Dalby croquet lawn officially opened

H*eading: RUGBY UNION VALLEYS WIN AGAIN Close Game With G.P.S. NEITHER SIDE SCORES A TRY*

*Newspaper: The Toowoomba Chronicle and Darling Downs Gazette*

*Date: Monday 26 April 1937, page 11*

*Found on: [Trove](https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article285747696), National Library of Australia*

DALBY, Saturday. — The official opening of the Dalby croquet lawn was performed this afternoon by Mrs. W. A. Russell, of Jimbour (patroness of the Dalby Croquet Club), in the presence of a fairly large crowd of members and visitors. The president of the club (the Mayoress, Mrs. Thomas Jack) drove the first ball across the lawn.

Included in the gathering were the Mayor (Ald. Thomas Jack), Aldermen J. J. Walsh, E. H. Geisel, Mesdames Freeman (president), Eager (captain), of the Kingaroy Croquet Club; Mesdames McLean (president), Miller (captain), of the West Toowoomba Croquet Club, and Mr. J. B. McLean (president of the Dalby Bowling Club).

The president said the club was sincerely grateful to the Town Council for providing the lawn and club house. She expressed the appreciation of the club to Ald. J. J. Walsh, Mr. H. E. Thorley (Town Clerk), Mrs. W. J. Vowles (past president), the original committee, members of the Bowling Club, Mr. H. Stephens (green director), all of whom, especially Ald. Walsh, had contributed towards the fruition of the club's ambitions.

The Mayor said the Council had assisted the ladies only as much as it had assisted other organisations. It was only right that those ladies who had advanced a little beyond the age that permitted strenuous sports, or who preferred croquet to other sport, should receive consideration. It was recognised thoughout the world that people must get into the open, and participate in pleasurable occupation that would allay the stress experienced during the majority of the time. He hoped that the fullest advantage would be taken of the facilities that had been made available by the Council. The Council expected that the croquet lawn would be a success. All the assistance necessary to have it continue successfully would be gladly given by the Council.

Mrs. Russell said it gave her the greatest of pleasure to have the opportunity of opening the croquet lawn. She congratulated the previous committee on their efforts in having attained the objective towards which they worked, and thanked the Town Council for the part they had played in the club's success. She declared the croquet lawn officially open for play, and requested Mrs. Jack to play the first ball.

Grasping her mallet firmly, the president drove the ball from the eastern side across the lawn in front of the club house.

As a memento of the occasion, the president presented to Mrs. Russell a suitably inscribed silver teaspoon, the handle of which was in the shape of a croquet mallet.

Ald. Walsh moved a vote of thanks to Mrs. Russell, which was carried by acclamation.

Members and visitors joined in competitions after afternoon tea, playing enthusiastically, and with obvious enjoyment derived from their novelty. The following were the winners: Ringing the bell: Mrs. G. Singleton; crazy competition, Mrs. Freeman; angles, Mrs. J. J. Walsh; clock croquet, Ald. Jack; rings, Mrs. Miller.

The article as it was printed in The Toowoomba Chronicle, 26 April 1937. Scan from Trove, National Library of Australia. (Trove, National Library of Australia)