forrest and Armadale were considered country places.
Avon did not participate in these new leagues but Northam held a thriving annual competition using 4 venues, Northam St Johns, Northam at the Bowling Club, Avon and one other site, vehicles ferried players from venue to venue as required.
They did start their own pennant competition in 1958 which petered out as Northam and Beverley folded in the early 80’s.
York is the oldest club in the area but for all of the pennant and country week team events was almost always the weakest, yet they still have the one pennant they won at country week in their new clubrooms. Only three of these attractive pennants still exist, the other two are at Bunbury Central.
North of Perth, Geraldton was much like today, isolated from the rest of the croquet fraternity, the club began in 1908 or maybe late 1907 but had to wait until the late 1970’s to run it’s own carnivals and provide quality players to travel to state events in the city.
Albany whilst also isolated, had at least two and from time to time three clubs, Albany St Johns, Albany St Josephs being the two main ones, some years after St Josephs had folded a new club began at Lower King, 4 years later it had some courts on reclaimed swamp and became known as Gomm Park. Since St Johns folded Albany Gomm Park has been the only club.
Further away many attempts have been made to get croquet running in Esperance and they were at one time an affiliated club, one incarnation was called the Sea View Club!
Researching country club history is quite difficult as not only do the clubs generally no longer exist but unlike the metro area, often the newspaper would fold, sometimes to be replaced by another but not always.
Avon Valley Pennants results have just been found from 1958 to 1977, for now.
1958, 1959 Northam
1960 Beverley
1961 York
1962, 1963 Northam
1964 Beverley
1965 Northam
1966, 1967, 1968 Beverley
1969 Northam
1970 Beverley
1971 Northam
1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977 Beverley
Martin Clarke
