Whilst looking at this picture, consider that the first ladies’ hockey in England – indeed the world – began less than twenty years before this photograph was taken. This really was at the dawn of women’s hockey!

The postcard is from a French girl writing home to her family near Rouen in 1906. Could this have been the start of women’s hockey across the Channel?

One of the wonders of The Hockey Museum (THM) is the constant discovery of new aspects of the history of our great sport. Postcards are just one of over 30 collection areas that make up the heritage material held at THM. This latest find came to light when our President Mike and his wife Judy, who doubles as our Librarian, visited an old friend in France. Having watched the development of the Museum over the last decade, their friend keeps an eye open for anything ‘hockey’ and he acquired this card.

The young lady advises that she had a good journey to the College and is kept very busy. She is not bored although she is asking family and friends to write to her.

The school was Elleray College in Clapham, south-west London, and from the picture we can see that it was a substantial Victorian building with large lawns enabling hockey and other sporting activities. It is surprising yet heartening to see hockey being played in a school so soon after the start of the women’s game.