The first England women’s hockey team (1896). Mary D’Oyley is seated middle row, right of centre next to the lady holding the ball. Mary has her cap on her stick.

When England’s Mary D’Oyley (nee Piper) lined up against Ireland at Alexandra College, Dublin, on 2 March 1896, she made history in more ways than one.

Not only was the East Molesey centre-forward participating in the first ever women’s hockey international, but she was also the first married woman – and the first mother – to represent her country at the sport.

The Norwich-born player had married civil service clerk Arthur Frederick D’Oyley in August 1891, and the couple welcomed their first child – Charles Tristan – in July 1892.

Master D’Oyley would, therefore, have been a few months short of his fourth birthday when his mum – aged 33 – made the trip across the Irish Sea to take part in the historic match. She was unable to get on the scoresheet, however, as Ireland won 2-0.

It would be Mary D’Oyley’s only international appearance, and her second son, Paul Arthur Austin, was born in January 1900.

She wasn’t the only member of her family involved with English hockey, however.

Mary’s younger brothers Charles and Arthur played for East Molesey, and Charles represented the club at the 1886 meeting that led to the formation of the men’s Hockey Association (HA). In 1895, he was on the HA committee that turned down a request for affiliation from the All England Women’s Hockey Association! But that’s another story…

Jo Halpin

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