Bicester Mixed Hockey Club was formed at a meeting held in the Council Chambers, Bicester Town Hall on Wednesday 5th October 1932; thirty five prospective members were present.

Dr. G Montgomery was elected as the club’s first President and Chairman. Dr. Montgomery had advertised the meeting in the previous weeks Bicester Advertiser. The club’s own minute book and reports in the local press all indicate the club forming in October 1932.

There is however a brief report in the local paper on March 14th 1930, which states, “Bicester Hockey Club journeyed to Aylesbury yesterday and won by six goals to four.” It is suggested that this is referring to the R.A.F. Bicester team at the time.

It was decided at this first meeting that the fixtures and colours of the now defunct Bucknell Hockey Club would be adopted by the new club. Mr Gerring was elected the first men’s captain, as he had been the captain of the Bucknell side.
Such was the enthusiasm for the club, especially amongst the ladies that four members were nominated for the post of Ladies Captain, Miss E Fryer emerging as the first Ladies Captain.There is further evidence that hockey was being played in the surrounding areas. In the early minutes and fixture lists, clubs in Islip and Kidlington are mentioned.

In Bicester itself hockey was being played at The National School, who organised an annual, “ex-scholars,” match using a pitch owned by The Bicester Sports Association on what is now known as the Oxford Rd Site.
This land had been purchased by the B.S.A. during the 1920’s and had been previously been a golf course. Permission to use the pitch was granted by the B.S.A. at an annual cost of £20.00 a year and posts and nets were to be rented from the National school for £1.00 a year. By joining the B.S.A the hockey club joined with other sports clubs that were already operating in the town, i.e. Football, Cricket, Bowls, Tennis and Rifle clubs.

At the first meeting it was also agreed that matches would be played on Saturday and Thursday afternoons. Thursdays, being early closing day in Bicester. A juvenile section was formed to play matches in the school holidays. This was also due to the Bucknell club that was defunct having ran a junior section.

In November 1933 the club’s colours were confirmed as white shirts, blue shorts and green stockings for the men. The ladies wore green stockings, white slips and blue tunics. A green girdle was added to the ladies colours the following season.

The early minutes cover all the issues that still seem to be discussed today including; match fees, subscriptions, teas, kit, travelling expenses etc and of course social events. The first club dance was help at The Weyland Hall in December 1933, but there is also mention of Whist Drives, Darts evenings and Clay Pigeon Shoots. By 1937 an annual 6-a-side tournament is in place and the annual dance was held at Stratton Audley Village Hall making a profit of £11.00.

With the declaration of war in September 1939 all the club’s activities ceased until August 1947, when a meeting was held to revive the club. From that point until the early 1950’s the club had one of its most successful periods, probably because members were full of enthusiasm to let their lives return to normal after the horrors of war. The 1949/50 season saw the Men’s team unbeaten in 27 matches, with Paddy Lenahan scoring 55 goals.
During this time the club had also provided the first pavilion at the Oxford Rd ground.

This period of success was however short lived. The mixed team that played on Sundays was no more and by the A.G.M. held in 1953 it was decided, after a long discussion, that the club would try and carry on. The finances were weak, partly due to the fact that service personnel were making up a majorty of the numbers in the team and were not being asked to pay a match fees. During this time the Ladies section had folded, or was perhaps being run as a separate club, the minutes are unclear and very sparse for this period.

This situation continued through the rest of the 1950’s. In 1959 however, 33 men’s matches were arranged but only 22 were actually played, but 15 were won and two drawn.

From the beginning of the 1960’s things began to pick up again. Names of prominent members from the immediate pre-war era begin to reappear in the minutes and perhaps their enthusiasm brought success. Unfortunately during the 1960’s, minutes and recording keeping was either poor or since lost to time.Yet it is suggested that the club slowly growing and recovering at this time. This is part was helped at the time by the B.S.A having developed the Oxford Rd site in the mid 1960s with the buildings that can still be seen today.

By the early 1970’s the club had off the field facilities second to none in the County and by the late 1970’s was back to running six and sometimes seven men’s teams, two ladies sides and a mixed team.

There was a hive of activity on and off the pitch, helped by local teachers in the club at Bicester School, an influx of talented young players arrived, whom were able to develop their skills.

As Improved transport across the county brought players to the club from as far away as London, Brackley, surrounding Oxfordshire areas. This led to the 1st eleven reaching the Regional League for the first and only time in 1986 and the second round of The National Hockey Cup in the same season.

This vibrant state of affairs continued until the mid 1990’s by which time most teams were playing competitive league hockey but the need for Astro-turf pitches had become an urgent matter. The B.S.A who the club had always relied upon to provide pitches, had missed a wonderful opportunity to develop the Oxford Rd site when they sold land for the old Tesco & Bicester Village development.

With the B.S.A purchasing land in Chesterton for devlopment of sports, but planning permission for an astro-turf pitch with flood lights never materialised, partly due to opposition from local residents. Quite what happened in all those discussions has never been made clear, but the urgent need for an astro-turf pitch meant that the club would start to use the newly laid pitch at Cooper School in 1996.

The hockey club representatives on the B.S.A. keep up the pressure and a further planning application was submitted for an astro -pitch in Chesterton later in 1996, but nothing came of this. It was the decision that was made in 1998 the Hockey club should part company with the B.S.A.

Since then the club has continued to use Cooper School for home matches and various venues in the town for refreshments, meetings and social events.

The Club continued growth with up to four Ladies sides, five Mens sides and a vibrant “Fox Cubs” junior section has developed. In addition, the mixed team had reformed and played matches on a Sunday.

On going efforts continue to this day for the club to continue growth and development by securing more pitchs and access to an off field facilities, especially its own club house.

The club runs hockey festivals "Fox Festivals" for both juniors and senior teams with teams from around the local counties to come together and give the players a chance to play sociably hockey. In addition, the club also hosted Club Days open to all to come and experience and socialise whilst playing hockey.

Currently the club boosts 3 Ladies teams and 4 mens teams competing in the south central hockey leagues, in addition the club enters 5 teams into summer leagues held at Abingdon & Oxford Hawks. A Mixed team also continues to play on sundays occassionally. The club also continues to have a huge junior section from U8s to U16s that train and play on sundays.

Historical information provided on research by: Andy Walkey

Bicester Hockey Club

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