Downs croquet tournament, with West Toowoomba's president as manager

There will be an influx of croquet players from many parts of Queensland into Toowoomba next week for the annual Downs croquet tournament, which will commence on Wednesday. Approximately 220 entries have been received. A welcome will be extended to the visitors at an "at home" which will be given by Mrs. Gerard Boyce, president of the Toowoomba Croquet Club and Downs croquet tournament committee, at her lovely Range home, "Fernside," on Tuesday afternoon. Mrs. J. Gibson (president of the Queensland Croquet Association), who will visit Toowoomba for the tournament, will arrive from Brisbane on Tuesday morning and will stay at The Canberra. Other players who will stay at The Canberra include Mesdames N. Carter, D. Massie, Coulson and G. Martin, and Misses M. Crowther, A. Crowther and C. Clay of the Windsor Croquet Club; Mrs. M. F. Grice (president) and Mesdames A. Hutchinson, J. H. Crawford, N. E. Cloaves and Miss E. Stewart of the South Brisbane Club; Miss M. Hislop (Merthyr Club); Mesdames J. McConachie, E. Cunningham and Moore (Toombul); Mesdames C. Taylor, R. Grinley, A. Selves, W. Hinckfuss, and Misses V. Campbell and E. Collier (East Brisbane); Mrs. L. Maxwell (Warwick); Mesdames A. Campbell, E. Colville and R. H. Craig (Wynnum); Mesdames D. H. Milne and P. Daniels (Graceville); Mrs. A. Whittred (Point Lookout, Maryborough); and Mesdames T. Jack, C. P. Wilson, D. E. Smith, C. R. Bryant, M. Savage, P. Starling, L. Coutts, J. K. Campbell, E. Cramer and C. J. Thompson (Dalby). Other players who will visit Toowoomba for the tournament include Mesdames M. G. Crozier, M. Margetts, E. M. Heslehurst and Francis, and Misses Malling and D. Trail, of Brisbane, and Mesdames E. Huxley, Cunnington and Hoey of the St. Andrew's Croquet Club, Allora. Mrs. A. E. McConachie (president of the West Toowoomba Croquet Club) is manager of the tournament. Mrs. V. Stuart is honorary secretary of the tournament committee, and Mrs. P. S. Priest (president of the Laurel Bank Croquet Club) is the honorary treasurer. Play will take place on the Toowoomba, West Toowoomba and Laurel Bank lawns. Last year the Downs croquet tournament was held at Warwick.

The article as it was printed in The Toowoomba Chronicle, 22 April 1949. Scan from Trove, National Library of Australia. (Trove, National Library of Australia)