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 the London 1948 Olympic Games. At the London 2012 Olympic Games, he achieved a unique double after covering his second London Olympics, 64 years after his first.

Pat is one of six trustees who set up the The Hockey Museum two years ago.

Pat, who first joined The Guardian newspaper in 1950 as a tea boy, worked his way up to become the newspaper’s hockey correspondent for over 40 years. As well as reporting for The Guardian, The Sunday Times and Sunday Express, The Telegraph and The Observer, Pat was also a presenter of a sports program at the London Broadcasting Centre (LBC) for a while.

Pat has been the Public Relations and Promotions director for the International Hockey Federation (FIH) for a number of years. He was the founder member and Editor of the FIH Newsletter in 1969 and editor of World Hockey from June 1969 to April 1991. He was awarded the FIH Order of Merit in 1987.

Pat has reported on every Olympics since 1948 and has reported all twelve World Cups to date. Last year during the London Olympic Games, Pat was among a handful of journalists worldwide honoured by the International Sports Press Association for having reported on more than ten summer Olympics. He was presented with a replica Olympic torch by Olympian and IOC member Kip Keino.

Pat is a past Chairman of the Hockey Writers Club, past Chairman of the AIPS Hockey Commission and a past co-opted member of the FIH Media and Communication Committee. He is also the author of The Book of Hockey published in 1964.

Pat, a qualified Hockey Association Coach, still coaches disabled hockey players.

A leading and well-respected personality worldwide in hockey press circles, his knowledge on the game is well known and respected and called upon on a daily basis.

Dil Bahra, December 2013

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 England Hockey 'Greats' Maggie Souyave and Simon Mason. He was delighted to put Simon's three Olympic Games' player passes around his neck.

He tried out a Victorian-era hockey stick and was able to take quite a few photos for his project from the Museum Library. He was not shy of asking questions!

We look forward to seeing his completed project and would be delighted to assist any other pupils/students doing hockey projects.

This was another very successful Open Day at the Museum.

Dil Bahra, October 2013

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 that pre-dates the 1980s. Moreover, we do not possess a single face mask or an early helmet.

There must be some of this equipment lurking somewhere in a garage, loft or clubhouse. If so, please send it to us or, better still, arrange to deliver it and see what we are up to at the Museum.

Mike Smith, August 2013

2014 marks the centenary of the start of the First World War and is the 70^th 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 way or another, be they men or women.

At The Hockey Museum we feel that the stories, actions and heroics of our hockey players should be recorded as part of the rich tapestry of our sport and especially in the anniversary year of 2014.

We are already aware of a few stories, but there must be hundreds, if not thousands, of stories to be told. Please help us to compile this fascinating part of hockey’s history by letting us know of anything that we could include.

It does not have to be bravery on the battlefield, although we hope to hear of some of these. Hockey continued to be played, albeit rather ad hoc. For instance, we know that well over 20,000 copies of the Rules of Hockey were sold during WW2.

Does anyone have recollections of matches played? Did a pitch get bombed? Who cared for the pitches and how? Was any hockey played recreationally in the Services as football certainly was?

By Mike Smith, August 2013

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 hockey tournaments world-wide and still writes weekly on the domestic game.

Weil is in the UK on his annual visit and was keen to include a visit to the Museum.

He said: "It’s a great idea and, as the first in the world, it will hopefully see others set up in other countries. The extensive library particularly impressed me. I am writing a history of Argentine hockey and will send a copy when it is finally published."

Mike Haymonds, August 2013

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 as possible.

This pledge was kept when Kelly, accompanied by Melanie Wilmore, Head of the FIH Executive Office, visited Woking on 16 July, only a fortnight after Chiswick.

In their half-day visit they were shown round the many aspects of the Museum by Katie Dodd and Mike Smith. They spent a long time looking at the many and different collections. They were clearly impressed and perhaps one comment in particular summed it up: "Thank goodness somebody was motivated enough to 'just do it' rather than lament it not being done".

In some three hours of discussion it was clear that there is much common ground. The FIH are clearly committed to the heritage and history of our sport. We discussed several areas of potential co-operation and it is likely that THM will be providing a permanent historical display in the FIH offices in Lausanne, Switzerland. It is also hoped that we can help with the Hockey Display at the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Olympic Museum which is also in Lausanne. As a matter of historical fact the original hockey display at the Olympic Museum was set up by our Curator, Mike Smith, some twenty years ago, long before THM became a reality.

Many other topics were discussed, although one area of real common interest was the compiling of complete and reliable records of international hockey. We could be working very closely on this. When asked what the FIH could do for THM we replied, "Help us create a greater awareness of what we are doing and stop the constant haemorrhaging of valuable material".

This meeting could prove to be one of the most important we have had in our short existence and it is truly reassuring to know that our world governing body is clearly supportive of what we are doing.

Mike Haymonds, July 2013

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.

The Ground hosted seven matches during the Olympics, including Great Britain's 11-0 win over the USA on 5 August 1948.

The Guinness Ground and Lyons' Ground were the other two venues used for the preliminery matches. The Semi-Finals and the Final were played at Wembley Stadium.

The Polytechnic Sports Ground nearly became the home of Hockey in the 1980s. An application to build a National Hockey Centre at Chiswick in July 1980 was initially refused but following a successful appeal it was granted. However, the Hockey Association decided to hold the Hockey World Cup in Willesden in 1986 and found Milton Keynes to be a better option. The rest, as they say, is history.

Dil Bahra, June 2013

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 during the half-time interval of the England v. Italy match.

As a hockey player himself, he was particularly interested in the timeline of sticks that were on display. Museum volunteer Marcus Wardle was able to explain their development through the 150 years that the modern game of hockey has been played and he even had a go at showing off his skills with a 1950s 'english head' stick (pictured).

Hugh Robertson was also fascinated by the news item showing that international women’s hockey was the first team sport to be televised by the BBC, from The Oval cricket ground in 1938, as a trial for televising cricket that summer.

When Mike Smith, the Museum curator, showed a photo of the 1914 England women’s team, as an example of the uniform that was worn by England at that time, the Minister was baffled as to how the players could run about wearing such a weight of skirt. Smith was also able to show a page of autographs that has recently come to light in Australia, of the England team who were touring down under that year.

The Minister emphasised the importance of retaining an understanding of how a sport like hockey has developed and commented that we had assembled a fascinating insight into hockey’s past.

He wished us well in our plans to build on our current achievements.

Dil Bahra, June 2013

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 late 50s, said, "Hockey is a fantastic sport. It has been a big part of my life. I've had so much from the game; I want to put something back".

Joan who was inspired by her gym school teacher when aged 13-14, played for Bromley Grammar School in 1949-50 and Orpington Club between 1950-52. She reprented Kent in 1951 and in 1961 Joan formed Sherwood Junior Club, one of the earliest Junior Clubs before getting involved in indoor hockey.

"I think The Hockey Museum is really wonderful; a great initiative. It is good to see everything collected and at one place available for display for everyone to see", added Joan.

This is the Museum's second donation, the Miroy family having donated £3,000 in October last year.

The Hockey Museum is a charitable trust and relies solely on donations.

Dil Bahra, June 2013

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 is considered the best female player of all time.

Luciana tried her hand on a few sticks from the past on display and signed the Argentina Miniature stamp sheet featuring her which was on the stamps display at the stand. ESBN took the opportunity of filming her visit and later interviewed her outside THM stand.

The stand has been very popular with spectators, players and officials who are evidently fancinated with the items on display.

Dil Bahra, June 2013