The Legacy Of The Dagenham Invincibles Of WW1.

Ruth Kettle-Frisby today writes on an a fantastic new exhibition taking place.

Next Saturday, a groundbreaking exhibition opens in the beautiful Valence House Museum just down the road in Dagenham.

“THE STERLING LADIES FC TO THE LIONESSES: THE LEGACY OF THE DAGENHAM INVINCIBLES OF WW1”

 Building on the success of the enormously well-received play performed at Queen’s Theatre in Hornchurch The Invincibles, historian Steve Bolton – with support from the British Society of Sports History – is curating this exhibition from February 15 to March 31 to celebrate over a century of pioneering women footballers. 

The exhibition will feature stunning images from the Valence House Archive and over a century of unique and rare artefacts and images from the Steve Bolton Collection. 

 Women’s football across the UK became popular during World War I, and excitingly, Bolton has discovered not only the first ever photograph of the Lionesses taken in 1918, but the entire letter that was read out at the 1921 Ban Meeting by The Football Association (FA), declaring its matches to be essentially “unsuitable for females”.

 The exhibition will explore attitudes to women in football and celebrate the very latest local initiatives to promote football diversity, inclusion and equality of opportunity for women and girls. The mighty Lionesses today stand on broad shoulders, including Bolton’s own grandmother, the formidable English full-back Lizzy Ashcroft, who helped to pave the way for female empowerment in sport.

 As a mother of my own budding female footballer, age five, it will be fascinating to gain such unique insights into how far women’s football has come; to reflect upon and challenge ideas of where it is now; and to aspire to a deeper, more fundamental inclusion of women and girls in sport for the even playing field of the future.  

 This special local exhibition is not to be missed, and will be of pivotal interest to anyone interested in football, equality, or local history. 

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