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Durham Lasses
The Lasses started out in Minor Gridball in 1951, winning promotion to the big time at the first attempt. 1952 was a sold starting season, finishing 6th of the 8 teams, though never seriously in danger or either reaching the play-offs or being demoted.
The following season was tougher as the Lasses failed to win until matchday four, while just one win in their last nine games included a 0-10 mauling at home from Middlesex. The Lasses ended the season bottom of the table and were demoted having lost all their last five games, giving them an open ended Gridball losing run record.
Arena: Riverside Rink {Durham} - Capacity {2,500}
Colours: Sky & Royal Blue striped shirts, Black shorts.
Coach: Mary Bocca {Rated 0} - {1952-1953}
Demoted in 1953
Honours: None
Most Appearances: 30 - Enid Gleadle,
Eunice Higginbottom, Kathy Lansbury
{1952-1953}
Most Goals: 20 - Enid Gleadle {1952-1953}
In a Season: 14 - Enid Gleadle {1952}
In a Game: 3 - Enid Gleadle 5-5 at Glasgow
1st March 1952 {Senior Debut}
& 4-0 at Essex 9th April 1952 {Also Missed a Penalty}
Oldest player: Enid Gleadle {32 years 86 days at Tamar
21st November 1953}
Youngest player: Joan Howes {23 years 1953}
Record Victory: 4-0 at Essex {19th April 1952}
Record Defeat: 0-10 vs Middlesex {31st October 1953}
Record Attendance: 681 vs West Yorkshire
{5th July 1952}
1st team to lose five consecutive games - 26th September 1953 - Demoted at the end of the season
Season By Season record:
1952: 6th of 8
1953: 12th of 12 - Demoted
Correct up to January 1st 1954
Rosemarie Muir
Left Guard {Rated 0}
Age 28 {27/12/24}
Born: Birr, Offaly, Ireland
New Signing 1954
Previous Club: Glasgow
Apps: 24
Goals 1
Supergrid Bronze Medal 1951
Irish-born former secretary turned Gridballer, Rosemarie joined the Claymores in 1951 after marrying a Scottish film director. A convent-schooled daughter of a bank manager and amateur actress, she once appeared in Captain Boycott. Known for her poise and flair, Was invited to New York in November 1952 to be named Queen of the US warship Wasp. She was part of the 1951 Bronze medal winning team but missed most of last season through injury and left for Durham in the minors after losing her place to Julia Hulatt
Eunice Higginbottom
{Nee de Boulliard}
Centre {Rated 1}
Age 25 {03/01/28}
Born: Alexandria, Egypt
Apps: 30
Goals: 2
An Egyptian of Franco Italian heritage, she came to England to marry Footballer Ron Higginbottom in 1946. Described as ambitious, bubbly and sometimes fame hungry, she began work as a cheesecake model after the birth of her son in 1949, which led to her husband filing for divorce in 1951. Joined the Lasses that year and helped them to promotion, setting an appearance record in their two seasons before demotion in 1953. Opened a ballet school with dancer Geoff Cheeseman that year but found out in February that he had broken their engagement.
By April, fame hungry Eunice appeared in Cannes, hoping to land a movie contract
In February 1954 Eunice Higginbottom was all over the papers. With Durham demoted and her engagement to a rich businessman having been broken, the press were wondering what next for one of the game's more colourful and fame hungry characters. The press were not least fascinated on her increasingly plunging necklines.
Angela Mathie
Sweeper {Rated 1}
Age 29 {17/06/24}
Born: Golden, British Columbia, Canada
New Signing
Previous Club: West Yorkshire
Apps: 18
Goals: 1
Supergrid Bronze Medal 1952
Canadian who came to the UK in her youth and gained notoriety in the press for attending movie premiers in her own designed and themed costumes relating to the film. Was ever present in the Bronze medal winning team of 1952 but lost her place in 1953 to Audrey Denbigh, making just two appearances, including the semi final but was replaced by Audrey White in the Final. With not slot in the 1954 team, she dropped down to the minors with relegated Durham. A keen Ice Hockey fan, she married Dave Brockwell of the Nottingham Panthers in 1952.
June 1952
Kathy Lansbury
Defender {Rated 0}
Age 28 {15/01/25}
Born: Chester-Le-Street, Durham, England
Apps: 30 {1952-1953}
Goals: -
Played at Right Guard during Durham's two years in the Elite and scored an own goal on her 1952 debut before going on to become the first player to score a second career own goal in 1953. Jointly holds the Durham appearance record, playing thirty games in their 2 seasons in the elite.
Remained with the Lasses when they dropped down to the Minors in 1954. and adapted to become an all round defender
1953 was a tough year for Lansbury. she became the first player to score a second own goal as the lasses finished bottom and were demoted.
Mary Bocca
{Nee Laing}
Coach {Rated 0}
Age 38 {30/05/15}
Born: Durham, England
Described once as the archetypal British beauty, mother is half French who married a Belgian stockbroker who adopted Mary. She discovered he wasn't her father in 1949.
Educated in Durham and Paris. Married a doctor in 1939 but divorced in 1946. Worked in France after the war and met a French photographer. Married in 1949 and returned to her home county where she began coaching the Durham Lasses. After guiding them to 6th place in 1952, Was pregnant for much of the 1953 season and some critics cited it as part of the reason her team finished bottom of 12 and were demoted that season.
EX - Barbara Cole
{Nee Dorn}
Right Guard {Rated 0}
Age 29 {28/04/24}
Born: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Apps: 22 {1952-1953}
Goals: 1 {1953}
Former American actress and pin up who was nearly killed in a car crash in 1946. Came to England in 1948 as the wife of British band leader, Hugo Cole. 5 ft 6 inch defender has a son and a daughter and debuted in March 1952
Quit the Lasses after their 1953 demotion and took a player coach role with Minor League Northampton
Former Players
Ursula Sugden {Nee McClancey} - Netminder - Apps 22 {1952-1953}
Pat Harrison - Attacker - Apps 19, Goals 6 {1952-1953}
Gracie Bruce {Nee Barnhart} - Netminder - Apps 8 {1952-1953}
Rena Heilbron briefly went on loan to the Lasses at the start of the 1954 Minor season but was quickly recalled to Glasgow due to injuries. She never played a senior game for the English side.