Women's croquet in Australia
Encyclopedia
While not being urged to avoid competition, women had few opportunities to compete in sport in Australia until the 1880s. After that date, new sporting facilities were being built around the country and many new sport clubs were created. The sport of croquet was being played by Australian women as early as 1881 in Queensland. The sport was viewed as acceptable because it was not seen as an overly competitive one. Tournaments were held for female enthusiasts of the sport. These tournaments were events at which to socialise, where refreshments and cakes were sold. One of the reason women were encouraged to play croquet
, tennis
and golf
during the late 19th century was because it was scene as beneficial to their health. These sports were also seen as passive, non-aggressive and non-threatening to the period's concepts of masculinity and femininity.
In Australia and Queensland
's early colonial history, tennis
and croquet
were acceptable sports for society women to participate in. During that period, women wore big hats and dresses that covered their arms and legs. The sport became a popular one for women around 1890. There were organised competitions for women at All Hallows Convent in Queensland during the 1920s.
By the 1910s, there were many women playing that sport manufacturers began to see the power of creating advertising specifically targeting them. Ads for women's golf
, tennis
and croquet appeared in such publications as the Bulletin and the Brisbane Girls' Grammar Magazine.
In 1940, a study of 314 women in New Zealand and Australia was done. Most of the women in the study were middle class, conservative, Protestant and white. The study found that 183 participated in sport. The sixth most popular sport that these women participated in was croquet, with 9 having played the sport.
Australian women's sports had an advantage over many other women's sport organisations around the world in the period after World War II
. Women's sport organisations had largely remained intact and were holding competitions during the war period. This structure survived in the post war period. Women's sport were not hurt because of food rationing, petrol rationing, population disbursement, and other issues facing post-war Europe.
Croquet
Croquet is a lawn game, played both as a recreational pastime and as a competitive sport. It involves hitting plastic or wooden balls with a mallet through hoops embedded into the grass playing court.-History:...
, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
and golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
during the late 19th century was because it was scene as beneficial to their health. These sports were also seen as passive, non-aggressive and non-threatening to the period's concepts of masculinity and femininity.
In Australia and Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
's early colonial history, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
and croquet
Croquet
Croquet is a lawn game, played both as a recreational pastime and as a competitive sport. It involves hitting plastic or wooden balls with a mallet through hoops embedded into the grass playing court.-History:...
were acceptable sports for society women to participate in. During that period, women wore big hats and dresses that covered their arms and legs. The sport became a popular one for women around 1890. There were organised competitions for women at All Hallows Convent in Queensland during the 1920s.
By the 1910s, there were many women playing that sport manufacturers began to see the power of creating advertising specifically targeting them. Ads for women's golf
Women's golf in Australia
While not being urged to avoid competition, women had few opportunities to compete in sport in Australia until the 1880s. After that date, new sporting facilities were being built around the country and many new sport clubs were created. One of the reasons women were encouraged to play croquet,...
, tennis
Women's tennis in Australia
While not being urged to avoid competition, women had few opportunities to compete in sport in Australia until the 1880s. After that date, new sporting facilities were being built around the country and many new sport clubs were created. One of the reason women were encouraged to play croquet,...
and croquet appeared in such publications as the Bulletin and the Brisbane Girls' Grammar Magazine.
In 1940, a study of 314 women in New Zealand and Australia was done. Most of the women in the study were middle class, conservative, Protestant and white. The study found that 183 participated in sport. The sixth most popular sport that these women participated in was croquet, with 9 having played the sport.
Australian women's sports had an advantage over many other women's sport organisations around the world in the period after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Women's sport organisations had largely remained intact and were holding competitions during the war period. This structure survived in the post war period. Women's sport were not hurt because of food rationing, petrol rationing, population disbursement, and other issues facing post-war Europe.
See also
- Netball in AustraliaNetball in AustraliaNetball is the most popular women's team participation sport in Australia. In 1985, there were 347,000 players. In 1995, there were over 360,000 Australian netball players. Throughout most of Australia's netball history, the game has largely been a participation sport; it has not managed to become...
- Women's association football in AustraliaWomen's association football in AustraliaIn Australia, there are over 60,000 registered women's soccer players.Unless specified otherwise, all statistics and references refer exclusively to women.Association football, football and soccer are used interchangeably in this article.-History:...
- Women's field hockey in AustraliaWomen's field hockey in AustraliaField hockey has been played by women in Australia since 1901. By 1907, there were clubs in several states including New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, and Victoria. Women's field hockey was eventually represented by the Australian Institute of Sport, though the amount of support it...