This style of feature appears regularly in many publications and websites. Because hockey was blessed with excellent magazines for both the women’s and men’s games throughout the 20th century we are able to pick up on statistics and news from half a century ago.
The same cannot be said of a century ago as that was WW1. However, when we do come across information from that dreadful period we will publish occasional pieces on "Hockey 100 Years Ago".
The end of season and mid-summer editions of both the women's and men's magazines had a great deal of coverage of the Easter Hockey Festivals. These wonderful sporting and social events are not completely gone from today's hockey calendar but they are a shadow of what they used to be. An article in Hockey News entitled "Do These Moves Sound The Knell Of Easter Festivals?" was perhaps somewhat prophetic:
"I wonder how long it will be before we shall find it necessary to revise our thoughts about Easter Festivals in general, and also about the future of invitation clubs in particular. There seems no doubt that there will always be a demand for 'playing-for-fun' festivals. At the same time, it seems highly likely that official hockey will encroach, and that we shall see the day when, for example, the Folkestone Festival will be devoted to County Under-23 teams, or even County teams come to that."
The reports from just a handful of festivals listed hundreds of clubs and teams that used to journey to dozens of Easter Festivals throughout the British Isles. It is probable that in this post WW2 era a thousand teams took part in the revelry and rivalry of these great events. The Ramsgate women's festival on its own had 51 teams in attendance. All this would mean that over 10,000 hockey players would be filling up the hotels and boarding houses of Britain's seaside resorts. Such was the popularity of these events that most festivals had waiting lists of teams who wanted to attend. It was not just Easter though because in the month following, the Thanet End of Season Festival and the Isle of Man Festival both regularly attracted over 100 teams each.
Happy days!?
Audrey Hewes (1932 - 2013)
2013 closed with the sad news that Audrey Hewes died on 17 December; news that was all the more stunning as just four days before she was her usual chirpy self at our museum Christmas lunch. A larger than life character, Audrey was known and liked throughout the hockey world. Wherever...
Another Milestone For Pat Rowley
National Hockey Museum Trustee and hockey writer Patrick John Phillip Rowley turns 80 this Sunday (1.12.2013). One of the most senior hockey writers in the world, Pat has been involved in hockey since he first played for Hounslow in 1948 and reported for the Middlesex Chronicle, his local newspaper, on...
Victorian Hockey
Freddie Martin, a year five hockey player, is doing a School project on Victorian hockey (the School project is Victorians). As part of his research he contacted The Hockey Museum and attended the open day at the Museum on Thursday 3 October 2013. Freddie had the added bonus of meeting...
Call For Goalkeeping Equipment
Whilst the collections within The Hockey Museum continue to grow every week, we are lacking in the goalkeeping department. In the main, we are looking for equipment from the 'leather' era. We do not have a single example of gloves or chest protectors. We would be very interested in anything...
Hockey In The Wars
2014 marks the centenary of the start of the First World War and is the 70th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings. Whilst the playing of organised hockey was largely suspended during both World Wars, many, if not most, hockey players of these periods were involved in the conflicts in one...
Argentinian Hockey Writer Visits THM
Today’s visitor to the Museum was Eric Weil, the senior hockey correspondent in Argentina. British-born Weil emigrated to Argentina in 1951 and immediately wrote for The Standard, an English language paper, and from 1957 for the Buenos Aires Herald and Associated Press. In the past seven decades he has covered...
FIH Endorsement For The Hockey Museum
At the recent Hockey World League event at Chiswick the International Hockey Ferderation (FIH) CEO, Kelly Fairweather, visited the The Hockey Museum (THM) stand and was clearly impressed with what he saw. In brief discussions, at a very busy event, Kelly said he would like to visit the Museum as soon...
The Polytechnic Sports Ground In Chiswick
The Polytechnic Sports Ground in Chiswick, where the Investec World Womens League Semi-Finals are being played this week, was one of three venues used for the preliminery matches during the 1948 London Olympic Games. The famous pavilion, as seen in these two photographs is still there, although extended in 1960....
Sports Minister Visit
The Hockey Museum stand at the Investec World Women's League Semi-Final played host to an important visitor yesterday evening when the Sports Minister, Hugh Robertson, found time in his very busy schedule to have a look around. Escorted by Philip Kimberley, the England Hockey Board Chairman, he asked to visit...
Generous Donation By Former International
Joan Wall, a former England women’s international, has made a generous donation to The Hockey Museum. She visited the Investec World League Semi-Final at Chiswick today and on arriving at the Museum’s display stand there, handed over a cheque for £1,000. Joan, who represented England 14 times in the...
Luciana Aymar Visit
Luciana Aymar visited The Hockey Museum (THM) stand at Chiswick yesterday, following Argentina's 4-0 win over Italy in their final Pool A match at the Investec World League Semi-Final. Luciana is the only player in history to receive the International Hockey Federation (FIH) Player of the Year Award seven times and...
Denys Shortt OBE
We are delighted to announce that The Hockey Museum Life Member, Denys Shortt was recently at Buckingham Palace to receive his OBE for Services to the Economy. Denys, a former England Under 21 international, is a great supporter of hockey and of The Hockey Museum. He is a serial entrepreneur and...
Mike Barford Of Christ's Hospital Joins The Museum
Mike Barford, a well known member of Richmond Hockey Club and long term organiser of the annual Varsity Match, has joined the volunteer team at the Museum. For the last six years, Mike Barford has been working in the Christ’s Hospital School (CH) Museum, leading a team of volunteers who...
England's Oldest International Player?
The Museum had a visit recently from two stars from the past, Bill Wyatt and John Peake. Bill, who has recently celebrated his 100th birthday, had the distinction of playing for England both before and after WW2, whilst the slightly younger John won a silver medal with Great Britain in...
Hockey And Crime
Playing hockey in the streets was an issue for the police in the 1830s. In the minutes of evidence before the select committee on policing on 22 February 1838, Captain Peter Page told the committee: "In the neighbourhood of London there is 'hockey' played, by which serious injury may be committed...
Wembley
Nan Williams, a former England international and volunteer at The Hockey Museum, has been researching the history of the Wembley internationals that were played between 1951-1991. There must be loads of memorabilia, photos and stories that you all have that Nan would be interested in. Does anyone have photos of...
Oldest Hockey Photo?
The Hockey Museum (THM) has acquired two photographs that are thought to be the oldest taken of the modern game. Three of the Museum’s Trustees attended the annual awards luncheon of the Hockey Writers' Club at the Royal Thames Yacht Club in London’s Knightsbridge on 22 January. One of the guests...
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