(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.
