SCOTTISH LADIES HOCKEY LEAGUE INTERNATIONALS
An annual match between the Scottish Ladies Hockey League and the English Ladies Hockey League Association (ELHLA) was played between 1933 and 1939.
Organised ladies league hockey was relatively rare during this time, particularly in Scotland. The Glasgow and District Hockey League existed with 4 divisions, although much of its history is currently unknown. Schools league were known to operate in the Glasgow and Dundee areas and a Ladies Hockey League was started in the Midlands in the 1930s.
Several Ladies Leagues in England existed, many of them in the North particularly around the Manchester and Lancashire areas. The first 'International Match' (as they were sometimes called) was played on the 4th March 1933 at Milburn Park, Alexandria, Glasgow.
Scotland's pool of players were all drawn from the Glasgow and District League, a league where a number of the perceived better clubs didn't compete. Of the 7 matches played, the English League won 5 and there were 2 draws.
One further match was played between the Scottish League and the Northern Ireland Union in 1938, which Scotland won.
No further matches were played following the resumption of hockey after WW2.
A fascinating history of these matches has been compiled by Mark Evans and is now available HERE
Scotland and England players at the first match in 1933 at Milburn Park, Alexandria
1934 match at Litherland near Liverpool
The Scottish team in 1938 at Cheadle Heath
The SHHG thanks Mark Evans for allowing us to publish his history on our website.
Mark is a retired police officer who has always been interested in sports history. He is a volunteer with The Hockey Museum, based in Woking, Surrey, and for a number of years has been conducting research into ladies’ league hockey and hockey in the North West.
Mark has played only a handful of hockey games, as his sports were football, athletics and swimming. However, his wife played local hockey, his son and daughter were junior hockey internationals and still play. His son for Surbiton and his daughter for Brooklands. His daughter-in-law played for England and Great Britain at senior level and although now retired from international duty still plays for Surbiton.
Mark has travelled widely watching hockey at all levels and has come to appreciate the skill and fitness you need to be a hockey player.
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