Women’s cricket history uncovered in Lancashire cowshed archives

The Story

A researcher piecing together the history of women’s cricket in England found the Women’s Cricket Association archive stored in a former cowshed near Blackpool. The discovery led to a new book, “The Women in Whites: A History of Women’s Cricket in England,” scheduled for release on 1 June.

Key Facts

• In spring 2011, the author visited the MCC library at Lord’s and found only three books on women’s cricket, one of which was Rachael Heyhoe Flint’s 1978 autobiography.
• The author decided to write a book to fill the gap; that book is “The Women in Whites: A History of Women’s Cricket in England,” out on 1 June.
• The Women’s Cricket Association (WCA) had been running women’s cricket for more than 70 years before the ECB took over in 1998.
• The first women’s Tests took place in Australia in the winter of 1934‑35; more than 140 women had represented England by 2011.
• The author interviewed former players including Heyhoe Flint, Enid Bakewell, Chris Watmough, Ruth Prideaux, Norma Izard, and Carole Cornthwaite.
• The WCA archive was found in a former cowshed in a hamlet about eight miles east of Blackpool, kept by Carole Cornthwaite.
• The author spent two weeks there, discovering minute books dating to 1926, scrapbooks, letters, tour diaries, and newspaper cuttings.
• Chris Watmough described writing hundreds of letters for sponsorship; one company that responded was lingerie brand Berlei, so England toured Australia in 1968‑69 wearing sponsored bras.
• Ruth Prideaux had players sleep on blow‑up mattresses on her living room floor and run on Eastbourne beach for training before the 1993 World Cup.
• Norma Izard borrowed a wok from MCC kitchens in July 1998 to burn a miniature bat signed by both teams, creating the first Women’s Ashes trophy.
• In 2017, MCC acquired the complete WCA archive and moved it to Lord’s via Taunton.

Conflicting Reports

No conflicting reports identified in the source article.

Still Unclear

No open questions identified in the source article.

Misconceptions

No widespread misconceptions addressed in the source article.

Key Figures

• Neil Robinson (MCC library staff)
• Rachael Heyhoe Flint (former England player, author of 1978 autobiography)
• Enid Bakewell (former England player)
• Chris Watmough (England batter)
• Ruth Prideaux (England coach for 1993 World Cup)
• Norma Izard (former player or official)
• Carole Cornthwaite (nee Hodges, former England player who scored a hundred in 1993 World Cup)
• Betty Archdale (captain on 1934‑35 tour to Australia, nicknamed “Hitler”)
• Myrtle Maclagan (daughter of army officer, took 7‑10 in first women’s Test, scored first Test hundred)
• Marjorie Pollard (WCA founder, opposed trousers for players)

Sources: The Guardian