1897 - 2009
Colchester Hockey Club
More than 100 years of hockey in north Essex
Club history
1897-1923: The founding of Colchester Hockey Club and Colchester Ladies Club
Colchester Hockey Club was founded in 1897 by Arthur Brough and Arthur Denton. Brough and Denton had both been at Colchester Royal Grammar School (though at separate times) and it is there that they were likely to have first played hockey. CHC was based at Cambridge Road, where the Colchester and East Essex Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club was located (Brough and Denton were at the time joint Honorary Secretaries of CEECLTC). The annual subscription was 7s.6d (equivalent to about £29 today), and there were twenty-three members with Brough as the Captain.
In 1904, the Colchester Eccentrics Hockey Club first appeared. Richard
Prescott Keigwin was goalkeeper for the Colchester Eccentrics and Essex.
He became Colchester's first international hockey player in 1909, winning six
The early history of the Colchester Ladies’ Club (CLC) is less well known than that of the men. The first report, in the Essex Chronicle, 29 November 1901, listed a 2-2 draw between Chelmsford Ladies and Colchester Ladies. It is not known where their home games were played but one of their early Honorary Secretaries was Mrs Lucy Hardy.
Until the middle of WWI, there were various hockey clubs for men, women and mixed teams in Colchester. However, they all folded during WWI and it was not until the early 1920s that hockey resumed in the area.
1923 - 1945: Colchester Hockey Club and Colchester Ladies' Hockey Club
In 1923, two Old Colcestrians, Reginald 'Jimmy' Cox and John 'Jack' Everett disbanded the Old Colcestrians Hockey Club and re-formed as Colchester Hockey Club. Jack's 18 year old sister, Christine 'Dick' Everett, formed the Colchester Ladies' Hockey Club in the same year. Both clubs used the Shrub End Road Sports Ground. A Colchester Thursday Hockey Club for men was formed the next season.
All three clubs experienced highs and lows throughout the 1920s and 30s: trying to find new players to fill the teams, participating in various club tournaments and having players chosen for Essex and East teams. The advent of WWII did not greatly affect hockey in Colchester. Although the Thursday Club folded, CHC had one team and managed to play fairly regularly. The women's club temporarily disbanded for one season but then re-formed with many new youngsters coming through.
1945 - 2003: Colchester Hockey Club and Colchester Women's Hockey Club
CHC Men's 1st XI, 1947-48
Back: Dr Michael Lampard, Cliff Pawsey, E.A. Wigley, Norman Catchpole,
Eric French, G. Buck, Toby Lyle (President)
FR: C.F. Webber, J. Bullough, Russell Wray, Peter Benham, Alan Dace
(copyright Prettygate Photos)
The 1950s and 60s saw the rise in popularity of hockey in Colchester. The Exiles were formed in 1951 and two years later the first Exiles Mixed Hockey Festival began. This one day tournament attracted teams from all over East Anglia and beyond and was regarded as a great social occasion. CHC and CWHC also held annual Club Games for their own teams. Weekends were devoted to hockey: Saturday club games then Sunday mixed hockey - a good way to meet future spouses!
The early 1970s saw the introduction of leagues and national competitions for the men and this was CHC's most successful time, winning the East Championship twice. Women's leagues would not be created until the mid-1980s.
After years of searching for a new home, CHC moved to Castle Park in 1975, while CWHC remained at Shrub End until 1992. Three games could be played simultaneously at Castle Park and the cricket pavilion which was the new clubhouse was always busy. There was a thriving social calendar with some events involving both clubs, including the three day Easter Hockey Tournament.
The introduction of expensive artificial pitches saw both clubs move games to nearby Leisureworld, and then the Garrison from 2000.
2003 - present day: Colchester Hockey Club
For almost 100 years, the governing bodies of hockey had remained male- and female-only. With the merging of all organisations, from international down to county level, it was inevitable that local men's and women's clubs would follow suit and amalgamate, which is what happened in Colchester in 2003 after years of close ties.
In 2007-08, Colchester Hockey Club celebrated its centenary (no one being aware at the time that the club was actually 110 years old!). Special events were held to commemorate the occasion: a golf challenge match against Colchester Golf Club (also celebrating its centenary), exhibition matches against the Men's and Women's England Vets, the Mayor doing the 'bully-off' before the Men's 1sts' match, a match between the Men's 1st XI teams of 1997 and 2007, and a Centenary Dinner.
In September 2008, 'The Holly and the Rose: a History of Colchester Hockey Club', a 200 page book about hockey in Colchester, was published.
To read reports and view photos, visit the Centenary Events Gallery.
To find out more about 'The Holly and the Rose', visit the Holly and the Rose.