Modern hockey initially developed in English public schools, Like various other sports such as rugby. It is sometimes known outside the UK as ‘field hockey’, in contrast to ‘ice hockey’.
It spread through the British Empire largely through the army, particularly in India. The first international match was in 1895, with Ireland beating Wales 3-0. It was a men’s Olympic sport in 1908 in London, but only France, Germany and the four UK countries competed.
It grew in parallel as a women’s sport, including the formation of the first ladies’ club in 1887 in Molesey, Surrey.
Similar to the beginnings of rugby and cricket in Langholm, it was the children of local business owners who brought the game back with them from their education at boarding schools elsewhere.
It was introduced into Langholm as a women’s sport in around 1902, including a match that year between Langholm Ladies and Englethwaite School, a private boarding school near Carlisle.
Other pre-1910 matches included Langholm against Carlisle Ladies, Burlington House School (Carlisle), Brunswick House (Carlisle) and St Hilda’s School, Liberton, Edinburgh.
The Langholm Ladies team was sometimes known as ‘Arkin Ladies’ (probably from the local place name ‘Arkinholm‘), but this seems to have been dropped by the 1910s.
By 1909 it was a mixed sport in Langholm, including a match that year between Arkin Ladies and local men:
- Ladies: Misses Margaret B and Mary J Scott, another Margaret Scott, Lizzie and Maggie Paisley, McLean, Ethel Moses, Jane Fleming, Annie and Alice Grant, Margaret McGeorge.
- Men: J A Thomson, A Maxwell, M Scott, Rev David Inglis, Thomas Lightbody, M Maxwell, Walter F Scott, Hamish Buchanan, J Buchanan.
- Umpires: Simon Hyslop, Kate Scott.
Events in 1913-14 included two Langholm versus Carlisle YMCA mixed matches and a local six-a-side tournament. Officers in 1913 were:
- Captain: Miss A Grant (Annie or Alice).
- Vice-captain: Wallace Burns.
- Secretary: Mr McLean.
- Committee: Miss M Elliot, E Calvert.
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