On 3 February 1923, England women played their first international match against France (pictured above – image from the Marjorie Pollard collection at The Hockey Museum). The game was played at Merton Abbey, Battersea and Chelsea Polytechnic Ground, South London in front of a 2,500-strong crowd and is notable for two things: the very one-sided score line and the sporting fashions of the teams.

England put in a commanding performance to beat France 23-0, but the report and photographs of the game suggest an unexpected twist! Not only were the French players fabulously adorned with winter berets – worn even during the match and presumably secured in place with hat pins! – but there is mention of a distinct disadvantage caused by the length of their skirts. It seems this fashion faux paus caused them to run slower than their English opponents!

Intrigued, we dived into our collection and, lo and behold, the team photographs confirm that the English pinafores finished above the knee whereas the French skirts definitely hung below. How much that impacted the French stride to account for a 0-23 loss we will leave to your imagination.

Skirts and scores aside, we’re still most captivated by the elegant berets!

Above: French team photograph for the match vs England, 3 February 1923. Below: English team photograph for the match vs France, 3 February 1923. From the Hilda Light scrapbook, All England Women’s Hockey Association Collection, University of Bath Archive.