Glen ‘Paddy’ Crouch in his Queensland blazer outside the Barcaldine Hotel
The year 1927 was a stand-out time in Paddy’s life because he was presented with a cigarette case for being the best back in the Brisbane representative side that toured Barcaldine and Longreach.
More more importantly however, he married Riviera Caswell in October at St Peter’s Anglican Church at Wynnum.
While employed with plumbing firm Savage and Company, Paddy worked on copper plating the large dome of the Brisbane City Hall.
Fortunately for him, when the Great Depression struck Paddy was able to gain permanent employment with the Brisbane City Council through contacts that he had made during the dome job.
He always said that when work was scarce it helped a lot if you were a well known footballer. Paddy remained with the Greater Brisbane City Council until his retirement aged 65.
During the Depression, Paddy also played in a mid-week competition sponsored by commercial firms. He played for Newstead Homes. The competition provided free entertainment for the unemployed and workers alike.
The Queensland Rugby League suspended all representative matches during World War II, thus district competitions became the centre of sporting interest and newspaper reporting.
Paddy’s local club was the Fisherman’s Rugby League Club in the Wynnum District Competition. As he aged, Paddy became coach and later one of the club’s selectors.
In 1940, the team that Paddy coached won the Geraghty Cup, which was the top prize for Brisbane clubs outside the senior competition. Paddy was particularly pleased that two Aborigines namely Archie Newfong and Bill Delaney were members of the winning team. Paddy’s younger brother Bob Crouch was also in the team.
In the same year, Archie Newfong also won the Queensland middle weight boxing championship.
When the senior Brisbane competition expanded in 1951 to include the Wynnum-Manly Club, Paddy was appointed a selector. He had been one of the founders of the club.
Although Paddy Crouch achieved many sporting awards his greatest pleasure was his involvement with his four children and nine grandchildren.
He died at the Princess Alexandra Hospital on September 16, 1987.
Story Source: David Huggonson through the Redlands Times, September 1987.
Photo Source: The Crouch Family Family Collection
