First Steps:
The CA Development Scheme & the Development Officers
One of the direct consequences of the Croquet Association's Development Scheme from 1970 to 1976 was the foundation in 1973 of two "federations" of croquet clubs - in the West Midlands and the North West of England. The idea was that by banding together, the clubs in each of these areas would share money, resources and expertise to the advantage of everyone in their respective regions. Inter-club and inter-federation matches could be organised by these federations; coaching, croquet demonstrations, recruitment drives and the like could be supported. The aim was more and better croquet.

The establishment of the Development Scheme that had made the federations possible had been bitterly opposed. Elements within the croquet world had seen anything to do with "development" as a threat to what they regarded as the unchanging order of things, with which they felt comfortable. The then editor, Brian Lloyd-Pratt, had attacked the scheme in the Croquet Gazette. He wrote: "If the Croquet World sells out to vague 'progressive' fantasies it will find it has sold its birthright for a mess of unpalatable egalitarian pottage".

Nonetheless, in the teeth of such reactionary views, the CA had gone ahead and accepted the Central Council For Physical Recreation (later, The Sports Council, then Sport England) grant which would fund the Scheme. They appointed two Development Officers, Liz Neal and Barbara Meachem, at a fee of £250 each plus expenses, including a "101/2d" (about 4p) per mile petrol allowance. They were later called by Brian Lloyd-Pratt "Two Ladies of little importance". One (Liz) was to work primarily in the West Midlands and the other (Barbara) in the NorthWest, although it was never as clear cut as that.

Their brief, partly produced by Roger Bray, was first to sort out the CA membership, and second to find out which of the clubs on the CA's books actually existed. Further than that, they had the job of starting new clubs, and bringing existing clubs into contact with each other, which was where the idea of federations came into the picture.

The Founding of the North West Federation
We were the second federation to be founded. West Midlands preceded us by a month. At the time there were only four croquet clubs in the North West - Bowdon, Ellesmere, Southport and Radbroke Hall. The first three had been struggling, but were beginning to turn the corner by the time Barbara and Liz started to make contact, thanks to the efforts of a few local zealots such as Ena and May Hawkins at Southport; Alix Fotiadi at Bowdon; Neil Williams at both; Nell Tyldesley at Ellesmere and Bowdon. The timing of the Development Scheme could not have been better from their point of view. The two Development Officers brought much-needed practical support as well as fresh thinking. At Radbroke Hall, Barry Keen, Peter Bowler, Eddie Bell, John Rose and others were keen to co-operate with the long-established clubs.

At 2.30pm on Saturday, 31 March, 1973, eight people gathered round a table at the Ellesmere clubhouse (it was the only centrally-heated clubhouse in the north west) to inaugurate the North West Federation of Croquet Clubs: Mrs Tyldesley and Mrs Christie (Ellesmere); Mr N.Williams (Bowdon); Mr E. Halliwell (Southport); Mr B.Keen and Mr P.Bowler (Radbroke); Dr.B.Sandiford (Lytham StAnne's, even though the club was not then in operation); Mrs B.Meachem (CA). Neil Williams was elected Chairman, Peter Bowler Hon. Secretary. The main business was to establish the name and aims of the federation, to agree the production of a publicity leaflet and to form a North West League. The first official Spring Meeting was planned for April 29 at the same venue.

The First Two Seasons (1973 and 1974)
The leaflet duly appeared, containing a calendar of events - Handicap American tournaments at Bowdon (a club CA event) and Radbroke Hall; croquet demonstrations at Ellesmere and Southport. A constitution was agreed. The League fixtures were played, Ellesmere emerging as the first League Champions. At the end of the season, both Development Officers came to the Autumn meeting, when we learnt that, owing to Barclay's Bank having taken over Radbroke Hall, the croquet players there had joined the Daten Sports Club at Culcheth, which thus became the first new club to join the federation.

The CA had presented a silver "Sweet dish" for the winner of a friendly match between the North West and the West Midlands federations. The match had been won by the North West.

In 1974, Ellesmere again won the League, and at the end-of-season meeting on November 9, 1974, Neil Williams, in his final act as Chairman (he was moving north to Cumbria, where there was then no croquet), announced that in 1975 Bowdon would be holding an official CA weekend tournament over the August Bank Holiday. He saw this, the Minutes tell us, as a first step in the re-establishment of the Northern Championships, not held since the Second World War.

Can You Help?
It would be good to carry on this history of the North West Federation. Which club was next to join? (Was it Pendle? - We have information about the federation taking a lead in an attempt to found a club there.) But records are thin on the ground about subsequent developments. Club secretaries will have Minute Books, so we can establish when clubs came into existence and the circumstances in which they did so. We can also find out when they joined the federation.

If you can contribute material from your own club, please contact Tony Thomas, (07841 538 676)

You can read the History of Chester Club on their webpage - more

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