Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Club look back at success on and off the lawns
Croquet
Canterbury Croquet Club can look back at 2018 as a year of achievement, says its chairman.
Not only did it have excellent new lawns and a new clubhouse but it had achieved success in external competitions and increased its membership, Henry Bryant told the club’s annual meeting at Polo Farm.
He congratulated Judy Sturrock and her golf croquet team on winning the Southern Challenge Division Two championship, resulting in their return to Division One after only one season.
Canterbury had been praised in the national Croquet Gazette for its hosting of the national Kate Jones Memorial Trophy competed for by top players from around the country.
Another highlight was the national one-ball tournament run by Jonathan Lamb and won by former world champion Stephen Mulliner.
The club approved an updated development plan prepared by past chairman Barry Sales.
Thanks to recruiting campaigns the club now had more than 40 members but it needed at least 75 to ensure financial stability, said Mr Sales.
The 2019 committee is: chairman, Henry Bryant; vicechairman, Frank Hughes; secretary, Roger Loram; treasurer, David Buckman; golf croquet captain Judy Sturrock; association croquet captain, Jonathan Lamb; Debbie Buckman, Stephen Barber. n At a social gathering past chairman Barry Sales was presented with a David Austin rose in appreciation of his service to the club.
When Polo Farm sold the club’s lawns to make way for the Polo Field housing development, Mr Sales led the often fraught negotiations that resulted in the club finally being offered its present lawns.
Chairman Henry Bryant presented internal competition cups to Jeremy St John, golf handicap league; Judy Sturrock, golf monthly medal; Lois Sales, association 26pt league; Heather Bryant, golf level play league. Most improved players, John Millen, association, and Stephen Barber, golf, were unable to attend.