Annual meeting in the new club house

The annual general meeting of the Toowoomba Croquet club was held in the new club house. The president, Mrs. E. J. Rowe was in the chair. Others present were: Mesdames Isaacs, Corbett, Gaydon, Hooper, Godsall, Dines, Ross, McKinney, Grigg, Grahame, Fortescue, Marshall, Blair, Kingsford, Bridgman, and Booth. Apologies were received from Mesdames Hodgson and Hazard for non attendance.

Mrs. Os. Booth, honorary secretary and treasurer, read her annual report, together with the balance sheet. The report and balance sheet were adopted on the motion of the president, seconded by Mrs. T. W. Isaacs.

We have achieved with commendable success all we have attempted during the year. It was only to be expected, that once the erection of the new club house was proceeded with, the amount of money handled by the club would be far greater than in other year, when works of such magnitude were not undertaken. But who amongst us would have hazarded the opinion, this time last year, that we would have completed the club house for this meeting, and actually handled every penny of the money necessary for the payment of it? The scheme has naturally carried in its train much additional work, but recompense has come from the ready response of members to the president's appeal for funds in her address to you on May 29 of this year.

The membership of the club fluctuates slightly. We started with 27 active and four social members, and terminated with 24 active and three social members, resignations accounting for the difference.

We entered upon our financial year with a credit balance of £52/14/5, £50/18/6 of which was ear marked for the new club house; the balance £1/15/11 belonged to general working expenses account. We end the year with a credit balance of £33/3/8, of which £31/9/ is essentially new club house funds and £1/14/8 "general fund." We have, therefore, lived within our means. As a matter of fact, we are just 1/3 worse off on our working account, than we were 12 months ago. I have no desire to anticipate the captain in her remarks, but if the annual subscription is not raised it will be necessary to organise entertainments, not only for the redemption of loans, but to augment the general working fund. Tea-money, which had fallen last year to £8/18/, has risen to £10/5/6,—an increase of £1/7/6. for the eleven months, as against 12 for the former amount. There is a slight decrease in green fees, which is accounted for by the terminating of our financial year in July, instead of August, as previously. £4/4/6 was received last year. This year we record £4/1/6. Annual subscriptions remain almost stationary. No expense has been spared in connection with the upkeep of the lawns and members will realise that the bulk of general revenue is disbursed through this channel. Last year the amount paid to the green keeper and his casual assistant, including material for top dressing, amounted to £90/5/11. Though members may think the amount exorbitant we have paid within a few pounds a similar amount this year. £81/14/ having been spent. Had the period under review extended the full 12 months, we should have reached the same amount as last year. I would have members take notice of this figure. The balance standing to credit of the club house will be more than absorbed when the final payment is made to the contractor. But new members, recognising that the structure is theirs, have come forward and fallen in line with their older associates and made the necessary loans. At the present time £120 has been paid to the contractor.

I wish to say how deeply I deplore the death of our late member, Mrs. Perkins, whose passing was a great shock to me. I feel, too, that in the loss of Mr. Charles Fortescue, the club has lost a silent friend. I recall many conferences with him and his co-trustees and I desire to record my personal thanks for his sound counsel. I single out these two, because of my close alliance to them in club matters.

My work naturally brings me closely in touch with the president and the captain. Again I say that the members of this club should feel particularly proud of our president. Her conduct of the club's business is an example of how affairs should be conducted, and her social part in the club's life, leaves nothing but the happiest of recollections. It has been a great pleasure to have worked under her. Mrs. Isaacs, as captain, has been a tower of strength to me, and her advice has often been sought and cheerfully given. I thank her and the president for their co-operation. But I would be ungrateful if I did not thank all members who have made my work during the year comparatively light.

I would naturally in my opening remarks make reference to an erstwhile captain of the club, Mrs. Edwin Perkins, whose death occurred during the year. I feel it quite beyond me to express to you in mere words what her loss is to me and what it must be to every member of the club. I am deeply grieved at having to refer to this at our meeting. My sympathy and yours, I am sure, go out to the bereaved ones.

The note of sadness does not, unfortunately, end here; for, by the death of Mr. Charles Fortescue, we lost a wonderful friend and, in this capacity as trustee of the grounds, he rendered us much service. I desire to record our appreciation of his help and our regret at his passing.

We grieve, too, for another of our members, Mrs. Graham, who has suffered during the year in the death of her husband.

Twelve months ago when performing a similar function, I expressed a wish to build during my year of office a new Club House that would be worthy of the name. I think, as a matter of fact, I actually expressed the thought that it would be done and many of you said, "Hear, Hear!" Now we are holding our annual meeting in what, to me, is, so far as croquet clubs are concerned, a beautiful edifice; and I think you are just as proud of it as I am. The job just completed was not a one-woman-job; it was something to be accomplished only by unselfish co-operation without anyone striving for glory—each and everyone of us having a common end in view. We have achieved our goal and in unmistakable manner I express my pleasure and thanks. Members have been more than generous in making voluntary donations in kind towards the Club House and many of these gifts have been productive of considerable revenue. The excellent result on the opening day of the new Club House was due in no small measure to the liberality of individuals, and I thank the donors most heartily.

During the year Mrs. Oakeley resigned her membership of the club owing to the Canon accepting a living at the Cathedral in Brisbane. Members entertained her at an afternoon on the lawns and gratifying things were said of our departing guest. She accepted a small present from the club, but I hardly think she will need anything to remind her of her associations here.

I cannot close without thanking the Toowoomba Bowling Club for their contributions to our success during the year. Their beautiful pavilion has been placed at our disposal on more than one occasion and they have in other ways rendered assistance for which I am deeply grateful.

There is one very important matter I wish to speak about this afternoon—and that is our honorary secretary and treasurer and her work. The members have not the least idea of the amount of work Mrs. Booth has to do in connection with the Toowoomba Croquet Club. She is always ready to help any member whether she is on the lawns or in her home. This year has been a particularly hard year for her, as there was so much extra secretarial work in the building of the club house. I don't think all the members know that the new Club House was our secretary's design, and I am sure she must have felt very elated on the opening day when she heard so many flattering remarks about the lay out of it. I am in a better position to judge than anyone in the club just how much work she has to do in connection with the club. Mrs. Booth has been a wonderful help to me as president and I can assure you all if she had not been our honorary secretary this year we would not be holding our annual meeting in the new Club House. Mrs. Booth has also been ground superintendent during the year, and she must feel very proud of her work, as the lawns are almost perfect and have never been better in the history of the club.

The captain will make reference to our visit to Warwick during the year, and those who took part in the match will scarcely forget the defeat we suffered.

None of us envies the captain, nor are we anxious to displace her. The position calls for much tact and determination and Mrs. Isaac has shown us that she possesses more than the ordinary share of both. On behalf of the club I thank her for her patience and consideration to us all during a very heavy year.

Mrs. Isaacs presented the captain's report.

The election of officers resulted as follows: Patroness, Lady Groom; president, Mrs. E. J. Rowe; vice-presidents, Mesdames F. Hooper and F. Hodgson; captain, Mrs. F. W. Isaacs; treasurer, Mrs. O. S. Booth; committee, Mesdames M. A. Corbett, A. Gaydon, and C. Fortescue. Mrs. Isaacs proposed that Mrs. Os. Booth be again elected honorary secretary for the coming year, which Mrs. Dines seconded. The members expressed their satisfaction, and the motion was carried with a vote of appreciation of her efforts in the past.

Votes of thanks to Mr. E. J. Rowe for auditing the club's books, and to Miss Hely, Press representative, for her reports of the club's social doings during the year, were moved by Mrs. Booth, seconded by Mrs. Fortescue, and carried.

The article as it was printed in The Toowoomba Chronicle, 22 August 1929. Scan from Trove, National Library of Australia. (Trove, National Library of Australia)