Weorcingas: June 2009

Munition Women's Football 1917-1919

Workington Ladies 1917 (By Van Dyke)

(reproduced by kind permission of Patrick Brennan)

Patrick Brennan's site claims to be 'the most extensive collection of research into the early history of women's football.' And it is, excellent!

Cumbrian Munitionettes 1917-1919, has details and photographs.

'...The earliest report I have come across appeared in the Workington Star and Harrington Guardian on 27th April 1917. It referred to an encounter on the previous Saturday, the 21st, between the Workington Munition Girls and the Carlisle Munition Girls. The match took place at Lonsdale Park, Workington, and the proceeds were to go to the Cumberland Prisoners of War Fund and the Workington Star 'Smokes' Fund, which provided parcels of tobacco to soldiers at the front.''

'...Both teams played in skirts, Workington donning red jerseys and Carlisle khaki jerseys, and it was noted that the Carlisle team's skirts were longer than their opponents. As the game proceeded it was evident that this was rather a handicap. The reporter from the Workington Star commented, "they could have sacrificed a couple of inches without any loss of modesty." ...Workington dominated the play, right-winger Watchorn getting a hat-trick in their 4-1 win. The other Workington goal came from a goalmouth scramble, and Raine got Carlisle's solitary goal...'

'...Workington had more than one team. In addition to the Munition Girls, who worked in the National Shell Factory, there was another team named "Workington Combine". This was the local name for the Workington Iron and Steel Company, which had absorbed a number of smaller works earlier in the century. On 28th May they played the women of Derwent Mills at Cockermouth. Derwent Mills processed flax, and during the war its main activity was the manufacture of high quality linen fabric for covering aeroplane wings...

''...In Cumbria, as in the North East, certain teams "spread the gospel" by playing at venues other than their own home towns. For example Workington Shell Factory and Derwent Mills staged the first women's football match to be seen in Maryport, Workington winning 1-0...'

''...Other women versus men games which appeared in the press included matches between the Workington Combine team and the "Moss Bay Laboratory Lads," which resulted in a 3-2 victory to the women...''

Here are the names of locals mentioned on the website, so, scroll down to the bottom of the page and search through the names of team members in the stats. Maybe you'll find a relative.

Workington Shell factory

F. Kane,

F. Straughton,

D. Moore,

B. and/or A. McManus,

E. Holliday,

A. Clarke,

L. Johnson.

J. Johnstone,

S. Watchorn,

E. McKay,

D. Armstrong,

D. and/or S. Tallon,

Parish and/or Farish,

Elliott

Workington Combine

E. Cooper,

M. E. or M. A. Carruthers,

S. Bergamanns or Bergmanns,

S. E. Madden,

A. Elliott,

A. Murphy,

E. A. Parker,

A. Eckersley,

M. Wallace,

H. or/and K. Norman,

D. A. Rice

and James

Seaton

L. Holmes,

F. Eckersley,

S. Owens,

L. Carruthers,

Molly Brown,

A. Allen,

Mattie Brown,

M. Whittaker,

L. Peacock,

L. Casson,

S. Messenger

Harrington

L Creasey,

K. Burns,

N, Bewthwaite,

E. Scott,

H. Elwyck,

M. A. Brown,

D. Glown,

N. Douglas,

J. A. Robinson,

R. Creasey,

G. Townsley

Patrick credits Eva Elliott and Stephen Cockbain for helping to compile the report.

Workington Civic Trust's Open Evening (4th July)

Extract from Workington and District Civic Trust newsletter:

''We will host a special open evening event on Saturday 4th July, 2009 commencing at 6.30 pm in the Helena Thompson Museum for members of W & D Civic Trust and any other interested townspeople who may wish to attend.

This free evening running through to 9.00 pm will include light refreshments and entertainment provided by FEONIX. This is your opportunity to meet with the members of the Executive Committee who hold special responsibility for different aspects of the Civic Trust’s work, together with information on work in progress and previous achievements.

An added attraction will be the opening of the TIME CAPSULE, discovered when the Christian Fellowship Church, situated in Thompson Street, was demolished to make way for Debenhams...''

And later

''...Town Walk, Sunday 9th August, 2009. The walk will begin at Field House, Oxford Street, (the old Town Hall). Please meet up at 2.00 pm prompt. The walk will take approximately two hours and numbers are limited so please ring Pat Martin 01900 602058 to ensure a place.''

Download complete newsletter, and think about joining.

Web site: http://www.workingtoncivictrust.org.uk

William Camden's Britannia (1586)

In 1577, William Camden began to write his book Britannia[15], a county-by-county description of Great Britain and Ireland. Rather than write a history, Camden wanted to describe in detail the lands of the present (1577). His stated intention was "to restore antiquity to Britaine, and Britaine to its antiquity." Written in Latin and first published in 1586 it was very popular. ^[14], .

This extract from Philemon Holland's English translation of Britannia(1610)[16]describes Wirkinton:

...Derwent, having gathered his waters into one streame, entreth into the Ocean at Wirkinton, a place famous for taking of Salmons, and now the seat of the ancient family of the Curwens Knights, who fetch their descent from Gospatric Earle of Northumberland, and their surname they tooke by covenant and composition from Culwen a family in Galloway, the heire whereof they had married; and heere have they a stately house built Castlelike, and from whom (without offence or vanity be it spoken) my selfe am descended by the mothers side.

9. From thence some thinke there was a wall made to defend the shore in convenient places, for foure miles or there about, by Stilicho the potent commander of the Roman state, what time as the Scots annoyed these coasts out of Ireland. For thus speaketh Britaine of herselfe in Claudian:

"And of me likewise at hands (quoth she) to perish, through despight

Of neighbour Nations, Stilicho fensed against their might

What time the Scots all Ireland mov’d offense armes to take &c."

There are also, as yet, such continued ruins and broken walles to be seene as farre as to Elne Mouth... [17]