Essex Blades
Essex Blades were awarded a Gridball franchise in 1950 to play in the British Minor League the following season to represent the entire historic county. They won it at the first attempt to secure their place as an Elite team for 1952.
Their debut season saw them stay clear of demotion and ultimately miss out on the play offs by just a point in 5th place. The following year they actually finished one place lower, but the increase in team numbers meant going to the Play-Offs this time where they became the only team in Gridball history to secure a podium place from such a lowly finish in Regular Season, defeating defending Champions, Middlesex in the 3rd place match.
Individually Eira Cordell was the first Essex player honoured in a team of the season in 1952 while Soe Soe Stephens was named Goalie of the Year the the following campaign.
The team play in the spacious Kursaal in Southend and take their name from the three bladed emblem of the County.
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Arena: Kursaal {Southend} - Capacity {1,000}
Colours: Turquoise, Crimson & Navy
Coach: Ann White {Rated 0} - Since 1952
Previous Coaches None
Honours: Supergrid Bronze Medallists 1953
Soe Soe Stephens - Goalie of the Year 1953
Eira Cordell - Team of the Season 1952
Most Appearances: 33 - Eira Cordell {1952-1953}
Most Goals: 25 - Eira Crdell {1952-1953 including 3 Hat-tricks}
In a Season: 14 - Eira Cordell {1952}
In a Match: 4 - Eira Cordell - 5-0 vs Leeds 24th May 1952 & 6-1 vs Stafford 12th September 1953
Oldest player: Margo Hicks 32 Years, 362 Days at Middlesex, 26th July 1952
Youngest player: Jill Webb 14 Years, 148 Days at London, 1st March 1952
Record Victory: 6-1 vs Stafford 15th September 1953
Record Defeat: 2-7 at West Yorkshire 10th May 1952
Record Attendance: 1,066 vs Lancashire 26th September 1953
Season History: 6th {1953} - Supergrid Bronze Medallists
5th {1952} - Best Regular season finish to date.
{correct to January 1st 1954}
Jill Webb
Forward {Rated 4}
Age 16 {04/10/37}
Born: Walton on the Naze, Essex, England
Apps: 20
Goals: 6
The Schoolgirl was rapidly rising as a future star when an Achilles injury ruined her 1953 season and denied her a Supergrid Bronze medal. Indeed some pundits believe the team may have reached Supergrid itself had she been available. Hopes to make her return to the team in April.
Eira Cordell
Shooter {Rated 3}
Age 18 {17/01/36}
Born: Benfleet, Essex, England
Apps: 33
Goals: 25
1953 Supergrid Bronze Medal
The daughter of a Royal Navy officer and spent much of her early childhood travelling before the war. She joined Essex Blades in 1952, debuting on 1 March, when she both scored and missed a penalty. Was top scorer in the Blades 1953 Bronze medal winning team
Jennifer Roberts
{Isobel Jennifer Roberts}
Sweeper {Rated 3}
Age 18 {03/10/35}
Born: Clacton-on-sea, Essex, England
Apps: 19
Goals: 2
1953 Supergrid Bronze Medal
Roberts briefly considered a career in Athletics before the opportunity to join the Blades came along in 1953.
May 1954
July 1954
Jilly Browne
{Jill Browne}
Sweeper {Rated 2}
Age 16 {09/03/37}
Born: Hornchurch, Essex, England
Apps: 19
Goals: 3
1953: Supergrid Bronze Medal
Bypassed high school to attend the Aida Foster Theatre School but left at sixteen to sign for the Blades instead of going into acting. Has taken a cameo as a member of the St Trinian's Gridball team in the upcoming movie.
February 1954: What might coach Ann White say? Jilly Browne is barely out of school but here's the Essex Sweeper out dancing at 3am! The lucky man is band leader Paul Penwill.
Anna Vysotsky-Seryogina
Defender {Rated 2}
Age 15 {23/07/38}
Born: London, England
Apps: 8
Goals: 2
The youngest member of Essex's 1953 bronze medal winning team and tipped for stardom. She is the daughter of White Russian exiles and Table Tennis players. Her two older sisters are a Ballerina and a Tennis player. She won the Daily Mirror Table Tennis trophy in 1953 playing left handed and was called up to the English senior Table Tennis squad in 1953
Anna Vysotsky-Seryogina was a Table Tennis star as she rose in Gridball, winning the junior Daily Mirror trophy in 1952
Janice Parfitt
Forward {Rated 1}
Age 18 {17/03/35}
Born: Soho, London, England
Apps: 13
Goals: 5
1953 Bronze Medal
Scored on her debut on 11th July 1953.
Rowena Forster
Centre {Rated 1}
Age 24 {11/07/29}
Born: East Ham, England
Apps: 19
Goals: 1
Was a WRAF PT instructor when she met Argentine rancher and Polo player Justinian de Ladesma and married him in March 1952 shortly after making her Essex debut the same month. Missed out on a Supergrid bronze medal in 1953 as she was on maternity at the time, gave birth to a daughter in February 1954. Hopes to return to claim her place in the team in June. Her Brother Geoff Forster is a decathlete and pole vaulter who competed in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. Rowena also represented England in Basketball in 1953
Gwyneth Brown
{Nee Briggs}
Left Guard {Rated 1}
Age 29 {09/12/24}
Born: Barking, Essex, England
Apps: 21
Goals: 1
1953 Supergrid Bronze
The Mexican/English defender was studying for the bar when she made her Essex debut Debut in April 1952. This season she is set to turn full time pro. Has a thirteen year old daughter and eleven year old son from an arranged marriage when she was just sixteen. Divorced in 1946 .
Nita Leighton
{Nee Lefort}
Netminder {Rated 1}
Age 31 {05/04/22}
Born: Paris, France
Apps: 4
Was a tennis player in the late 30s who came to England when France was invaded in 1940. Married English Tennis player Michael Leighton in 1945. Was sin binned on her debut, a 2-2 tie in London 1st March 1952 and became first to be sin binned a second time in 1953. The following year she also became the first goalie to successfully defend two penalties when Susan Schwiers' Sheffield effort came off the frame. Enid Gleadle of Durham had fired off target against Leighton two years earlier.
Molly Edwards-Illingworth
{Molly Honor Edwards-Illingworth)
Reserve Right Guard {Rated 1}
Age 21 {03/05/32}
Born: Merthyr Tydfil, Wales
Apps: 5
Grew up in Ingatestone, Essex and was a child actress during the war, appearing in three films including Misty Island in 1945. Burst appendix in October 1953, which cost her a Supergrid Bronze medal. Is likely to warm the bench when she returns to fitness in April.
Anne White
Coach {Rated 0}
Age 35 {03/10/35}
Born: Leigh on sea, Essex, England
works as a telephone operator and part time model with seven mostly uncredited bit parts in 7 movies in 1940/41. Keen painter and knitter. Coached the Blades to the Bronze medals in her second season in charge in 1953. Was briefly married from 1948-50.
Soe Soe Stevens
{Sophie Conte}
Netminder {Rated 1}
Age 31 {29/11/21}
Born: Red Oak, Iowa, USA
Apps: 19
Goalie of the Year 1953
Was Essex's first choice goalie for most of last season, but dropped out through illness before the Blades won their 3rd place play-off and missed out on a medal, although she was still voted goalie of the year. Was a night club big band singer during the war who met and married a British band member John Stevens in 1944, relocated to England and retired from showbiz until divorcing in 1951. Joined Essex in 1952 .Appeared on British What's MY Line in 1953. Has been offered a full time contract on her return which she hopes will be before the end of the 1954 season.
Ruth Still
Sweeper {Rated 0}
Age 23 {11/08/30}
Born: Rochford, Essex, England
Apps: 1 {Sub}
The model and part timer got her chance, coming on as a sub in Essex's 1953 Semi Final defeat. Goes into 1954 as third choice in her position and may have to consider a move if she wants to play regularly.
Former Players
Miranda Georgina 'Puck' Hitchcock - Centre - Apps 13 {1952} - Retired in 1953 after breaking her arm in pre season and accepted a role as Anne White's assistant