West Toowoomba club's birthday tea for Toowoomba members

The president and members of the West Toowoomba Croquet Club celebrated their second birthday with a charmingly arranged tea party, at which they entertained the members of the Toowoomba Club in the Bowling Club's pavilion yesterday afternoon. The pretty grounds were looking their best with the rose borders all abloom, and some beautiful flowering fuchsias bordered the pathway to the pavilion. The little pavilion was also aglow with flowers. The president's table was arranged with two copper bowls of crimson Edith Cavell roses and meadow sweet set on panels of the combined colours of the two clubs, red and white, and navy and pale blue ribbon. Bows of the same colours decorated the cake baskets and were set at the corners of the table. A beautiful birthday cake, the gift of the president (Mrs. Carmody) was decorated with croquet mallets and balls and two gaily coloured miniature wax candles. The smaller tables were arranged with big bowls of gerberas and low vases of carnations, bouvardias and dahlias, which all came from Mrs. Miller's garden and were arranged by her. During the afternoon there were a number of croquet competitions and a "lucky number" competition, and a short game between members of the two clubs. After tea Mrs. Carmody, in a short speech, welcomed the members of the Toowoomba Club and gave a short resume of the growth of the West Toowoomba Club, which will this year affiliate with the Queensland Association. The club was a happy meeting place which provided an opportunity of meeting in a friendly spirit and enjoying the game for its own sake, and was also the means of bringing the members together for social intercourse. In this regard they were fortunate in having the use of the charming little pavilion, which was lent by the Bowling Club. The older members looked to the younger players to win fresh laurels for their clubs. She was very pleased to welcome the guests to their second birthday party. Mrs. Ernest Rowe (president Toowoomba Club) on behalf of the members thanked Mrs. Carmody for her kindly remarks and said they were all pleased to be present and hoped they would help to celebrate many more birthdays. At the president's table were: Mesdames Fryar and McLean (vice-presidents), Miller (captain) and Compagnoni (hon. secretary), Mesdames Rowe (president Toowoomba Club), E. Perkins (captain), and Oswald Booth (hon. secretary). The hostesses included also Mesdames Bullock, A. E. Baker, R. Walsh, Dumigan, Johnson, Marshall, J. Murphy, F. Stuart, Thorburn, C. Villaume, Norman O'Kelly, Misses A. Tolmie, McKinstrey and Rene Fryar, and the guests, in addition to those already mentioned, were Mesdames F. Hodgson, C. Fortescue, Carrel, A. R. Godsall, J. B. Kingsford, Wilson, Harden, Corbett, Mervyn Dines, Isaacs, F. McLeod, Blair, Misses Booth and Connolly.

The article as it was printed in The Toowoomba Chronicle, 14 February 1928. Scan from Trove, National Library of Australia. (Trove, National Library of Australia)