Women's Hockey in New Zealand
A DigitalNZ Story by squiggle_top
A curated selection of articles, video and images relating to women's hockey played in New Zealand from 1890s to 1980s
A sport for the ages
With the rise in popularity of ladies' hockey in England in the early 1890s, the sport made its way to New Zealand before the turn of the century.
After the first recorded ladies hockey match in 1897, this sport continued to rise in popularity. As seen in the range of images across the decades, the sports' uniform has changed over time, from long skirts with crisp white shirts in the early years through to more modern sportswear.
1890 Rise in popularity in England
Hockey [...] has now become a fashionable pastime for ladies in England, with games played in mixed teams.
National Library of New Zealand
1894 New games for ladies
As well as rowing, golf and tennis, hockey is another popular game, particularly with English college girls.
National Library of New Zealand
The first ladies hockey match played in New Zealand 1897
Played in Kaiapoi, a match between Christchurch and Kaiapoi teams, with Kaiapoi winning the match 6-0.
National Library of New Zealand
1908
A portrait of a women's hockey team, Rotorua Hockey Club
Auckland Libraries
1908
Women's hockey team, Kia Toa Hockey Club (Greytown, Wairarapa)
Auckland Libraries
circa 1910s
A group portrait of the Huia Ladies Hockey team, Wanganui
Auckland Libraries
1911
Victoria University College women's hockey team, Wellington
Alexander Turnbull Library
circa 1920s
Huia Hockey Team, Omahu, Hastings
Alexander Turnbull Library
circa 1920s
Pakipaki Young Maori Party hockey team at Mihiroa meeting house at Ngati Mihiroa Marae, Pakipaki, Hawkes Bay
Alexander Turnbull Library
1921
Group portrait of members, mascots, coaches and chaperones of the Waiuku Ladies' Hockey Team
Auckland Libraries
circa 1930s
Waipukurau women's hockey team, Hawkes Bay
Alexander Turnbull Library
1931
Outdoor portrait of Taranaki women's hockey travelling teams
Puke Ariki
1933
Photograph of the 1933 Wyndham hockey team
Wyndham & Districts Historical Museum
1936
Matariki Maori women’s hockey team, with shield and trophy cups, 15 July 1936
Hawke's Bay Knowledge Bank
1936
Ruru girls' hockey team, Hawkes Bay District
Alexander Turnbull Library
1936
Ruahina girls' hockey team, Hawkes Bay
Alexander Turnbull Library
1936
Marama girls' hockey team, Hasting
Alexander Turnbull Library
1945
Massey Agricultural College Women's Hockey Team
Massey University
1957
Several women's hockey teams gathered for a photo
Waimate Museum and Archives
1959
New Zealand Women's Hockey Team who went to International British Tournament in Amsterdam and toured the British Isles
Alexander Turnbull Library
1961
Members of the Wairarapa womens' hockey team at the New Zealand Womens' hockey tournament in Manawatu
Wairarapa Archive
1963
Photograph of the 1963 team that travelled to Fiji
Wairarapa Archive
1975
A very wet women's hockey team from Lincoln College
Lincoln University
![Image: Photograph [Mataura Women's Hockey Club 75th Jubilee, 1985]](https://thumbnailer.digitalnz.org/?resize=770x&src=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ehive.com%2Faccounts%2F4033%2Fobjects%2Fimages%2F1hf22bg_1tj1_l.jpg&resize=368%253E "Photograph [Mataura Women's Hockey Club 75th Jubilee, 1985]")
1985
Mataura Women's Hockey Club members (both past and present) attending their 75th jubilee
Mataura Museum
Tournaments & Tours
A selection of images from national tournaments, touring teams and international matches.
National tournaments
1911
Portraits of teams that competed in the ladies' hockey championship
Auckland Libraries
1911
Portraits of the women's teams from Taranaki, Auckland, Wellington, Marlborough, Nelson, Wairarapa, Wanganui & Manawatu
Auckland Libraries
circa 1930s
National tournament in Invercargill
Auckland Libraries
circa 1930s
National tournament in Gisborne
Auckland Libraries
circa 1930s
National tournament in Christchurch
Auckland Libraries
1962
Annual Maori hockey tournament for East Coast teams was held at Waituhi, with 18 teams taking part.
Gisborne Photo News
International matches, touring teams and overseas tours
1914
First ladies' hockey test match between English and New Zealand representative players at the Basin Reserve, Wellington
Auckland Libraries
1914
Group portrait of the New Zealand Ladies' Hockey team that played England, in Wellington
Alexander Turnbull Library
circa 1930s
England vs. New Zealand women's hockey match in Wanganui
Auckland Libraries
1935
New Zealand women's hockey team tours Australia
Alexander Turnbull Library
circa 1930s
Fijian women's hockey team tours New Zealand
Auckland Libraries
Story reviewed & updated January 2025.