Members of the WAITEMATA LOCAL BOARD outside the Rob Roy Hotel, Freemans Bay
A NEW ZEALAND FIRST - THE PONSONBY CROQUET CLUB THE EXACT ORIGINS OF CROQUET ARE SHROUDED IN THE mists of time. Some chronicles relate that thirteenth century French peasants first played it using rough-hewn mallets to whack wooden balls through hoops made from willow branches. As with most good things, the upper orders soon appropriated the game and called it “paillle-maille”. Louis XIV was so addicted that when winter descended he had a facsimile miniature lawn set up on an indoor table which evolved into billiards. The game crossed the channel when James VI of Scotland took a set to London. His grandson, Charles II loved the game and because he played in St James Park, a nearby street was named Pall Mall. At French instigation “croquet” eventually supplanted “pall mall”. However apocryphal these and many other like stories, what we do know for certain is that Ponsonby was home to Auckland’s first Croquet Club.
Club saw no advantage in maintaining the Croquet Club area and a motion was passed to ‘regretfully authorise the demise of croquet from the Ponsonby bowling green forever’. Vincent Commarieu manages an IT company on College Hill and some atavism must lurk in his psyche because like his country’s forbears, he loves to whack balls through hoops at the Epsom/Remuera Croquet Club. Now Vince is not a willowy Frenchman with floppy straight hair and chiselled cheekbones. He’s built like a rugby forward and plays his chosen game with similar ferocity, so much so that he was called upon to represent France at the World Croquet Tournament held in Christchurch 2008. Vince belies the commonly held view that croquet is an old person’s game. As does student member of the same club, Hamish McIntosh, who was selected to compete in the 2011 World Tournament held in the UK where he did New Zealand proud.
Local croquet suffragettes pushed for community space to play their Unlike many sports clubs, croquet does not have a drinking culture sport because women were excluded from playing bowls, so at and offers travel opportunities to young players like Hamish, when the 1897 opening of the Ponsonby Bowling Club, it was graciously VINCENT COMMARIEU they begin to excel at the sport. Pool players, and there are plenty announced that croquet lawns would be provided for the use of of them found in Ponsonby pubs, are probably unaware their game members’ wives and daughters! In 1906 the Observer records the ‘recently formed originated in India. During the rainy season croquet players devised an indoor game, Ponsonby Croquet Club opened their lawns which are beautifully situated on high and like Louis XIV’s billiards, it developed into snooker. Those pub players would be well ground on Seymour Street with a lovely view of the harbour. Guests were treated to a advised to consider using their skills on beautiful green grass instead of beer stained dainty afternoon tea contributed by members, which was greatly enjoyed.’ The article baize. Aesthetically the game can’t be beaten, except maybe by golf. The closest club goes on to describe the ladies’ outfits - a white embroidered dress, with a green silk to Ponsonby is Epsom/Remuera on Gillies Avenue that has five magnificent lawns belt and hat etc. surrounded by beautiful trees with a backdrop of high stone walls. Outside rush hours the club can be reached from Ponsonby in under ten minutes. White clothing is no A 1919 Observer article describes the opening day of the club’s new lawns that were longer mandatory and membership fees are modest so it’s a very inexpensive pastime acknowledged as second to none in Auckland. This time a ‘bountiful afternoon tea was that can be played for fun or sport by all ages and genders. served on a table beautifully decorated with Argentine sweet pea and daisies arranged in handsome epergnes and vases’. Once again the feminine attire was formal to say Should this article spark a reader’s interest just get in touch with yours truly at the least. The president must have cut quite a dash in a black and white cheque dress, deir@orcon.net.nz and I will facilitate an introduction to this classy sport enjoyed by black and white striped sports coat, and a black velvet hat. Sadly, in 1918 the Bowling kings of yore. (DEIRDRE ROELANTS) PN
40 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2012
PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)