The very first England “Lionesses” had to play matches wearing hats when they turned out over 100 years ago – with an esteemed historian hoping the current crop will take a moment of reflection
The very first “Lionesses” who represented England played matches while wearing hats! The Mirror recently published the first ever photo of a team of women players representing England for a game against a Scottish side during WW1. Now more details of that historic game have been uncovered – including the revelation the players who took part all wore hats.
The game took place at Celtic Park in 1918 in front of 15,000 fans.As England’s Lionesses prepare for Sunday’s huge 2025 Euros cup final respected historian Steve Bolton, whose grandmother Lizzy Ashcroft was one of England’s greatest ever players, praised these women from over 100 years ago.
He said: “The players who will represent England in Sunday’s game owe these women a huge debt of gratitude. They were the trailblazers. They were the ones who shattered the glass ceiling. 107 years ago these were the first “Lionesses” to be photographed.
“When Michelle Agyemang, Jess Carter, Lauren James and their team-mates play against Spain I hope they will take a moment to reflect on those who went before them. It’s amazing to think that these skilful women players had to take to the pitch wearing hats. I certainly can’t see that happening now!
“They wore their natty work caps, as no respectable woman was seen out of doors without a hat, even when playing the novel game of football.” This first photograph was discovered by Mr Bolton online and he paid “peanuts” for them.
He said: “This England team was the forerunner of the current Lionesses I couldn’t believe it when I found these two photos – they really are part of football history.” The match was between two munitions factories and it was a fund-raising effort for the war.
The wartime England players were all picked from women working at the Vickers shipbuilding and munitions complex in Barrow, Cumbria. More than 1,200 women – many them teenagers – worked inside giant factories and they produced million shells for use in battle.
England’s star player was 16 year old Madge Dickinson who scored two goals in the famous 4 -0 win for the pioneering ‘Lionesses’. There was a return game in Barrow, three weeks later where the Scottish team managed a respectable 2 v 2 draw in front of a crowd of 5,000.
Vickers wore blue jerseys with black shorts, which were referred to as ‘knickers’ in those days. Bolton added: “The young women often worked in dirty and dangerous conditions. They worked long hours, often a 12-hour shift, and then played football afterwards.
“I think that we owe a great deal of gratitude to these young women. For the last two years a wreath has been laid at the Cenotaph on November 11 to remember their sacrifices.”
Women’s football continued to be popular after the war. Teams played friendlies for charities, often in front of large crowds, but the FA banned matches at its members’ grounds in 1921 as “unsuitable for females”. The ban lasted for 50 years until 1971.
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