United Croquet Club

120 Years of the United Croquet Club was celebrated on 26 July 2025 with cake and champagne at the clubrooms. Our Patron Roger Murfitt said a few words and Marlene Smith, our oldest member, cut the cake.

Below is a snapshot of the history of the United Croquet Club taken from the book “United Bowling, Tennis and Croquet Club 1905-2005”, edited by Peter J Oaks. This book can be borrowed from our library.

The 1873 minutes of the Canterbury Board referred to the already established archery and croquet clubs. A couple of years later the Board considered a request from the Archery and Croquet Clubs to be allowed to use a piece of ground within the domain and were offered a piece of land to the rear of the museum.

At the Canterbury Board meeting on 10 April 1905 consideration was given to a request from Croquet, Bowls and Tennis to lease combined grounds and on 12 June 1905 permission was granted to use three and a half acres in the north park, an area bounded by Riccarton Avenue and the Wellingtonias. Two bowls, two croquet and six tennis courts were laid out. This was the start of the United Clubs.

A pavilion for the use of the three clubs was built in around 1906. By 1919 the leased area had expanded to six acres. In 1959 the three clubs went their separate ways, the United Croquet Club become an Incorporated Society on 19 October 1959.

The pavilion continued to be managed by a combined committee. Christchurch City Council minutes of 30 August 1977 discussed the problem of the pavilion, which was extremely dilapidated, unsound and infected with borer; the clubs were left to decide its future. On 1 July 1979 the pavilion was burnt down, much equipment and many records and memorabilia were lost. Two new clubrooms were built in 1983, the Bowls-Croquet clubroom was opened on 17 September 1983; the croquet part of the clubroom was extended in 2002.

The Maud Trainor tournament was held on the four Fridays in February at United Croquet Club.  

Lena Metcalf, United, was the winner, with having lost only one of her eight games. 

Runner up was John Yarrall, (United)  winning four and drawing one of his six games.
The next five were very tight with Annette Wilson (Hornby) and Stewart Read (United) both winning five and drawing one of their eight games to take third place.

It was really good to see that everyone who played won at least one game.
Of the 26 who enrolled we had between 18 and 22 people playing each day with illnesses, other engagements and even a funeral precluding play. Thank you to all the participants for entering and making this year’s competition a success.

With just a short, light drizzle on day one the whether was kind to us with light cloud and light winds ensuring that it was not too hot.

Our thanks to Tony O’Donnell for his superb management (and wonderful morning teas!).

Also, thank you to our sponsor Margaret Stoddart Retirement Village (Ryman Healthcare)

The CCA GC Advantage Singles were held on Sunday 22 September 2024. This year the field was split into handicaps -6 to 6 and 7 to 14.

Play started at 8:30am and in the 7 to 14 group at Fendalton block play didn’t finish until mid to late afternoon. United’s Betty Inglewood, in the 7 to 14 handicap group, won her semi-final game and met Robin Lloyd from St James Park in the final.

Both players played well with some good hoops being run, the final hoop was the 15^th hoop. By then it was dark so play was under torch light, the final score was 7/6 to Robin.

Runner Up – Betty Inglewood with manager Vilna.

Betty lining up her shot under torch light.

Good Luck to UCC members Duncan Dixon, Jason Hodgett and Paul Kaiser who are playing in the Fletcher Sharpe 35 & Under Invitational Tournament at Cooks River Croquet Club, Sydney.

The tournament runs from 25 to 28 April 2024 and results are on https://croquetscores.com/2024/gc/fletcher-sharpe-invitational

You will find our members split between the blue and red blocks along with several players from other Canterbury Clubs. Logan McCorkindale who has spent many hours practising on our lawns is also in the tournament.

The Bev Stechmann tournament played at St Martins on 26 March was limited to 16 doubles playing in two groups – red and blue.

UCC’s Anthea Jamieson and Bev Le Poidevin were second and Betty and Louis Inglewood third in blue group.

The final play off with first in each group was closest to centre post – not the usual first to 7 game.

It was a great day apart from a drenching in the second game.

The 2024 Maud Trainor GC Tournament was closely fought over four Fridays in February.

Congratulations to
the winners Alison Lowe (Cashmere) and Annette Wilson (Hornby) – 1^st equal
and joint runners up Judy Derby and Tony Raper (United)  and Jocelyn Partridge (St Martins)

Once again, we thank the Margaret Stoddart Retirement Village (Ryman Healthcare) for their sponsorship.

United’s Tony Raper and Judy Derby – 2 of the 3 joint runners up with Tony O’Donnell (centre – tournament organiser)

Congratulations to Jill Smithies (runner up) and Carol Pilbrough (3rd) for their placings at the Advantage Singles held on Sunday 24 September. Both Jill and Carol won all their games in the block play and Jill lost her final 6/7 to the winner Terry Green from Rangiora. The results are on Croquet Scores https://croquetscores.com/2023/gc/cca-singles-handicap/finals

Jenny Clarke is playing at the Womens’ GC World Championships, being held at the Sussex County Croquet Club, England from 7th to 14th August 2023.

Find results at https://croquetscores.com/2023/gc/7th-wcf-womens-golf-croquet-world-championship  Jenny is in Block D.

or watch the action at https://www.youtube.com/CroquetEngland

You can see Jenny playing on Day 1, Session 2 at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Tlc33i_rYA&t=2954s

Good luck to UCC member Jenny Clarke and Associate member Logan McCorkindale, who are playing in the 2023 Association Croquet World Championship being held in London from 15 to 23 July.

Details about the championship are on
https://hurlinghamclub.org.uk/hurlingham-home/2023-ac-world-championship

Live streaming is on YouTube, search for Croquet England to find it.

Results are on Croquet Scores
https://croquetscores.com/2023/ac/18th-wcf-association-croquet-world-championship

The 2023 CCA prizegiving was held on Sunday 16 April and United members were busy collecting awards.

Interclub winners were
AC Interclub – Steve Costigan and Betty Hall.
GC Interclub, Division 2 – Denise McLoughlin, Louis Inglewood, Betty Inglewood, Geoff Price.
GC Interclub, Division 3 – Steve Parry, Barbara Parry, Alastair Smithies, Jill Smithies.

Millennium Trophy (GC) winner was United.
This trophy is awarded to the club which, having entered at least three teams in midweek GC interclub competitions, records the highest score from games in the interclub matches, calculated according to the separate Millennium Trophy rules.

AC Interclub winners – Steve Costigan and Betty Hall

GC Division 2 Interclub winners – Denise McLoughlin, Louis Inglewood, Betty Inglewood, Geoff Price

GC Division 3 Interclub winners – Steve Parry, Barbara Parry, Alastair Smithies, Jill Smithies

Millennium Cup – some of Team United.