Croquet at Budleigh Salterton A short history of the Budleigh Salterton Croquet club by Roger Bowen. Although the Croquet Association was formed in 1897 there were many croquet clubs well before this time. The famous Wimbledon Croquet Club was in existence in 1870 some time before the invention of lawn tennis. Lawn tennis developed rapidly in popularity from the start. Its attraction was that it could be played on equal terms by both men and women and it was not long before many large gardens found space for a lawn tennis court. There is some doubt about the origins of the game of croquet. It was probably introduced, in its modern form, into England from Ireland some time after 1850. It was not so frantic as the outdoor game of battledore and shuttlecock and it could be played by people in formal dress without loss of dignity. Croquet seemed tame when compared with the new energetic sport of lawn tennis. By 1878 Ladies were quite prepared to hitch up their skirts and energetically swing a racquet. If you had no garden court, you joined a club. If you lived in Budleigh Salterton you could join the Archery and Croquet Club, probably founded before 1868 though certainly in full swing for croquet by 1872, located on the plateau at the top of the hill opposite the cricket ground where, for the sum of 10/- annually you could enjoy both archery and croquet. The influential landowner in East Devon was the Hon. Mark Rolle, eldest son of Lord Clinton, who let two fields of 3 acres to Mr Harwood who in turn let them to the club for the sum of £4 annually. By 1872 the club rented the fields directly from the Rolle Estate whilst Mr Harwood was given the tenancy of Frogmore Meadow in East Budleigh in exchange. The Hon. Mark Rolle also presented building materials worth £12 to the club so that by 1870 there was also a pavilion or shelter measuring 20 ft by 5 ft. Croquet in its full form requires a court equal to two tennis courts so, taken together with the archery ground, full use was made of all 3 acres. Much more land would be required by the time the club reached the heyday of its activities during the 1920s. The entrance to the club was in Cricket Field Lane opposite the Cricket Club (now the Games Club). By 1878 the first of three tennis courts were established at the club. There was also croquet and the photograph of 1879 shows a group standing beside a croquet court equipped with the standard round-topped hoops of the time. In April 1884 the club already had a groundsman, Matthew Davey, who for 2/6 for each working day became "caretaker of the grounds". General J E Goodwyn, the club treasurer, engaged him to serve the "Budleigh Salterton Archery, Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club", as it was then known. The first reference to a tennis tournament occurs in a letter dated 8th September 1884 from the Rolle Estate Agent to Dr. Brushfield about subscriptions to the tournament, to say that the prizes had been carried off by visitors "....which was a very good advertisement for the place....". Mr Lipscomb was both the Rolle Estate Agent and a member of the club. General Goodwyn C.B. was the first recorded Chairman (President) of the club in 1885 and he had a committee of 8 men and 9 ladies. The accounts of the year showed income of £43 and a surplus of £9 that was earmarked for a new mower. The income included £1-10-0 for winter grazing which was the way the courts were cut in winter. In 1887 bowls was added as an additional sport. The record for 1888 shows that smoking was not allowed in or near the pavilion. No children under 14 could become members and, indeed, were not allowed in the grounds at all unless accompanied by an adult. Dogs were not allowed in the grounds on pain 1 of a 1/- fine for the first offence and 2/- thereafter. There was an archery secretary and Mondays were the important days since only scores achieved and recorded on a Monday qualified for archery prizes. Tennis players provided their own "bats" and balls, croquet players their own mallets but bowlers enjoyed the use of club bowls. There were about 100 members in 1888. In those days there were no houses north of Upper West Terrace and the railway had not been built though it was in the process of planning. Cricket Field Lane continued through to Greenway Lane. There was no Station Road or Upper Stoneborough Lane. At the AGM in 1889 it was proposed to plan a new "£100 pavilion", presumably a standard article, which would cost £50 to erect and members set about raising the funds. There were two plays put on in the town's Public Rooms by club members one entitled "Alone" and another "Area Belle" which raised £10 towards the target. In 1890 the pavilion was finally built at a cost of £66-8-0 though materials were once again donated by the ever generous Rolle Estate. This building is the present "Lower Pavilion" but without verandah or the tournament office. The bowls room was then the new "Tool Shed". Home rule was the political topic of the time when, in 1893, the club's main activity was the new and rapidly growing sport of lawn tennis. It had acquired a new pavilion and it had a new groundsman, Staddon, who was paid the sum of 18/-per week. As a concession he was allowed to use the horse, cart and horse-mower to cut and roll the cricket field provided he completed this before breakfast. By now the club had changed to be the "Budleigh Salterton, Archery, Bowls, Croquet & Lawn Tennis Club". The club decided to affiliate to the Lawn Tennis Association with the object of arranging home and away tennis matches with neighbouring clubs. During 1897 fixtures were arranged with Victoria Park, Exeter, Exmouth, Dawlish, Seaton and Honiton, Sidmouth and Torquay. Staddon was to get 9/- per week in the winter months when he was not so busy. In May 1896 there were three full croquet courts and 5 tennis courts. Outdoor badminton had fizzled out and archery had probably ceased. The first open croquet tournament took place and was a great success. It was one of the first open croquet tournaments held anywhere in the country. Appropriately it was won by Mrs T.C.G.Evans who was the player to beat in those days and she received a small broach-like shield to mark the occasion. To coincide with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee on June 22 in 1897 the railway came to Budleigh Salterton from Tipton St. John and the population of the town rejoiced greatly. The club held a bicycle gymkhana and raised £16. Stadden looked after the pony that pulled the court mower and cart. His harness cost £3-12-0 and his food for the year cost 16/6. The winner of the open croquet tournament in 1898 was Miss Lily Gower who was an exponent of the four ball break. She described her system in Arthur Lilley's book "Croquet up to Date" published in 1900. The railway made Budleigh Salterton easy to get to, though the link with Exmouth was still some years away. There were 100 club members. The Madists were defeated finally after the battle of Omdurman in September, the Empire flourished and Budleigh Salterton was the place soldiers and diplomats came to rest and retire. Of course they joined their wives at the fashionable croquet club. In 1899, as the Boer war started, the club's name became the "Budleigh Salterton Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club". Gentlemen were requested by the committee not to smoke in the pavilion or when playing tennis with ladies. Dogs were only to be brought into the grounds if 2 chained up. France won the Olympic gold medal for croquet in 1900 - the only occasion when they have been internationally successful despite the French-sounding origin of the name. Queen Victoria died in January 1901. The club increased in size again. Staddon was 1 admonished in 1903 for slow work. Club croquet was limited to 1 /2 hours per game when there were many waiting. Open tournaments supported by the Croquet Association were very successful. In 1904 Staddon resigned, having taken his admonition to heart and was replaced by Gosling at 18/- per week. Dogs were now definitely not permitted in the grounds. Subscriptions were 15/- annually. Club members put on two plays, " Browne with an ‘e’ " and " Who shall win him? ". A new pony arrived at the club in 1904 and Gosling was replaced by Walley who came for 18/- per week. Palmers, the builders, made many useful additions to the changing rooms and lavatories siting the new buildings close to the entrance to the club in Cricket Field Lane. All this work was paid for by the Hon. Mark Rolle. Walley departed and was replaced by Creasey. The Hon. Mark Rolle gave £60 towards the new building work. Tea was served on every day in the summer. Players wishing to enter the August open tournament in 1907 could do so in the "B" class provided they were not over 7 bisques. There were now 4 full croquet courts mowed by a pony whose food cost £7-15-0 and his lawn boots £1-10-0. In 1907 the Hon.