Untitled Document

HISTORY - Hyde Park Croquet Club
The club was formed on 6 November 2004 when Hawthorn and Unley Park Croquet Clubs amalgamated and now use the lawns administered by the Unley Park Sports Club. The Club has use of two clubrooms, the Kidman Clubroom, with ts own bar, or the Barton Clubroom. The first office bearers of the new club were President - Charles Biggs, Vice President - Margaret Beare, Treasurer - Ashley Byrne, Secretary - Philip Hadley and Club Captain - Milton Edwards.

HAWTHORN	UNLEY PARK
It was decided to form a Ladies Croquet Club at a meeting held at the Hawthorn Bowling Club Kiosk on 28 July 1921. Mrs A Snell was elected as the first President, Miss Espic - Secretary and Mrs Nash - Treasurer. Membership subsription was set at 20/- The first lawn was located near the western end of the Bowling Club - part of the Price Memorial Oval at Hawthorn In 1925 subscriptions went to 30/- and members had to bring their own cup and saucer, white with a gold band. Additional funds were raised via gymkhanas, bazaars, fetes, euchre and dance evenings. Lighting to the lawn was installed in 1930. Membership equality came to the club when in 1933 men were allowed to join and play once the bowling season had finished. From 1934 onwards men and women represented the club in State competions. The club moved to a new site at Angas Road in 1947 and members made use of a shelter shed. The playing area was extended with the addition of a half size lawn in 1975 and lighting was added in 1980. In 1982 the shelter shed, now extended with the addition of a verandah, was wrecked by a falling tree. With assistance from the Mitcham Council a new clubhouse, pictured above, was built and opened in 1984 by Mayor Pearson. 2004 was the last year the club competed as the Hawthorn Croquet Club. Some of the memorability from that club is now displayed in the Unley Park Sports Club.	The beginings of Unley Park Croquet Club are bound up in the formation of the Unley Park Sports Club which was founded in 1923. The generous Patrons were Sir Sidney Kidman and Lady Kidman. President was C A Smith, Vice President - W J A Barton, Treasurer - W E Brown and Secretary - S B W Mayer. The individual Bowling and Croquet Clubs came into being on 12 June 1923 at a meeting held in the Baptist Hall in Northgate Street. The first President of the Croquet Club was Mrs H B Crosby, Vice President - Mrs W A L Casely, Treasurer - Mrs R O Fox and Secretary - Mrs B Mehrtens. The Clubhouse facing Northgate Street was built in 1924 at a cost of $7316 with the Kidman Family contributing $3000 towards the cost and providing the balance of the contract sum at 5% interest. Some 23yrs later Lady Kidman allowed the UPSC to forego the remaining $2228 still owing. Originally the Clubhouse was used by all members of all clubs (as it is today), with the difference being in that in those days the men and women used separate rooms. In 1925 electric lighting was installed over the lawns. In 1927 an Arbor was constructed at the western end of the northern lawns and opened by then President - Mrs B Mehrtens. After suffering progressive decay over the years, it was finally demolished in 2004 (image below). The Club built its own clubrooms, pictured above, in 1964 at a cost of $5432 and these were used continously until the amalgamation in 2004, when it was decided to go back to sharing the larger clubrooms (Kidman & Barton) with the other clubs. 2004 was the last year the club competed as the Unley Park Croquet Club. Some of the memorability from that club is now displayed in the Unley Park Sports Club.

HAWTHORN

UNLEY PARK

It was decided to form a Ladies Croquet Club at a meeting held at the Hawthorn Bowling Club Kiosk on 28 July 1921. Mrs A Snell was elected as the first President, Miss Espic - Secretary and Mrs Nash - Treasurer. Membership subsription was set at 20/- The first lawn was located near the western end of the Bowling Club - part of the Price Memorial Oval at Hawthorn

In 1925 subscriptions went to 30/- and members had to bring their own cup and saucer, white with a gold band. Additional funds were raised via gymkhanas, bazaars, fetes, euchre and dance evenings. Lighting to the lawn was installed in 1930.

Membership equality came to the club when in 1933 men were allowed to join and play once the bowling season had finished. From 1934 onwards men and women represented the club in State competions.

The club moved to a new site at Angas Road in 1947 and members made use of a shelter shed. The playing area was extended with the addition of a half size lawn in 1975 and lighting was added in 1980.

In 1982 the shelter shed, now extended with the addition of a verandah, was wrecked by a falling tree. With assistance from the Mitcham Council a new clubhouse, pictured above, was built and opened in 1984 by Mayor Pearson.

2004 was the last year the club competed as the Hawthorn Croquet Club. Some of the memorability from that club is now displayed in the Unley Park Sports Club.

The beginings of Unley Park Croquet Club are bound up in the formation of the Unley Park Sports Club which was founded in 1923. The generous Patrons were Sir Sidney Kidman and Lady Kidman. President was C A Smith, Vice President - W J A Barton, Treasurer - W E Brown and Secretary - S B W Mayer.

The individual Bowling and Croquet Clubs came into being on 12 June 1923 at a meeting held in the Baptist Hall in Northgate Street. The first President of the Croquet Club was Mrs H B Crosby, Vice President - Mrs W A L Casely, Treasurer - Mrs R O Fox and Secretary - Mrs B Mehrtens.

The Clubhouse facing Northgate Street was built in 1924 at a cost of $7316 with the Kidman Family contributing $3000 towards the cost and providing the balance of the contract sum at 5% interest. Some 23yrs later Lady Kidman allowed the UPSC to forego the remaining $2228 still owing.

Originally the Clubhouse was used by all members of all clubs (as it is today), with the difference being in that in those days the men and women used separate rooms. In 1925 electric lighting was installed over the lawns.

In 1927 an Arbor was constructed at the western end of the northern lawns and opened by then President - Mrs B Mehrtens. After suffering progressive decay over the years, it was finally demolished in 2004 (image below).

The Club built its own clubrooms, pictured above, in 1964 at a cost of $5432 and these were used continously until the amalgamation in 2004, when it was decided to go back to sharing the larger clubrooms (Kidman & Barton) with the other clubs.

2004 was the last year the club competed as the Unley Park Croquet Club. Some of the memorability from that club is now displayed in the Unley Park Sports Club.