Stuart Brown Posted 5 January , 2003 Share Posted 5 January , 2003 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 5 January , 2003 Share Posted 5 January , 2003 Comely maids eleven? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hill 60 Posted 6 January , 2003 Share Posted 6 January , 2003 Canadian Munitions Esomething? And isn't the third from the left Tony Adams? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HERITAGE PLUS Posted 10 January , 2003 Share Posted 10 January , 2003 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Brown Posted 10 January , 2003 Author Share Posted 10 January , 2003 Thanks for the suggestions - I think will go for the last one. Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morgan Posted 10 January , 2003 Share Posted 10 January , 2003 Just to throw a spanner in the works - I think it says C M L! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conor Dodd Posted 10 January , 2003 Share Posted 10 January , 2003 Well in that case it might be Canadian Munitions League or Ladies. Conor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Wills Posted 11 January , 2003 Share Posted 11 January , 2003 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... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul guthrie Posted 11 January , 2003 Share Posted 11 January , 2003 Reminds me of a girl a friend dated, Patty Hussy, always called her Shameless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HERITAGE PLUS Posted 12 January , 2003 Share Posted 12 January , 2003 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morgan Posted 13 January , 2003 Share Posted 13 January , 2003 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Brown Posted 13 January , 2003 Author Share Posted 13 January , 2003 The munitions workers suggestion looks very promising especially the observation about the hats. The letters are CME. thanks Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy Evans Posted 12 February , 2003 Share Posted 12 February , 2003 Could the 'E' be 'Establishment? Roy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Bowbrick Posted 12 February , 2003 Share Posted 12 February , 2003 Chorley Munitions Eleven? - definitiely no swopping of shirts after the game! Sorry ladies Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted 13 February , 2003 Share Posted 13 February , 2003 Maybe they could have put up a better effort against Australia at Upton Park! Hope I don't get banished for that bit of gloating Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Wills Posted 17 February , 2005 Share Posted 17 February , 2005 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Mackenzie Posted 17 February , 2005 Share Posted 17 February , 2005 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now