[Vwoolf] A throwaway ref.

[Stuart N. Clarke]

End of ch. 4 of “A Room”:

“And yet, I continued, approaching the bookcase again, where shall I find that elaborate study of the psychology of women by a woman? If through their incapacity to play football women are not going to be allowed to practise medicine--
“Happily my thoughts were now given another turn.”

The mention of football is actually significant: 

“Dick, Kerr Ladies F.C. was one of the earliest known women's association football teams in England. The team remained in existence for over 48 years, from 1917 to 1965, playing 833 games, winning 759, drawing 46, and losing 28. During its early years, matches attracted anywhere from 4,000 to over 50,000 spectators per match. ... The team faced strong opposition by the Football Association (FA), who banned ... women from using fields and stadiums controlled by FA-affiliated clubs for 50 years (the rule was finally repealed in 1971).”

“The resolution passed [on 5/Dec/21] by the FA's Consultative Committee read: 5. Women's Football Matches. The following Resolution was adopted: Complaints having been made as to football being played by women, Council felt impelled to express the strong opinion that the game of football is quite unsuitable for females and should not be encouraged. ...”

https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick,_Kerr_Ladies_F.C__;!!KGKeukY!jGUbisRx93KWNJuTN9YcaxjUxjQIiE6HcTrRtbpSsntga7rTP50egOUvB2FkdHtFEq4$ .

VW remarked on women’s football in particular in ch. 3 of “Three Guineas” (she clipped the press cutting from the Daily Herald of 15 August 1936), quoting:

“Official football circles here [Wellingborough, Northants] regard with anxiety the growing popularity of girl's football. A secret meeting of the Northants Football Association's consultative committee was held here last night to discuss the playing of a girl's match on the Peterborough ground. Members of the Committee are reticent . . . One member, however, said today: 'The Northants Football Association is to forbid women's football. This popularity of girls' football comes when many men's clubs in the country are in a parlous state through lack of support. Another serious aspect is the possibility of grave injury to women players.’”

Stuart 

(Day 412)





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