#1
#1 out of 1
1d ago
The Spin | I became a detective in women’s cricket and found treasure in an old Lancashire cowshed
- A researcher found the Women’s Cricket Association archive in a rural Lancashire cowshed, revealing hidden records dating back to 1926.
- The boxes contained minute books, scrapbooks, diaries and newspaper cuttings that chart the early WCA women’s cricket era.
- Key pioneers like Betty Archdale and Myrtle Maclagan shaped early England women’s cricket and its legacy.
- The discovery supported the author’s plan to write a history of women’s cricket, leading to The Women in Whites.
- The MCC acquired the WCA archive in 2017, consolidating access for researchers.
- Interviewees described financial struggles and makeshift training conditions for England’s women’s teams.
- The author’s archival quest spanned years, merging field research with PhD work.
- The archive offer includes diaries and correspondence that illuminate early WCA governance and culture.
- The article emphasizes that today’s fully professional women’s game exists alongside its rich, overlooked past.
- The piece notes MCC’s archive acquisition as a turning point for archival access and study.
Vote 0