Pam Parker receiving the Freedom of the City of Leicester from
the Mayor, Sir Peter Soulsby, on behalf of Leicester Ladies HC.
Pam Parker OBE, 1929–29 May 2019
The Hockey Museum is saddened by news of the death of Pam Parker. Pam was a long-time servant of hockey for over five decades as a member of member of Leicester Ladies HC, Leicestershire, the Midlands, England and also served at GB level. She celebrated her 90th birthday earlier this year and was still a regular tennis player until quite recently, but fell ill after returning from holiday. Pam suffered a cardiac arrest and died in hospital a couple of days later on the 29th May.
Pam will be remembered as a kind, loyal and much-admired colleague and friend by many throughout the hockey world. It is probably as an umpire and administrator that Pam will be best remembered. She took up umpiring in the 1960s after playing for Leicester Ladies HC for several years and quickly rose through the grades achieving her A badge in 1975. She went on to umpire many times at international level, including at the 1979 Women’s World Championships in Vancouver, but she always said that the occasion that meant the most to her was the day she umpired at Wembley in 1979 at the England vs Ireland international. She said how proud she was to walk out in front of such a large and enthusiastic crowd; it was such a special feeling. Pam was tall, so cut an imposing, but not intimidating figure with the whistle. She was a stickler for propriety so was always immaculately dressed in her blazer and white gloves, no matter what level of match she was umpiring. Pam became a respected umpire coach and technical delegate at National League matches and European events.
Pam was born in 1929 and grew up in the Leicestershire area, attending Wyggeston Grammar School for Girls where she took up hockey. She joined Leicester Ladies HC and was a regular player through the 1950s and ‘60s, where she also became involved in hockey administration at club and county level. Pam went on to serve as Leicestershire President for eight years, followed by Midlands President from 1979-‘88. She was the All England Women’s Hockey Association (AEWHA) Vice-President from 1984 through to the merger with the men’s association in 1999. Her experience then saw her elected to the newly formed joint association, English Hockey, as a Non-Executive Director.
Pam was also the England representative on the GB Women’s Olympic Hockey Committee from 1985-1992, a period of time when the GB women played in their first ever Olympic Games in Seoul 1988 and won their first ever Olympic Medal in Barcelona 1992. Pam was exceptionally supportive of GB hockey and GB Olympic Hockey and was involved in the early development of not just the GB Olympic Team, but the whole selection, training and match programme which facilitated qualification and performance at the highest level, setting the foundations for the performance of the GB team today.
Pam’s contribution to hockey was recognised in 1997 when she was awarded an OBE and in 2014 she received the Freedom of the City of Leicester by the Mayor, Sir Peter Soulsby, on behalf of Leicester Ladies HC. This award meant a lot to Pam as she was immensely proud of her Leicester roots.
Pam was devoted to husband Frank who died in 2005 and while they had no children, she was a much-loved aunt to eight nieces and nephews.
There will be a private cremation followed by a Service of Thanksgiving at St. Luke’s Church, Thurnby LE7 9PN on Monday, 8th, July 2019 at 2.00pm. The family have requested no flowers but donations, if desired, can be made payable to Breast Cancer Now or Prostate Cancer UK, c/o A.C. James & Son Funeral Directors, 9, Biddulph Street, Leicester, LE2 1BH. Tel. 0116 2542 900.
Katie Dodd, Chair of THM
June 2019
