Winger, trailblazer, icon - 115 years ago today, Lily Parr was born.
She played a key role in Dick, Kerr Ladies, the most successful women’s team of her time, and perhaps all time.
Though she didn’t start the team - rather, she was recruited when she was 14 and Dick, Kerr were already a successful team - she was vital to their overall success.
She scored 43 goals in her first season. The team played 828 matches, won 758, drew 46 and lost only 24. In that time they scored more than 3,500 goals, with Parr scoring over 900 of them. She was six feet tall and reportedly had one of the strongest left feet in the game.
In return, Parr was paid 10 shillings per week from the factory to cover travel expenses - that’s around £100 in today's money.
1920 was a big year for Parr. She played in the Boxing Day game that attracted 53,000 people to Goodison Park, beating her former team - St. Helen’s - 4-0.
In the same year, she represented her country. In the first official women’s international game, England beat France 4-0 in front of 15,000 fans. Dick, Kerr went on to tour France, playing against local teams.
When the Football Association banned women from playing on their member grounds in 1921, Parr joined her team touring America. There they played nine games against the top division men's teams, winning three, drawing three and losing three.
After returning to England to continue playing for Dick, Kerr Ladies in public parks and fields. Even when she left the factory, she remained loyal to her team, playing with them until 1951.
In this time, she trained as a nurse and worked in a mental health hospital. She grew old with her partner, Mary, and died of breast cancer at the age of 73.
What is Dick, Kerr?
Dick, Kerr Ladies was a side founded in its namesake factory in Preston. During World War I, women joined Dick, Kerr & Co to help produce munition. At this time most of the men were away at war, and more women were working in the factories. The women beat the factory’s men’s team and subsequently decided to create a formal team.
The group played in charity fixtures against similar teams around the country and raised money for injured servicemen during and after the war.
In 1926, Alfred Frankland - Dick, Kerr Manager - clashed with the team’s ownership. Consequently, their name changed to Preston Ladies F.C., under which they carried on playing until 1965.
Despite having to play in more obscure locations due to the FA ban, the team saw an average of 5,000 spectators at their matches throughout the 1930s.
Ultimately, the team had to disband due to a lack of players.
(Source: In a League of Their Own by Gail Newsham)
