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History
By Tony and Jennifer Bath ( to1979)
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At about the time before The Great War, the Parent Club ran Concerts
to assist finance the Club's development. These Concerts were staged
at St. Paul's Institute, Station Road. On the outbreak of War in
1914 the Concerts were held to raise much needed funds for the
Roseneath Voluntary Hospital. Associated in the same object, were
the 'Grange' Ladies Hockey Club, the forerunners of the Women's
Hockey Section of today. As the 'Grange Concert Party' they
entertained throughout the war years with much success contributing
not only to Roseneath but also to Grovelands Military Hospital.
The Grange Ladies Hockey Club drew a good many of its members
from Bowes Park and Palmers Green. From a report in The Sentinel of
1915, it is said they had just completed their sixth season, which
indicates a start of the Club in Season 1909/10. They first played
at Durnsford Road, Bowes Park before coming to Winchmore Hill just
before the Great War.
The four years 1919 to 1922 contain important landmarks in the
Club's development. In addition to the establishment of the two
Winter Sections of Football and Ladies Hockey, thereby completing
the constitution of the four main outdoor playing Sections as they
are today, much attention was given to the ground and to the
improvement of facilities.
After the hostilities had ceased, sport again flourished at the
ground. Cricket and Lawn Tennis began again in earnest in the summer
of 1919. The Football Section was established in 1920 and The Grange
Ladies Hockey Club became a Section of the Parent Club also at this
time. Both the new 'winter Sections' were self-managing. The Hockey
Section rented a pitch on the ground at Ford's Grove in the autumn
of 1919 for a rent of £25 which was raised the following year to
£30 at the time of the opening of the new pavilion. By 1934/35 it
had doubled to £60 per year.
In times when ladies who played hockey were 'different' and were
obliged to play
in long skirts, it says a lot for the energy and enterprise of Mr.
L. Faithful, in particular, and of Mrs. G. Wood, (Honorary
Secretary, 1919 until the end of the 1932/33 Season) that this
successful start was made. Mrs. Wood was also Ladies Captain of the
Tennis Section of the Cricket Club in the early twenties. It should
also be noted that the respective husbands of these two ladies were
involved as umpires! Mr. Wood continued as an umpire until the end
of the 1936/37 Season. He raised an interesting and amusing point in
June 1921 with Southern Counties W.H.A. 'as to whether or not steps
ought to be taken to make the wearing of high heeled boots for
Hockey illegal?'!
The Grange Ladies Hockey Club was affiliated to the Middlesex
Women's Hockey Association under that name on 18 October 1920.
Fixtures for two teams were arranged for the season 1920/21 with the
home ground at Ford's Grove. Reports in the local press show that
they had become closely associated with the Cricket Club as they
were shown as 'Winchmore Hill incorporating The Grange L.H.C.'. In
the records of the S.C.W.H.A. it appears that they became The
Winchmore Hill Ladies Hockey Club in the Autumn of 1921 when
seconding in that name the membership of Harrow L.H.C. to that
Association. From the season 1935/36 it was decided that the name
should be changed by the substitution of 'Women's' for 'Ladies'.
They were a self-managing Section of the Cricket Club from October
1921 until September 1939.
Their early success and standing was acknowledged from the start,
for in the 1922/23 Season they provided ground facilities, through
the Cricket Club, for the use of the Middlesex W.H.A. From Season
1925/26 onwards, a third eleven was added and they continued to
advance and strengthen their position, maintaining a vigorous
existence amongst the leading Ladies Hockey Clubs.
The changes in uniform are significant. From ankle length skirts of
pre Great War days, they were raised to calf length in the early
20s, until in 1931, they adopted tunics and were considering
changing to shorts at the outbreak of the Second World War. From the
commencement, the tie, for which the Club is well known today (sic),
has been part of the uniform except for the eight years when the
tunic was worn.
In 1931, they won the Middlesex Tournament and in the 1932/33 Season
the Club received representative honours for Middlesex and by the
mid-thirties also had representatives for Suffolk, the East
Territory as well as for the Civil Service. In 1934/35 they gained
the highest points in the Middlesex Tournament and four members
toured Germany with an Invitation Team, playing matches at Mannheim,
Dusseldorf and Wiesbaden. Their hospitality was returned two years
later when the Club attended the International Section of the
Ramsgate Easter Hockey Festival. At Easter 1936 an enjoyable tour
was arranged in the Matlock area of Derbyshire.
A Junior Section, playing on Saturday mornings, was commenced for
Season 1937/38, with coaching for schoolgirls. On numerous occasions
Juniors where chosen to fill in for senior teams.
To record all the opponents over these years would be too long, but
in naming a few, it will be seen that some still appear in current
fixture lists. In the 20s these included Cheshunt, Latymer Road Old
Girls, Barclays Bank, Harrow, Ibis, Cox's Bank, and not forgetting
Dryad, who proposed the Club to membership of the South, and
seconder Northampton Poly. In the 30s, Chiswick, Atlanta, Wimbledon,
Kings College, London were but a few who were added.
There were many members who obviously worked hard and gave much of
their spare time during this period and their efforts were clearly
rewarded by the success of the Club over a wide area. Mention has
already been made of Mrs. Faithful and Mrs. Wood, but three others
were particularly involved, Miss M. Whatley, Captain 1925 to 1932,
Mrs. G. Bennett (nee Stone) who held several officerships from 1926
to 1936 and Miss M. Swinburne who joined in 1934 and was Captain
from 1936 to 1939.
Unfortunately with the outbreak of war in September 1939, members
were dispersed, some going into the Services, others on war work or
evacuated with their firms, etc. and the Club was unable to
continue. From 1941, the Ladies of the Thirteen and Nortels Hockey
Clubs shared the tenancy of a pitch to their mutual satisfaction and
the benefit of the parent Club's finances.
The recommencement of Hockey at Ford's Grove after the War did not
materialise until 1947. Miss Margaret Ellis, who in 1946 had been
appointed a teacher at Enfield County School, and was living near
the Club in Halstead Road, decided that Winchmore Hill must be
revived. The reasons for this decision were brought about by the
fact that having been invited to attend Middlesex County Trials in
October 1946 (she had been a Leicestershire County player before the
War) she was selected into the 1st XI, told to join a Club and
joined Highgate. However, after discussions with members of the
parent Club Management Committee, she obtained assurance of their
support for a Hockey Section of the Cricket Club, but not as a
self-managing Section as it had been before the War.
On the 24 September 1947 (after making a fixture list for two XIs in
the absence of any club members), the first meeting of the Hockey
Section was held when Miss Ellis was elected Captain and Secretary.
Initial practices in early October preceded the first match on 18
October v Northampton Poly (away) which was won 4-2.
Uniform was often a problem in those early days, since clothing was
'on coupons' but later an allocation of clothing coupons was
obtained for the white blouse, purple divided skirt and black socks
with purple turnovers.
The second Season, 1948/49 started with, if anything, more
enthusiasm than the first and a number of new members were welcomed.
Miss Ellis was able to relinquish some of her offices with the
increased membership and the Secretaryship was split into three - a
General Secretary, Team Secretary and Fixture Secretary. Miss Ellis
was Chairman and Miss M. Ward 1st XI Captain.
In 1949/50 membership stood at 30 and representative honours
were attained by two more members. The Club was represented at the
Middlesex County Club's Tournament at Chiswick, finishing third in
their section. For the first time a Club side took part in the
Southend Easter Hockey Festival.
The Fifties - In the middle of the 1950/51 Season, the Section
regretfully said goodbye to Miss Ellis on her appointment to the
headship of Saltburn High School. She had done much for the revival
of the Winchmore Hill Women's Hockey Club. (Subsequently she married
and now, as Mrs. M. Kingston, lives in Stratford-on-Avon, still with
a keen interest in hockey in the Midlands.)
During the fifties the Section's membership continued to
increase. In 1950/51, with 42 members, a 3rd XI was run and by the
1954/55 Season a 4th XI was fielded for the first six weeks and then
added to the regular fixtures for the 1955/56 Season. Membership
remained constant and four elevens were fielded every Saturday for
the remainder of this decade, although a paragraph in the annual
report for the 1957/58 Season reflected what must be termed 'hazards
of the female game'! 'Membership at the beginning of the Season was
at its peak - 63 - but gradually through the influence of Messrs
Cupid and Stork, it dwindled considerable until it was necessary to
cancel the last few matches for the 4th XI'.
Representative honours for the County were numerous and E. Bartle,
S. Lowing and P. Springham (now Mrs. Marvel), were selected for the
South teams, reflecting the high standard of play attained by the
Club. Mention in particular must be made of Miss E. Bartle (now Mrs.
Turner) who, in addition to playing for Middlesex and the South
Territorial teams during a period from 1955 to 1960, reached the
England International team in the 1957/58 Season. In April 1959 she
was selected as a Reserve for the England team that entered the
International Federation of Women's Hockey Association Conference
and Tournament held in Amsterdam. She played in three games, one of
these being the final v Australia which England won. (Mrs. Turner
now lives in Edinburgh and continues her interest in hockey through
the Scottish W.H.A.)
The Section entered the Middlesex Clubs' Tournament annually, which
they won in 1954/55 for the first time since the Section's revival,
were losing finalists in 1957/58 and lost in the semi-final to
Highgate, the eventual winners, in 1953/54.
Due to the reputation the Section had made in the Hockey World,
the Ground was the scene for a number of representative matches.
Firstly for a Reserve Territorial match in 1951/52, then in 1953/54
an I.F.W.H.A's Conference matches was held between New Zealand and
the South of England Reserves. In 1958/59 the South of England
played Australia.
The Sixties - There can be no doubt that during this era the
Hockey Club reached and maintained its most successful series of
Seasons. With a constant membership of over 60, it was possible to
regularly field five sides from Season 1966/67, in spite of heavy
County representative commitments. During these years most of the
first eleven, and a number of the second eleven who could not get
into the first, received County recognition for Middlesex, Essex,
and Herts and several members were selected for the Middlesex Junior
sides. Higher recognition was obtained by C. Argent (now Mrs.
McCowen), D. Hall (nee Langford), Y. Martin, A. Moody and C. Picton
in selection for the South teams and D. Farman for the East
Reserves.
Particular mention must be made of the memorable 1962/63 Season, the
unbelievably bad weather on the one hand causing hockey to be halted
for two and a half months, and on the other, the excitement for the
Club of the selection of Sheila Gray-Williams to play for Wales
against England at Wembley. (Sheila was a member of the Middlesex
1st XI and of North Wales Territory team.) She scored the only goal
of the match that brought about the first defeat of England at
Wembley.
Probably the most successful Season the Hockey Club has ever
known, was 1966/67. The first eleven lost only two of their
23 games, were Middlesex County Club Champions and then became Club
Champions of the South. The crowning achievement was a 2-1 victory
against a team, selected by the President of the Southern Counties,
which contained some former Internationals.
In 1968/69 the Club was again successful in becoming Champions of
the South at the Southern Counties Clubs' Championships - a fine
record as winners twice in the three Seasons of this new
Championship.
Throughout this decade there were only a few Seasons when the
Club did not participate in either the semi-finals or the final of
the Middlesex Clubs' Tournament.
The Seventies - Nothing could emulate, and it is doubtful if the
overall achievements of the previous decade could ever be surpassed.
A steady membership was sustained, reaching nearly 80 in 1973/74,
enabling the continued running of five teams. This was greatly
enhanced by the opening of the new dressing rooms and showers for
the 1974/75 Season.
The Club's standard of play was maintained, but representative
honours were not achieved as prolifically as in past Seasons,
although D. Pearce (nee Keable) is currently playing for the South
Reserve team. It is significant, however, that the continued
strength and consistency enabled the Club to win the Middlesex
Clubs' Tournament for five consecutive Seasons from 1970/71 to
1974/75 and for good measure win the Southern Counties Clubs'
Tournament in 1973/74 as well.
A high honour was accorded the Club on being asked to act as hosts
for a match with the visiting Jamaica team in August 1975, when they
came to play in the First Women's Hockey World Tournament held in
Edinburgh. The High Commissioner for Jamaica, Mr. Arthur Wint, also
of International Athletics fame, and his wife attended the reception
given in the Pavilion.
In January 1973 and 1979 the Ground was chosen for Territorial
matches - for both The South v The Midlands fixtures.
The Section has always had a good proportion of Juniors in their
membership, but in Season 1978/79, an Under 18 'Colts' Section was
formed to provide girls still at school with coaching and matches.
The Mid-Week XI has flourished since its formation in 1969/70,
and two international matches against Argentina and Ohio, U.S.A.
were played to celebrate their 10th Anniversary.
The first of the Annual 1st XI Tournaments run by the Club was held
in October 1958. Seven other invited Clubs taking part. This
successful feature has continued throughout the years with the
Section winning on occasions. In March 1962 a Tournament for the 3rd
XI was started on the same lines, and has also achieved similar
success.
The annual match against the Football Section - at Hockey - was
commenced in the 1957/58 Season. These games have provided much
entertainment for players and spectators - most of the honours being
with the Hockey Section. A suitable pewter tankard presented after
the 1961/62 Season's game has always been well filled by the losers.
Two teams have generally been fielded since 1961/62.
Since 1956, tours abroad at Easter saw the Club participating in
many Continental Festivals. This has been in addition to continued
attendance at Festivals throughout the British Isles and other
Tournaments held during the Seasons.
Among other activities in which the Club has taken a major part are
Indoor and Floodlit Hockey, wile during the Summer months they have
turned their hand to Cricket - a Ladies Cricket Section being formed
in 1969.
In conclusion, much credit for success is due to the efficient
back-room work of the Committee, and for this the Hockey Section has
been fortunate in maintaining a stream of dedicated members who
have, in addition, taken their full part in the wider affairs of the
parent Club.
to be continued...............
[April 2002]
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