Summary

Description of the Quoits team at Sunshine Harvester Works.

'Walk through the factory at lunch-time and you'll never be out of earshot of a game in progress'
(Sunshine Review, June 1945)

A game of quoits was a popular lunchtime event at Sunshine Harvester Works. Workers revived the much-loved game in 1944 as different departments competed against one another in a midday tournament. By 1945 there were 29 teams participating in the inter-departmental games. Charlie Stonehouse, from the Maintenance Department, became an experienced quoit-maker using rope. His quoits were often used during the lunchtime competitions. A tournament was also held in the evenings.

The Sunshine Harvester Works Quoits Club entered local competitions and was hugely successful. The group went on to win the Australasian Rope Quoits Championship in 1948, beating 20 other teams. Former workers recall feeling honoured when selected to join the club.

The company's quoits players held an annual smoke-night at Hampshire House. Trophies were handed out to winners and runners-up of the inter-departmental competition. The trophies were donated by Headlie Taylor and Bill Troon, the latter was an active participant in quoits matches.

References
Sunshine Review 1945 'Quoits Club', vol. 2, no. 3, pp.7.
Sunshine Review 1950, 'Quoits Club', no. 9, pp.15.
Sunshine Review 1952, 'Quoits', no. 18, pp.23.
Norm Gooding and Ken Porter (former Sunshine Harvester Works employees), personal recollections held at Museum Victoria, September 2002, April 2004 and April 2005.

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