Blackheath Hockey Club
A Historical Perspective
The Blackheath Hockey Club
According to 'The History of Hockey' by Nevill Miroy (Published by Lifeline Ltd 1986)
"the first Hockey club was undoubtedly Blackheath". It is believed that members of the Club which was formed originally by old boys of The Blackheath Proprietory School first met as early 1840 on the heath in south-east London. Miroy suggests in his book that the hockey Club was a natural evolution from a society of golfers that formed on Blackheath common in 1608 (incidentally the oldest golf club in the world).
The oldest remaining Club records date from 1861 and the Minute Book itself still exists.
It is clear however that by this time the Club was well established - the minutes mention an increase in the annual subscription to 7/6d and refer to the retiring secretary Mr R. O'Neile.
Since 1952 the Club has been based at the current location in Rubens Street.
During the years since then, Blackheath Hockey Club has been one of the Borough's leading sports clubs,
having been runners up in the National Club Hockey Championship in both the 1983/84 and 1984/85 seasons,
and winners of the National Indoor Hockey Club Championship in 1976/77.
Today the Club is part of a thriving sports club operating seven mens Saturday teams,
as well as regular Sunday and festival teams and youth teams.
Added to that, five ladies sides are now playing following the formation of Blackheath Ladies Hockey Club in 1982.
The combined club with its cricket and squash sections currently has a playing membership approaching 300,
plus more than 100 honorary members.
Rules of The Game 1892-3
When recently rummaging through some old Club records,
I stumbled upon an original copy of the Hockey Association's rulebook (eighth edition) from 1892.
Whilst the very first HA rules are documented in Miroy's book I have reproduced the 1892-3 version as I have the original document to refer to.
They are not significantly different in any case.
It is interesting to note that the ball must be 'an ordinary cricket ball,
painted white' and to read about the rule relating to an early form of the short-corner.
How the game was played 100 years ago ...
Authorised Rules of the
Game Of Hockey 1892-3
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