Reader feedback

Reader Raymond Preston is a regular contributor of fascinatinig pictures to his page. Prompted by the team pictures of football teams published in Looking Back a few weeks ago, Ray sent in these pictures of women’s football teams.

The pictures are both from 1934.

The top one is of the Ladies Nene Vale Team and the sign at the front says they were representing Marks and Spencer in Peterborough.

The second picture is of the Ladies of Peterborough Cinemas team.

Does anybody have any more information about the history of women’s football in the city? I did a little research but could find no reference to Peterborough.

I did however learn that in the 1920s women’s football was flourishing nationwide.

It first became popular during the First World War and reached a peak in 1920 when Dick Kerr’s Ladies played St Helens Ladies at Goodison Park, the home of Everton, on Boxing Day.

A staggering crowd of 53,000 attended, with thousands locked outside.

Less than a year later, on December 5, 1921 the FA barred women from playing on FA affiliated pitches, which effectively meant all grounds with spectator facilities.

The women’s game was effectively banned by the FA who deemed football “quite unsuitable for females”.

It was more than 50 years later after the 1975 Sex Discrimination Act that the women’s game began to recover.

By 2014 it was estimated that 2.6million women and girls were playing the sport.

If you have any information about the history of women’s football in Peterborough or any pictures, please get in touch.