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Club History
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Edinburgh Croquet Club was founded in 1950 at a meeting organised by the distinguished author Moray McLaren.  Thirty-five people joined, the annual Subscription was 15/- (75p) and Mr McLaren was elected President, an office he held until his death in 1971.
 
It was through the good offices of Sir Andrew Murray, then Lord Provost that ground at Lauriston Castle was made available for play, at an annual rent of £15.  One lawn was laid out in 1950 with a second added in 1953. Drainage and levelling work was started by the Edinburgh Corporation in 1955 and the area rearranged to provide one full-size and two slightly smaller courts.

The Club has continued at Lauriston Castle since then, though from 1975 to 1982 there was also some play at Morningside Park.

 

In 1956 four members of the touring New Zealand team played exhibition matches (in front of over 60 spectators) and a match against the Club.  In 1959 a Glasgow Club was formed and matches against them began in 1964 (a year in which 20 new members joined). The Club's friendly matches with Norton Hall (then England's most northerly club) began the following year.

 

In 1967 a number of Edinburgh members entered the All-England handicap singles, which that year marked the centenary of the first croquet tournament, and it was Lt-Cdr R.D. Sinclair of the Edinburgh Club who triumphed in the finals at Hurlingham and was presented with the trophy by Her Majesty the Queen.

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All action at the Edinburgh Tournament

 

In 1969 and then from 1972 onwards the Club has run a week-long tournament during the Edinburgh International Festival, initially at Dunfermline College in Cramond but since 1981 at Fettes College. Previously indoor croquet sessions were held during the winter but the original venue for these, at Balgreen, became unavailable in 2001, and an alternative venue in Portobello proved less convenient, so this facility ceased in 2004.

 

With around 60 members, Edinburgh is one of the largest clubs in Scotland.

Attendances on Saturday afternoons sometimes exceed 20, and smaller numbers play at other times during the week. The annual coaching course for beginners continues to be popular and to attract new players to the game.

 

There has always been a good proportion of members who prefer not to be too competitive but who simply get a great deal of pleasure from playing their croquet in really magnificent surroundings, with Lauriston Castle on one side and on the other an open vista to the Forth and Fife. But over the years the Club has also helped develop many fine players.

 

The Club had been aware for some years of the need to improve its lawns two of which were on a slope. Recent work has created two level full-size courts (the third remaining slightly narrow and sloping).

 

 

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2007 Short Croquet Tournament in progress at Lauriston Castle

Club Competitions

 

For more information about the Competitions please see the Club Competitions and Tournaments page

Open Singles (Lauriston Cup)
Handicap Singles (Handicap Singles Trophy)
Veterans’ Handicap Singles (C.J. Tait Trophy - Veterans Cup)

1996 Andy Campbell

1997 Andy Campbell

1998 Brian Durward

1999 Andy Campbell

2000 Andy Campbell

2001 Stuart McKendrick

2002 Stuart McKendrick

2003 Stuart McKendrick

2004 Fergus McInnes

2005 Fergus McInnes

2006 Alan Wilson

2007 Alan Wilson

1980 V.M. McPherson

1981 A.G.M. Hunter

1982 A.G.M. Hunter

1983 N.G. Hyne

1984 N.G. Hyne

1985 G. Anderson

1986 A.M. Ramsay

1987 Fred Mann

1988 Malcolm O’Connell

1989 Fred Mann

1990 Andy Campbell

1991 Andy Campbell

1992 Andy Campbell

1993 D. Farmer

1994 D. Farmer

1995 Stuart McKendrick

1996 Stuart McKendrick

1997 Brian Durward

1998 Fergus McInnes

1999 Campbell Morrison

2000 Campbell Morrison

2001 Stuart McKendrick

2002 John Clark

2003 Graham Brooks

2004 Alan Wilson

2005 Graham Brooks

2006 John Clark

2007 Jamie Edgar

1980 Mona Wright

1981 J.C. McCulloch

1982 L.J. Fotheringham

1983 V.M. McPherson

1984 M.R. Fotheringham

1985 M.R. Fotheringham

1986 M.R. Fotheringham

1987 A. Nisbet

1988 Ian Wright

1989 Basil Townsend

1990 A. Nisbet

1991 Donald Lamont

1992 Ian Wright

1993 Mona Wright

1994 Nigel Gardner

1995 Fred Mann

1996 Pat McCann

1997 Donald Lamont

1998 Donald Lamont

1999 Donald Lamont

2000 Alex Coull

2001 Ian Wright

2002 Alex Coull

2003 Allan Hawke

2004 Allan Hawke

2005 Alex Coull

2006 Ruth Goudie

2007 Alex Coull

Full Bisque Handicap Singles (Basil Townsend Trophy)
Champion of Champions (Golden Jubilee Trophy)
Sunday League (Pat McCann Trophy)

1996 Brian Durward

1997 Stella McCraw

1998 John Seddon

1999 Alex Coull

2000 Alan Wilson

2001 John Clark

2002 Joyce Buckler

2003 Allan Hawke

2004 Joe Henderson

2005 Joe Henderson

2006 Jamie Edgar

2007 Jamie Edgar

2001 Campbell Morrison

2002 Stuart McKendrick

2003 John Clark

2004 Allan Hawke

2005 Allan Hawke

2006 Fergus McInnes

2007 Jamie Edgar

1997 Pat McCann

1998 Joe Henderson

1999 Joe Henderson

2000 Joe Henderson

2001 John Clark

2002 Evelyn Mackenzie

2003 John Clark

2004 Allan Hawke

2005 not contested

2006 Seonaidh Edgar

2007 Seonaidh Edgar

Handicap Doubles (Lamont & Elliott Cups)
Golf Croquet (C.J. Tait Salver)

1999 Ruth Goudie & Mattie Meiklejohn

2000 Ruth Goudie & Mattie Meiklejohn

2001 Ian Wright & Tom Tait

2002 Fred Mann & Evelyn Mackenzie

2003 John Clark & Sheila Tibbels

2004 John Clark & Sheila Tibbels

2005 John Clark & Sheila Tibbels

2006 Jamie Edgar & Sheila Tibbels
2007 John Clark & Sheila Tibbels

1996 Eileen Coull

1997 Betty Blaikie

1998 Stella McCraw

1999 Alex Coull

2000 Andy Campbell

2001 Joe Henderson

2002 Alex Cowie

2003 Joe Henderson

2004 Joe Henderson

2005 Joe Henderson

2006 Ian Wright
2007 Ian Wright

Club Tournaments

 

For more information about the Tournaments please see the Club Competitions and Tournaments page.

Lauriston Ells
Fun Doubles (Harold Wright Rosebowls)

1993 Eileen MacArthur & Betty Blaikie

1994 Joyce Buckler & M. Ivey

1995 John Seddon & L. Munro

1996 George Delday & Eileen Jack

1997 Morag Stewart & Deborah Adlam

1998 Gordon Brown

1999 Margaret Murray

2000 Godfrey Corfield

2001 Joanne Campbell

2002 Margaret Irvine & Annette Patterson

2003 Alix Middleton & Jason Wardley

2004 not contested

2005 Jamie Edgar

2006 Winifred Wyse

2007 Robert Darling & Hamish Duguid

1985 Ian Wright & J. Macadam

1986 Nigel Gardner & K.J. Coull

1987 Ian Wright & R.A. Baker

1988 Eileen Coull & J.S. Morriosn

1989 Stuart McKendrick & John Blaikie

1990 Marjorie Elliott & Eileen Coull

1991 Donald Lamont & Ruth Goudie

1992 D. Farmer & John Blaikie

1993 Joyce Cowie & P. Smith

1994 S. Dallest & Joyce Cowie

1995 Betty Blaikie & J. Murdoch

1996 Ruth Goudie & Peggy Bartlett

1997 Betty Blaikie & Joyce Buckler

1998 Betty Blaikie & Sheila Crearie

1999 Donald Lamont & Peggy Bartlett

2000 Mark Elliot & Peggy Bartlett

2001 Fergus McInnes & Morven Cross

2002 Graham Brooks & Morven Cross

2003 John Dewar & Morven Cross

2004 Alex Coull & Joe Henderson

2005 Ruth Goudie & Margaret McBride

2006 Ian Wright and Winifred Wyse

2007 Marjorie Elliott & Fiona Stewart

Short Croquet Tournament (John Blaikie Cup)
End of Season 18+ Tournament (Adam Cup)
Stuart McKendrick Memorial Trophy

1995 Marjorie Elliott

1996 Alex Coull

1997 Patrick McCann

1998 Fergus McInnes

1999 Joe Henderson

2000 Alan Wilson

2001 John Clark

2002 Allan Hawke

2003 Allan Hawke

2004 not contested

2005 Peggy Bartlett

2006 Joyce Buckler
2007 Sheila Tibbels

1988 K. Pickles & K.J. Coull

1989 Stuart McKendrick

1990 B. Baird

1991 Ruth Goudie

1992 Mona Wright

1993 Mona Wright

1994 Joe Henderson

1995 Mona Wright

1996 Stella McCraw

1997 Sheila Crearie

1998 Sheila Crearie

1999 Sheila Crearie

2000 Mattie Meiklejohn

2001 Bob Cross

2002 Joe Henderson

2003 Joe Henderson

2004 Joe Henderson

2005 Evelyn Mackenzie

2006 Morven Cross
2007 Hamish Duguid

2004 Peggy Bartlett

2005 Not contested

2006 Sheila Tibbels

2007 Janice Duguid

Most Improved Player (Adam Plate)

In the gift of the Committee

1996 Brian Durward

1997 Brian Durward

1998 Stuart McKendrick

1999 Geoff Caldwell

2000 Campbell Morrison

2001 Stuart McKendrick

2002 Nigel Gardner

2003 Fergus McInnes

2004 Allan Hawke

2005 Bob Cross

2006 Seonaidh Edgar

2007 Campbell Morrison

Edinburgh Midweek Tournament (Donald Lamont Trophy)

This tournament is open to non-members, but is restricted to players whose handicap has never been below 16.  Edinburgh Croquet Club members shown in blue.

 

1996 Nigel Gardner

1997 Donald Lamont

1998 Alex Coull

1999 Alex Cowie

2000 Sheila Crearie

2001 Mattie Meiklejohn

2002 Allan Hawke

2003 Peggy Bartlett

2004 Joe Henderson

2005 Morven Cross

2006 Morven Cross

2007 Morven Wardley

 
For more information about the Tournament please see the Edinburgh Tournament page.
 
The tables below list the previous winners of the various events.  Members of the Edinburgh Croquet Club are shown in blue.

Event 1: Open Singles (Cramond Cup)
Event 2: Handicap  Singles (4+) (Ian H. Wright Trophy)