The Hockey Museum volunteer James Ormandy has published a three-part series exploring hockey’s religious foundations in England in the late 19th and early-20th centuries. These can be found on the sports history website Playing Pasts and are linked to below.

Auckland Castle Hockey Club, 1897. A team of clergymen ordained under Bishop Joseph Barber Lightfoot near Durham in North East England. On completion of their ordination, clergymen played for local clubs in their parishes: Rev. M C H Collett (Nondescripts HC); Rev. W M Davidson (Novacastrians HC); and Rev. A Bowcock (Coxhoe Hall HC).

Read The 3-Part Series

Part 1 is titled “The Anglican Clergy Turn a Suburban Game into a National Sport”. It examines the impact of the Chruch on the spread and popularity of hockey. Click here to read the article.

Part 2 is titled “Nonconformists Lead Hockey’s Downward Social Diffusion”. Click here to read Part 2.

Part 3 is titled “Quakers Play and Support Hockey’s Development”. Click here to readPart 3.