Bishop’s Stortford Hockey Club celebrates 100 years of women’s hockey at end-of-season awards ceremony
Bishop’s Stortford Hockey Club’s Lianne Warnell looks back on a century of women’s hockey in the town after the club marked the milestone at the annual end-of-season dinner and awards ceremony
More than 180 members and friends of Bishop’s Stortford Hockey Club gathered at Herts and Essex High School for its annual end-of-season dinner. This year’s event, on Saturday April 26, held special significance as 2025 marks the centenary of women’s hockey in Stortford. The choice of venue was particularly fitting, honouring the students of the girls’ school who first endeavoured to introduce hockey for women in the town.
One hundred years on, the bond between the school and the club remains strong. Former ladies’ section captain Richard Temple continues to dedicate significant time to coaching students from the school, inspiring them to progress into the adult game. When hockey at Herts and Essex flourishes, so too does the club. This enduring relationship was underlined when the school’s under-14 team secured silver medals at this year’s National State Schools Finals.
From its inception until 1965, the club played home matches at Cricketfield Lane, leasing a pitch from the cricket club. Success followed swiftly: after the Second World War the club enjoyed an unbeaten season in 1947, winning 18 matches and scoring an impressive 208 goals. One of the star players of that era was former Herts and Essex High School student Eileen Taylor, who was selected at left-back for England against Ireland.
In 1965, the club moved its home fixtures to Margaret Dane School, and in 1971 a second XI was formed under the leadership of club captain Gill Robinson. Regular training sessions began at St Mary’s Convent during the 1970s, leading to increased participation and the establishment of a third XI in the 1972-73 season.
The move to Hadham Hall in 1980 heralded a period of notable success. Herts and Essex High School won its first National Schools Cup title in 1981, led by England international centre-forward Sharon Hutley. In 1982, future England Masters international Pippa Bull (née Mackrill) began making her mark on the club’s team sheets. Another standout performer was Margaret Allen, also a Herts and Essex alumna, who was selected for England in March 1985.
In 1990, the ladies’ and men’s clubs merged, with headquarters at Cricketfield Lane. Both sections transitioned to the new artificial surface at Hockerill College for the 1993-94 season, which helped attract former and new players, paving the way for further successes.
The partnership with Hockerill College enabled the ladies’ section to regularly field five teams across the East League and the newly established Five Counties League during the late 1990s and early 2000s. The ladies’ first XI claimed the East Division 2SW title twice, in 2009-10 and again in 2016-17, though the fifth XI was sadly folded in 2009.
In 2018, hockey truly came home with the construction of a dedicated pitch and clubhouse in collaboration with Herts and Essex High School. The fifth team was reintroduced, followed by a sixth in 2019, catalysing an unprecedented period of success. Over six seasons - including one impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic - the ladies’ section secured 14 divisional titles. The ladies’ first XI won the East Premier League in 2021-22 and achieved promotion to the National League for the first time in the club’s history. The club now regularly fields 10 ladies’ teams on a Saturday.
Today, Bishop’s Stortford Hockey Club continues to be well-represented at national level, with players such as Pippa Bull, Charlie Leonard, Sally Powell and Kim Durbin selected for national squads in their respective age groups, and many others representing the club at county and regional levels.
As the club celebrates 100 years of women’s hockey, its future looks just as bright as its illustrious past.
Earlier in the day, more than 50 players took part in a seven-a-side tournament at the club, with teams from the club and two made up of Herts and Essex pupils past and present. It was the Herts and Essex ‘Hexonians’ A team who took the title by one point.
Award winners: Young Volunteer Awards: Will Fox, Freddie Taylor, Zoe Bovaird, Daisy Fox. Special/Lifetime Achievement Award: Colin Harker. Chairman’s Award: Jemma Pettit. Neil Vartan Award: Zoe Barford. James Kew Award: Pippa Bull and Jemma Pettit. Ladies’ Club Person: Naomi Holloway. Men’s Clubman: Ross Haworth. Cobb Umpiring Award: Lis Foot. Coaches’ Player of the Season: Maksim White. Coach of the Season: Charlie Bannister. Ladies’ Masters Player of the Season: Kim Durbin. Men’s Masters Player of the Season: Jack Wheaton. Mixed Player of the Season: James Nash. Ladies’ Team of the Year: 10th team. Men’s Team of the Year: Fifth team. Ladies’ Top Goalscorer: Kate Cullinan and Lois Wright (both 25 goals). Men’s Top Goalscorer: James Nash (41 goals).
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