An Oral History of England and Team GB Women's International Hockey Representatives 1951to the 2016 Olympics
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Wolverhampton
Department Name: Faculty of Education, Health & Wellbeing
Abstract
This project will produce a collective biography of women who have represented England at the 41 Wembley international matches between 1951 and 1991, at the Women's Hockey World Cup between 1974 and 2016 and as part of Team GB at the Olympic Games from 1980 to 2016. The research will compare the development of the women's game with that of the men's, and will also include the significant male contribution to the development of women's hockey. Research will include collected oral histories of England International players from 1951 to the 2016 Olympics and, where appropriate, their family members and the administrators, medical and coaching staff who enabled the players to travel on behalf of their national teams. This is significant because women's work as national representatives of England and, at the Olympic Games as Team GB, used to be amateur but is now increasingly professional. This chronology evidences women's improved specialisation as elite players and a consequent broader public recognition, as shown by the gold medal in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
This will be the first thesis of its kind on women's hockey and it is timely and topical since some of the earlier post-World War Two representative players are now elderly or deceased. Importantly, international women's hockey developed as part of the All England Women's Hockey Association since 1895; as part of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) since 1924 and as part of professional league competition beginning at about the same time. As several commentators have indicated, although ostensibly led by key female administrators, women's hockey has long been supported by significant male administrators, coaches, medical and coaching staff as well as the family and friends of representative players.
This project will unlock personal and institutional sporting heritage. Together with what already exists, the acquisition of the oral histories will enable THM to have the largest collection of artefacts related to women's hockey anywhere in the world.
The All England Women's Hockey Association held early international tours against Australia and New Zealand before World War One and during the inter-war period. However, after 1948, more people began to travel by land, sea and air for leisure and pleasure. Sport was part of this story and mega events began to grow like the Olympic Games and World Championships. An important part of the project will be to uncover women's experiences of touring as representatives of their country as, from the 1950s onwards. However, aside from Jean Williams' work on women's cricket, hockey and football, very few academics have captured what being 'on tour' meant to the individuals concerned; even less work has looked at women's experiences. 'Crossing the Equator' for the first time was, and remains, a pivotal moment in any traveller's life however.
So, the changing status of women's hockey gives an insight into the changing nature of women's lives (work and leisure) and those of increasing numbers of girls. Oral history can help to fill voids in the extant textual collections. As well as using the text-based material at The Hockey Museum, the student will undertake interviews using Oral History Society guidelines. This will create supplementary archival sources for future researchers to remain at The Hockey Museum, thereby creating new knowledge.
This will be the first thesis of its kind on women's hockey and it is timely and topical since some of the earlier post-World War Two representative players are now elderly or deceased. Importantly, international women's hockey developed as part of the All England Women's Hockey Association since 1895; as part of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) since 1924 and as part of professional league competition beginning at about the same time. As several commentators have indicated, although ostensibly led by key female administrators, women's hockey has long been supported by significant male administrators, coaches, medical and coaching staff as well as the family and friends of representative players.
This project will unlock personal and institutional sporting heritage. Together with what already exists, the acquisition of the oral histories will enable THM to have the largest collection of artefacts related to women's hockey anywhere in the world.
The All England Women's Hockey Association held early international tours against Australia and New Zealand before World War One and during the inter-war period. However, after 1948, more people began to travel by land, sea and air for leisure and pleasure. Sport was part of this story and mega events began to grow like the Olympic Games and World Championships. An important part of the project will be to uncover women's experiences of touring as representatives of their country as, from the 1950s onwards. However, aside from Jean Williams' work on women's cricket, hockey and football, very few academics have captured what being 'on tour' meant to the individuals concerned; even less work has looked at women's experiences. 'Crossing the Equator' for the first time was, and remains, a pivotal moment in any traveller's life however.
So, the changing status of women's hockey gives an insight into the changing nature of women's lives (work and leisure) and those of increasing numbers of girls. Oral history can help to fill voids in the extant textual collections. As well as using the text-based material at The Hockey Museum, the student will undertake interviews using Oral History Society guidelines. This will create supplementary archival sources for future researchers to remain at The Hockey Museum, thereby creating new knowledge.
