TUNNEL OF TIME
60 YEARS AGO In the April 1965 Gazette (#79) THE 1965 SEASON
visitors to make their own evening snacks; by trying to find accommodation within walking distance of the Club; by recommending hotels near to each other so that transport could be combined, or hotels on a bus route; by having a list of members who might be willing to take visitors for bed and breakfast only (and of course visitors of their own choice) on a paying basis, and a list of those who might be willing to give lifts — also on a paying basis. Some Clubs have started thinking on these lines, and their ideas will be of great interest to all croquet players. Croquet has weathered greater trials than this, but never without changes: some standards of comfort may have to be lowered, but they can be tolerated. What really is vital is that Clubs shall not founder, nor tournaments, which keep up the standard of the game, fade away. Chairman’s Report The Annual General Meeting, on 31st May, will see the end of a unique career of service and dedication to the Game of Croquet, in the retirement of our President, Maurice Reckitt. He first came onto the Council in 1929, served as its Chairman from 1937 to 1939, became Vice‐President in 1962, and President in 1967. He has probably put more into the Game than any other person, living or dead, in the long history of the game. The Council has taken the unprecedented action of inviting him to sit on the Council after his retiring from the Presidency, so valued are his utterances and respected his counsel. Extract from Proceedings at Council Meetings March 8th 1975 It was agreed that double banking would be permitted both the Inter‐ Club Championship and Longman Club Team Cup competition, provided both Clubs concerned so agree.
CHRIS WILLIAMS Croquet England Archivist
AKA 'Statto' Keeper of Croquet Statistics, visit croquetrecords.com
Difficulties of obtaining managers for tournaments, and this has been made even more difficult by the rudeness of some of our top players. Two managers have asked the Tournament Committee to consider suspending a player from official events if he or she is reported for such behaviour. The Committee unanimously agreed that such behaviour must be stopped. It would appear at the moment that the brunt of management falls on the shoulders of all too few: this is very hard work and means giving up a lot of time and play, and then unfortunately it is not appreciated by some of the players. The Council would like to see more of the first class players who are free to do so giving a helping hand and taking their share of work in the way of management. 65 YEARS AGO In the April 1960 Gazette (#43) REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE APPOINTED BY THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER THE MEMORIAL TO MRS APPS The Committee have, on behalf of the Council, accepted with appreciation a Silver Bowl, which Capt. Reid‐Walker has kindly offered to give in memory of Mrs. Apps (to be known as the Apps Bowl), and propose that this Bowl be awarded each year to the most improved player (taking into account both Club and Tournament play), who is a member of a registered Club and is also an associate, to be held for one year. Past Gazettes can be found on the Croquet England website at https:// www.croquet.org.uk/?p=ca/ gazette&Action=Issues. Currently there are searchable scans of the Gazette back to 1953.
In this section, we once again take a look through the 'Tunnel of Time' to see what was taking place in the Croquet World in the past, as seen in the Croquet Gazette. 50 YEARS AGO In the April 1975 Gazette (#135) Rover Notes The Car and Croquet When Croquet Clubs started in the 1860s, and then revived in the 1890s, people used to travel to the grounds by train or by horse, or even, as at Shrewsbury, by ferry. Wimbledon was beside the railway line, with private access and a half‐hourly service to Waterloo. Other Clubs, such as Southwick and Parkstone, are in the lee of railway embankments. In 1894 the London and South Western ran through Ottery St Mary, and the people of Budleigh Salterton formed a private company to bring the line 6 miles, 4 furlongs, 7.20 chains to within, among other things, 100 yards of the Croquet Club. The station was built in a field belonging to the Ross family, the forbears of Colonel Cave. Today, we again need to show initiative and forethought. The cost of transport has become a major item in the budget of club members and tournament visitors alike. Many of them have retired and have no ‘threshold agreements’ to cushion them against inflation. There may well be points at which Clubs could help by investigating more bed and breakfast accommodation; by giving the use of the Club premises for
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