Playing hockey in the streets was an issue for the police in the 1830s. In the minutes of evidence before the select committee on policing on 22 February 1838, Captain Peter Page told the committee: “In the neighbourhood of London there is ‘hockey’ played, by which serious injury may be committed and there is no punishment for it except the fine of 40s which children cannot pay”. He was of the opinion that juveniles convicted of this summary offence be flogged.

In the report of the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis for the year 1880, Superintendent C Digby of V Division (Wandsworth area) reported that fourteen summonses were taken out by police for playing hockey in the streets. Hockey has come a long way since then.

Dil Bahra, April 2013