When The Hockey Museum celebrates someone’s life, it normally takes the form of an obituary, so we’re delighted to celebrate the recent birthday of a sportswoman who is still going strong at age 100!

Joy Crowther is a former Ealing, Middlesex and South hockey player and international athlete. She was famous for always playing hockey in white gloves! Joy joined Ealing Ladies’ Hockey Club in 1949 and went on to play for the first team for over 25 years. She was then club captain for another 25 years. Joy also threw the discus, shot and javelin for England and Great Britain in the early 1950s and was Women’s Amateur Athletic Association (WAAA) national champion on several occasions.

Joy Crowther in action wearing her distinctive white gloves.

A former teacher and mother of three, Joy was for many years a passionate beekeeper and a member of many local groups. Her recipe for long life is regular exercise, a daily swim and time with her family and friends.

To mark Joy’s milestone birthday, we sat down for an oral history interview with her. The AAAs then published an article on her sporting life on their website:

A century of sport: GB athlete Joy Crowther on her birthday – The Athletics Museum

Joy Crowther at her 100th birthday party.