Q: Why was croquet so popular in Victorian culture?
A: Victorian croquet was as much a social ritual as a game, and that is a big part of why it caught on so fast. It gave men and women a respectable reason to spend time together outdoors, which was unusually relaxed for the period.
Why it suited Victorian life
Croquet fitted the Victorian taste for polite leisure: it was played on lawns, needed little equipment, and did not demand much physical strength, so it was seen as suitable for women and girls as well as men. Because the game was gentle and social rather than rough or athletic, it became popular at garden parties and private houses