Australia tours England 1937
The first time a team of Australian women toured overseas was in 1937. The Australian team had to raise their own funds to travel to England. Proceeds from many Australian matches during 1936 went to the Australian Team Fund. The commemorative programme below is from an interstate match between New South Wales and Victoria. It outlines the itinerary for the upcoming English tour, as well as the results of matches played against the English women in 1934-35.
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Souvenir programme from a New South Wales v. Victoria women's cricket match in 1936 from Davis Sporting Collection No. 1. Scrapbooks on cricket in Australia and England, 1862-1916; and women's cricket, 1936
Printed pamphlet DAVIS SPORTING COLLECTION NO. 1 (Box 29)
Under captain Margaret Peden, the Australian team arrived in England in May 1937. The rules of the tour were strict: no woman was permitted to smoke or drink, or be accompanied by a husband or companion. The team played matches all over England, including three Tests, of which England won two. Marylebone Cricket Club which owns Lords Cricket Ground in London would not permit the women to play at Lords (and in fact no female team was allowed to play at Lords until the mid 1970s) but another famous cricketing ground was opened to the women – The Oval – where they attracted a crowd of over six thousand. Once again media interest in the team was intense. Many journalists and spectators expressed surprise at the level of skill displayed by the cricketers. Marjorie Pollard, a cricketing commentator who published her reports of the Australian tour, overheard one man say: ‘I thought they’d bowl lobs, but by Jove, they can play.’
With best wishes from the Australian Women's Cricket Team, 1937 from Scenes of travel, cricketers and cricket matches in Australia, Italy, Switzerland, France, England, Egypt, Canada & the USA, 1921-1946 photograph album by Sydney Smith
Photograph in album PXD 971 Box 9