Description

Original 'Reds' English Lady Cricket costume consisting of a cream blouse with 9 buttons down the front, half length sleeves and red stripe pattern around the collar and side pocket, sash and baggy knee length skirt with three bands of red stripes around the hem.

Display caption

The costume of the Original English Lady Cricketers was given on permanent loan to the MCC Museum by the Womens Cricket Association in 1957. Two of the items (a blouse and skirt) are cream flannel edged in red. There is also a red woollen sash. The costume dates from around 1890 and was originally worn by Molly Beckenham who played for 'the Reds' against 'the Blues'. The costume was displayed in a sporting costume exhibition in Germany some 15 years ago - it was they who restored it for MCC. In 1890 two teams called 'The Original English Lady Cricketers' toured the country playing exhibition matches and putting women's cricket on the map. The teams were raised by a Mr Matthews via an advertisement in the press and were the only recorded professional women cricketers until recent years. The teams were accompanied by a chaperone as well as a manager. The players, who were not permitted to play under their own names, were paid sixpence a day and provided with uniforms - red for one team, blue for the other. Their first game, played in Liverpool, drew 15,000 spectators. While they lasted they were sucessful but the teams folded after two years when their manager absconded with the profits.