Wings for Victory - Wartime Women’s Football in Erith

26/06/2019  -  1.05

Brian Spurrell

May 1943 was a pivotal month in the Second World War.  Most importantly, it was the turning point in the Battle of the Atlantic, the month in which U-boat losses began to exceed merchant shipping losses.  In the very week in which the events covered by this article took place, the Dambusters raid struck at the heart of German war production and Winston Churchill made a speech to the US Congress in Washington.

On the home front, it was also the year of “Wings for Victory” Weeks.  Towns up and down the country would hold special fundraising events aimed at raising money for the war effort.  From 15-22 May it was the turn of Erith in the south-eastern London suburbs.  The local edition of the “Kentish Times” announced the fundraising target: £160,000, enough to pay for two Sunderland flying boats and a squadron of Spitfires.

The paper reported that 28 major money-raising events had been organised, and 13 selling centres would be open for the purchase of National Savings stamps and certificates.  Events included a parade and procession between recreation grounds, a succession of dances throughout the week including an open-air dance in Lesnes Woods; whist drives, stage shows, one-act plays by Erith Theatre Guild, a darts tournament between local pubs, a cricket match between Erith and Woolwich Garrison, and a display of guns in the Riverside gardens including anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons, two captured German weapons and a towering 7.2 inch howitzer.

Last but not least, there was football at the Park View ground of Erith and Belvedere FC.  “The Deres” were one of the few clubs in Kent not to have closed down for the duration of hostilities: the Kent League having been abandoned for the war, the Deres had joined the South Eastern Combination and enjoyed successes against the likes of Dulwich Hamlet and Tooting and Mitcham.  So, the ground was in good condition to host Wings for Victory games, admission to which was exclusively by purchase of War Savings stamps.

On Saturday 15 May there was a junior game between an Erith District XI and a Woolwich District XI.  The team lists in the paper include, at inside-left for Erith, a local 15-year-old who was later on the Deres’ books but moved on to Charlton before reaching the first team: Malcolm Allison, who of course went on to European honours as joint manager of Manchester City.

Then on the Tuesday came a novelty.  A local man named Leonard Fortune had organised a women’s football tournament for local factory teams: it’s not entirely clear how many entered, but three teams were mentioned in the reports that follow – two from Turners Asbestos Company and the other from Callenders Cables.  Here’s how the matches were reported.

18 May 1943

VICTORY SPORT – LADIES’ FOOTBALL

Mr Reg McKee, the popular dance MC, had a new job at Park View, Belvedere, on Tuesday evening, when he acted as referee in a football match between two ladies’ teams from Turner’s Asbestos Co.

Although ladies’ football matches have, of course, taken place before, the organiser, Mr Leonard Fortune, believes that this is the first cup competition for ladies ever to be organised in connection with Wings for Victory Week.

The teams were styled A and B, and wore red and white shirts respectively, though it will be more convenient to refer to them by their colours.  The Reds elected to play the first half against the sun, and Mrs Fortune, wife of the organiser, kicked off.

From the first minutes of the game there was never any doubt as to which was the superior side, and the first half was mainly a frenzied attempt on the part of the White defence to keep the ball out of their goal.  Dunsden, the Red centre-forward, was the leading light of the attack, and her right-wing, Stubberfield and Smoker, worked very well with her.  Smoker, at outside-right, was perhaps the best tactician on the field.

The Reds obtained two goals in the first ten minutes.  A penalty awarded for a technical offence resulted in the first goal being scored, without effort, by Dunsden.  Soon afterwards a good movement by the Reds again brought the ball into the White goalmouth, and a good shot by Stubberfield found the net after a valiant attempt by Cox to save.

With a two-goals lead the Reds eased off their attack, but it was not until the last few minutes of the half that the Whites broke through.  Despite excellent work by Sayers they were unable to score.

At the station end, with the sun behind them, the Reds did very much as they pleased during the second half of the game, and although the Whites attacked strongly they were never able to break through the stolid defence of Burrows and Thomas.  Dunsden added another goal for the Reds before the whistle blew for time, with the result: Turners A 3, Turners B 0.

Reds (A) - Jeffreys; Thomas, Burrows; Rea (capt), Trent, Eastwood; Smoker, Stubberfield, Dunsden, Hinds, Reeves.

Whites (B) - Cox; Reedman, Fryer; Poulson, Dines, Eastwood; Stone, Sayers, Boulogne, Churchill, Longhurst.

About 1000 spectators witnessed the match, and the bomb-case in front of the stand was covered with £10 of stamps.

Turners A meet Callenders Cables in the final of the competition on Saturday at 3.30pm.  The Mayor of Erith will kick off.

22 May

VICTORY FOOTBALL – Turner’s Win Ladies Cup

Turner’s Asbestos met Callender’s Cables in the final of the “Wings” Week Ladies Football Cup Competition, organised by Mr L A Fortune.  After a skilful and keenly-contested game, Turner’s were the victors by two clear goals.

Despite the result it must be admitted that Callender’s were the superior team and that their opponents’ victory was down to the good efforts of individuals.  Callenders had a certain amount of bad luck, for they finished the match with ten players and were kept out of their opponents’ goal just before half-time by what seemed like a miracle.

Turners were superior in long-distance kicking and individual tactics.

The kick-off was at 3.30 by the Mayor of Erith, who afterwards watched the match, accompanied by Mr F T Colyer, Chairman of the Week, Mr and Mrs Whittaker (representing Turner’s Asbestos) and Mr Giles (representing Callenders).

Play was entirely in Turners’ goalmouth for the last few minutes of the first half and Callenders were unlucky not to be one goal up at half-time.

The spirits of both teams were flagging a little towards the middle of the second half, when a brilliant left-wing movement by Reeves, Stubberfield, Eastwood and Dunsden resulted in a splendid goal scored by Reeves.

This put new life into the game, and Turners pressed strongly, but without effect.  Their second goal came from a free-kick, Dunsden lobbing the ball over the opponents’ heads into the centre of the goal.

Shortly after this Callenders lost one of their side, who had pulled a muscle.  Turners took full advantage of this, and tried hard to increase their lead, but the Callenders defence stood firm, and the final whistle blew without further score.

Callender’s Cables: Clayton; Beadle, Fryer; Wardropper, Petty, Driver; Reed, Barns, Wilkins, Hutchinson, Crane.

Turner’s Asbestos: Jeffreys; Thomas, Burrows; Rea (capt), Trent, Eastwood; Smoker, Hinds, Dunsden, Stubberfield, Reeves.

Linesmen: G Beadle (North Heath Rovers), G Luther (GEC, Erith).

After the match the Mayor presented the cup to H Rea, the winners’ captain, and shook hands with the goal-scorers.  Mr Fortune explained that it had not been possible to obtain medals for the team, but that each player would receive a mounted photograph of the team, autographed by the referee, John Oakes, the Charlton Athletic centre-half.

During the interval Mr Fortune welcomed the “gate” of 3,500, and Mrs Fortune made an appeal on behalf of the RAF Benevolent Fund.

Mrs Len Harvey, of the Nordenfeldt Tavern, presented the organiser with a bottle of port to go in the cup for “a drink all round”.  The trophy is to be perpetuated.

Over a cup of tea behind the scenes, Referee John Oakes, the famous professional pivot, expressed the opinion that it was doubtful if a ladies’ match had ever been played at a faster pace.  Another view, expressed by the Mayor, was that the game was “undoubtedly the high spot of the week”.

The victorious Turner’s Asbestos Company (Red) team meet the referee, Charlton Athletic centre-half John Oakes.

Park View, Belvedere, 22 May 1943

Source: Bexley Local Studies Archives

4 June

THE LADIES’ FOOTBALL MATCH

To the Editor

Dear Sir – May I as a native of Erith publicly thank the women of Erith for their splendid effort during Wings for Victory Week.  I think I speak for all the sport lovers when I say that very special thanks must go to that sporting effort of Turner’s Asbestos Works and Callender’s Cable Works women workers in organising a women’s football team.

These fine women have given up many of their too-few leisure hours to train and co-operate to put up the splendid show they gave us, and thanks must go to them and all who made the game possible.  Yours faithfully,

Helen Page, Erith.

So far so good.  “Wings for Victory” had been Erith’s most successful fundraising week of the war, and on Tuesday 25 May the committee Treasurer announced the grand total of £204,322, 16 shillings and ninepence, well beyond the target.  Congratulatory telegrams were received from the Chairman of the National Savings Movement and from the Chancellor, Sir Kingsley Wood.  The “Erith Echoes” column of the Kentish Times praised the generosity of individual subscribers with the words “Hats off to the Erithian”.

And then shortly afterwards word reached a man in an FA county office, and things went sour.  Here’s how it developed in the Kentish Times correspondence columns.

11 June - “Erith Echoes”

LADIES’ FOOTBALL – Crayford Wings for Victory Week takes place shortly, and we understand that the winners of Erith Ladies’ Football Cup competition intend to throw out a challenge to any Crayford ladies’ team, to assist the Crayford Week.  If such a challenge is forthcoming, Crayford would do well to accept, for there can be little doubt, from the scenes recently witnessed at Belvedere, that the sport is exceedingly popular.  The ladies of Erith must be congratulated on their fine exposition of that decidedly masculine art.

11 June

LADIES’ FOOTBALL MATCHES

To the Editor

Sir – My attention has been drawn to a paragraph in your last issue to the effect that ladies’ football matches are contemplated in connection with the Crayford Wings for Victory Week.

Will you kindly allow me space in your columns to point out that ladies’ football is not recognised by the Football Association.  The latter decided that the game is not suitable for women, and clubs and officials subject to the FA’s jurisdiction are forbidden to allow their grounds to be used or in any way to take part in such games.  This extends to referees and to the loan of equipment.

In these circumstances I should be glad if you would allow me to make it known to anyone within our jurisdiction that it will be an offence under the rules to have anything to do with the ladies’ matches referred to.

There is one further point worth mentioning.  The Wings for Victory campaign and various war charities are being made an excuse for out-of-the-season football matches.  Such matches cannot be sanctioned, since the Football Association rules that no game was to be permitted after May 15, the closing date for last season.  Yours faithfully,

S J W BROWN

Secretary, Kent County FA

11 Military Road, Chatham.

18 June - “Erith Echoes”

LADIES’ FOOTBALL

We cannot help wondering why the Football Association do not waive their self-imposed regulations regarding the correct procedure of the game, at least in so far as it affects the war effort.  A recent case in the North of England, when a ladies’ football match arranged in conjunction with a local Wings for Victory Week was banned by the Association, and a five-a-side ladies’ cricket match was substituted at the last minute, seems likely to be repeated locally, for the KCFA secretary is now protesting against the proposed match between Erith and Crayford teams for the Crayford Wings Week.

The ban must be exceedingly discouraging to the organisers of these games, not to mention the ladies themselves.  The organiser of the Erith Wings competition has stated that the ladies are rather left out of local functions, and it seems a pity that the FA should frown on games which are organised to assist the war effort directly.

18 June

LADIES’ FOOTBALL MATCHES

To the Editor

Dear Sir – The elaborations of your correspondent, Mr S J W Brown, are enough to make any sportsman see red.  He says that the Football Association “decided that the game is not suitable for women”.  But he does not reveal the year this was decided.  The women of today are showing up many preconceived ideas, and if Mr Brown has obeyed the law, having “nothing to do with such matches”, then surely he does not know whether women of today are suited to football or not.  As Spinoza said, “Ignorantia est non argumentum”.  [“Ignorance is no argument”]

Also, if any sport is popular enough, no time-limit can curb the enthusiasm to participate.  Apparently Mr Brown has a case against our enthusiasm.  Some case for an official!

Furthermore, I hope Mr Brown’s readers will not be unduly scared by FA ultimatums, as it is the players of the game, and not its bureaucrats, who are the lifeblood of football.  Yours faithfully,

FRANK T BURVILL

108 Horsa Road, Erith.

25 June

WOMEN’S FOOTBALL MATCHES

To the Editor

Sir – I am not concerned to argue with your correspondent, Mr F T Burvill, on the merits of football as played by women.  My duty as secretary of the County Football Association was merely to make the ruling of the Football Association known to clubs and officials subject to our jurisdiction, in order that they might not continue unwittingly to transgress the law and render themselves liable to disciplinary action.

But it may be added, however, that in reply to my inquiry I was informed by the secretary of the Football Association that the attitude I had adopted was the correct one and that “from inquiries which had been made there is a consensus of opinion among the members of the Council that the previous decision should not be varied.”

I think the vast majority of reasonably-minded people will be content to accept the judgment of the governing body as to what is best for the game and its participants.  Yours faithfully,

S J W BROWN

11 Military-road, Chatham

To the Editor

Sir – Will you kindly allow us space in your columns for our reply to the letter published for the secretary of the Kent County Football Association.

We would like any person whom it may concern to know that our ladies’ football matches are not in any way an excuse for out-of-the-season football, and it is very unfair that such allegations should ever be made.

We, as ladies, frankly admit we are ignorant of the FA rules, and thought that we were doing, in addition to our factory work, something to further the war effort.

We have in the past devoted a considerable amount of our time to training for these matches, and now at such times, when we should all pull together in one effort, we have such obstacles placed before us.

The match played on May 22 was for one purpose, to assist in the swelling of funds for the Wings for Victory Campaign.  These ladies’ football matches must be of some attraction, as was clearly shown by the attendance at that game.

Further, it was stated that the game is not suitable for women, but surely there are several jobs being done, and offices held by women during these times, that during the days of peace were considered impossible.  Yours faithfully,

CALLENDERS LADIES’ FOOTBALL TEAM.

To the Editor

Dear Sir – Your editorial comment that an official organisation should see fit to sabotage the war effort by banning women’s football, and Mr Burvill’s tirade against the “bureaucrats of sport”, are incongruous appeals to popular prejudice which strike a slightly hysterical note.  Both ignore the one incontrovertible argument against women playing football.

Man’s muscular equipment invariably enables him to endure the rigours of the game without permanent injury.  Where women are involved, however, although the game is of necessity less vigorous, a hard blow from a ball, a nasty knock or a heavy tumble in the collisions which must inevitably occur, are fraught with grave dangers.  The young women who engage so light-heartedly in this sport cannot be aware of the almost certain additional hazards they are incurring for the future when they will undertake the risks of motherhood.

Let your correspondent, Mr Burvill, ponder these facts deeply before he again shouts his anathemas at the football authorities, in whom, may I say, I am not the least interested.  By the same arguments your correspondent might as easily defend the promotion of women’s boxing matches or “all-in” wrestling bouts.  Yours faithfully,

RAYMOND T CARNE

17 Plaxtol Road, Erith.

2 July

WOMEN’S FOOTBALL MATCHES

To the Editor

Dear Sir – As the person responsible for “starting something”, may I be permitted to “finish it” with a few remarks which I feel are necessary.

First, I quite appreciate Mr Brown’s position in that he is responsible for bringing FA rules and regulations to the notice of offenders, or would-be offenders, in the county.  He is in duty bound to do so, despite any personal opinion he may hold concerning the wisdom, or popularity, of the said rule, and he has my sympathy in this respect.

Secondly, I fear that the bearded old gentlemen of the FA are apparently very loth to part with the dictatorial powers they have held for so long, despite the progress we have made in most sports for women.  The 3,500 spectators of the “Wings for Victory” final will bear testimony that the game was no farce, and that the standard of play surpassed that shown by many a junior side.  It was, in fact, a revelation of talent unequalled since the days of the famous Dick, Kerr’s ladies’ team during the last war.

Thirdly, your correspondent Mr Carne is apprehensive of the physical disabilities which women might sustain from playing football.  There is just as much likelihood of the same injuries being incurred by women in the home or in the street.  In this connection may I say that not for one moment do I wish to see a race of Amazons arise in this country, for in common with most men, I am I suppose still conceited enough to regard our partners as “the weaker sex”.  But I refuse to believe that a couple of football matches a year, properly supervised, after a period of physical training, will have anything but beneficial effects on the participants.

As for continuous PT and its effects on women, if your correspondent will attend the Erith Borough Sports on July 31, I will introduce him to the best women athletes in this country, who will be competing, amongst whom are mothers of some of the finest specimens of children one could wish to see.

Finally, in connection with “Holidays-at-Home”, we are anticipating, together with other events, a knock-out cricket competition for ladies.  I trust the gentlemen of the MCC will view our efforts for the “weaker sex” of Erith in a more sensible and helpful light than that displayed by the old gentlemen of Lancaster Gate.  Yours faithfully,

L A FORTUNE

48 Ightham Road, Erith

Postscript

The views of the “bearded old gentlemen of the FA” sadly held sway for some decades after this.  Stanley Brown was Kent FA Secretary from 1926 to 1964; the FA Secretary who backed up his argument was none other than Stanley Rous, who served as FA Secretary from 1934 to 1962 and only gave up that role when he took on the bigger role of President of FIFA from 1961 to 1974.  And, as has been restated often recently, the FA ban on women’s football remained in place until 1971.

Reg McKee, who refereed the semi-final, was billed as “the popular dance MC” (which meant something rather different in 1943!).  He was a familiar face to Erith and Belvedere supporters as a prolific forward in the mid-1920s.  In 1924 he had produced perhaps the most remarkable goalscoring feat in the club’s history, scoring 6 goals in a match three times in five games in the Kent League.  He worked as a blacksmith in Fraser and Chalmers engineering works, and was later chairman of the factory’s athletic club, Magnet AC.  He also made 40 Football League appearances for Gillingham and Charlton Athletic.

John Oakes, the Charlton Athletic centre-half who refereed the final of the tournament and spoke so highly of the quality of the play, had his career highlight three years later when he played for Charlton in the 1946 FA Cup Final.

Len Harvey, the publican of the Nordenfeldt Arms, who along with his wife presented the bottle of port to the winning team, was nationally famous as “The Prince of Boxers”.  Cornish-born, he was a former British and Empire light-heavyweight and heavyweight champion.  After joining the RAF he lost his titles in a defeat to Freddie Mills in June 1942.  He later became President of Erith and Belvedere FC.

And as for the ladies of the Callenders football team, whose exasperation with officialdom comes across so clearly in that letter: there’s no further record of their football activities, but a year later their important work will have given them immense satisfaction as PLUTO, the Pipe Line Under The Ocean, largely manufactured by Callenders, began fuelling the Normandy invasion in the weeks following D-Day.

Biography

Brian Spurrell was born in Manchester shortly before the 1962 World Cup.  He studied French at Royal Holloway (University of London) and moved to SE London in 1986, where he soon added a love of Erith and Belvedere FC (Southern Counties East) to his lifelong support for Manchester United.  He was a member of the Football Supporters Association and wrote for the fanzines When Saturday Comes, Off The Ball and Eagle Eye in the late 80s, as well as being co-compiler of the charity fanzine compilation It’s Twelve Inches High And It’s Made Of Solid Gold (1992).  He wrote “From Casuals to Cup Winners: a journey through the FA Cup 1988-89” and “The Deres Down The Years: a history of Erith and Belvedere Football Club 1922-97”.  He was programme editor for Erith and Belvedere for 15 years, and his centenary club history, working title “A Century of Deres”, is due in 2022. 

His twitter handle is @EBStatto