This is a photo from last week when I went on photowalk to Highfields Park in the grounds of Nottingham University and stumbled upon the British Open Championship Croquet Championship, taking place at the Nottingham Croquet Club.
The club is a private members club, the lawns are in the grounds Highfields Park, a public green space maintained by the city council. The club has its own gardeners to maintain the beautiful lawns.
I walked into the grounds of the club and started watching a game, although I had no idea what was going on ! I stood near two spectators and asked if it was OK to take photos. “Yes of course it is”
I then had a long chat with two of the members of the club, they tried explaining the rules but by their own admittance, “they are quite complicated”
We discussed the quality of the lawns (excellent btw), croquet mallets (they come in various weights, lengths and prices and can be bought online, from the Croquet magazine or from a specialist shop in Cheltenham), the length of the season (April to October), the gardeners, the players on view (the current world champion was playing on one lawn) and my photography.
After a long chat, I asked the two ladies for a photo for my street strangers. They agreed without hesitation.
“Can you move a little closer?”
“I think I need to go a little wider”
Roars of laughter, at which point I click the shutter !
“Are you saying we are fat?”
“No, No , No, I’d zoomed in too much, I need to shoot at a slightly wider angle !”
Laughter still continues
“Do you mind moving over to the bushes, I can see buses and trucks passing down the boulevard in the background”
More laughter continues
“I’m Phil, I shake their hands”
“Cathy and Peggy”
“Cathy with a K?”
“With a C”
“Ahh right Cathy with a C and Peggy the blonde, I will remember that. You are blonde Peggy? It’s not white is it?”
More laughter, “ I am blonde”
Cathy and Peggy have been friends at the club for about 7 years and became instant bessie mates.
That was it, I thanked the ladies for their time and allowing me to take their photo
Fav. You caught them at the right time. I was smiling all through your narrative while watching their laughing faces. I like to see happy people enjoying a laugh.
There is something about this one, in knowing where you were again, we drive past along uni boulevard many times a week and saw the signs advertising the championships, that just brought a smile to my face.
