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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Women's Football Team CME 1917


Stuart Brown

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This postcard was in a collection of cards relating to the Great War. At some time in 1917 the owner of the collection was in hospital in Yorkshire, possibly Harrogate. The women may be military, nurses, factory staff etc and the location may not necessarily be in the UK. They are standing in the goal mouth with a net behind them . Any suggestions please regarding the initials CME which is painted on the ball.

thanks

Stuart

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Could it be CENTRAL MUNITIONS ELEVEN

I believe that it was one of the tasks of the Central Munitions Labour Supply Committee to arrange female labour for the munitions industry?

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This must be one of the first photgraphs of the female knee!!

Were they playing the Brazen Hussies XI?

Or could they be squaddies in drag?

I'm surprised women of the time had the energy to play football after a day spent slaving over stove and/or factory bench...

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If it is an 'L' then it could simply be 'Ladies' or possibly 'LONGTOWN' the large munitions works (now known as Defence Munitions (DM) Longtown) as this was opened during the Great War.

On a general note the Aston Villa Ladies FC web site has a resume of Dirk Kerr Ladies a football team from the local munitions factory who played regularly against other factory ladies teams throughout the country and attracted large crowds.

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Fancy that - my daughter plays for Aston Villa Ladies !

Dick Kerr wasn't a local (Birmingham) team though, but based at a Munitions factory in Preston, Lancs.

Of course, THEIR team photo might have featured a ball with the letters DKL so the letters on "our" ball could mean anything. I wonder if we can locate a fixture list for Dick Kerr Ladies and see if they played a munitions team with a likely-looking name?

Incidentally, lots of the ladies in the picture are wearing munition-workers' hats. One, possibly two, seem to be wearing waitresses' hats.

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The munitions workers suggestion looks very promising especially the observation about the hats. The letters are CME.

thanks

Stuart

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  • 5 weeks later...

Could the 'E' be 'Establishment?

Roy

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  • 2 years later...

Isn't it nice to re-visit long-lost threads!

I'm afraid I cannot help with the CME team, but women's football teams were more common than I had thought.

I bought a book this afternoon, entitled 'Three Years or the Duration - the memoirs of a munitions worker 1914-18' by Peggy Hamilton. From January 1917 she worked at the Government Rolling Mills (GRM) in Southampton. They fielded a women's team, captained by a multi-talented girl called May Traill. May was a qualified electrician who worked 8-hour shifts in the power-house, and was also a skilled cabinet-maker. There is a picture of May wearing short-shorts and a black and white striped shirt. Apparently, the GRM LFC was challenged to a match by a group of sailors from one of the ships in port, who had recently lost 15-0 to a women's team from Chatham. The sailors offered to take them to dinner and the theatre after the match, but both game and hospitality were declined. The author does not relate quite how the rebuff was worded, but May Traill's excuse was "Men only play the fool when they play against women".

I can't help but feel May was a bit of a spoilsport.

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Kate.

I am sure I read somewhere that women's football was very popular before the war and on a fairly regular basis a First Division game (the equivalent of a Premiership game today) would be preceded by a ladies match.

I will try and dig out where I read this.

Neil

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