Mark Evans, a volunteer with the National Hockey Museum, tells how a forgotten Farnworth hockey trophy was discovered almost 90 years after it was last played for

THE Bolton Hockey League celebrated its 100th anniversary in May 2016.

The chair of the league, Viv Makin, asked via The Bolton News for ex-players to send in photos and memorabilia to be exhibited at a presentation evening.

One man contacted her saying he was in possession of a shield he had come across while clearing his mother's loft.

It was called the Mitton Challenge Shield and stood 34in high and 25in wide.

The shield had been stored at a church at which his mother, an ex-player in the league, had been involved.

When the church closed she took the shield home and it eventually found its way into her loft.

The son, in turn, took possession of the shield and when he decided to clear his loft he saw the newspaper article and got in touch with the league.

After the league's centenary presentation the shield needed to go to a permanent home.

Viv Makin had donated other items of memorabilia to the National Hockey Museum in Woking, Surrey, which aims to preserve, share and celebrate the rich heritage and history of the sport of hockey from around the world.

Nothing was known about the history of the shield so I began to conduct research.

Engraved on it are the words: "Presented to the Farnworth and District Sunday Schools Ladies Hockey League 1923."

I was aware there had been a Farnworth Ladies Hockey League so I visited the Farnworth Library – whom I would like to thank for helping me trace the shield’s history – where they have copies of the Farnworth Weekly Journal and Observer.

The paper reported weekly on the league. In its edition of Friday, February 15, 1924 it said: "The Farnworth Ladies Hockey League is bristling with eagerness and excitement, now the combats for the right to hold the Mitton Challenge Shield have begun. Every club was desirous of being the first to have its name inscribed on the shield, which is of electro-plate nickel silver with oak background enclosed in an oak frame. It has been presented by the league’s chairman, Mr Fred J Mitton, who was responsible for the formation of the organisation five years ago. Supplied by William Lee’s (jewellery) Ltd, 77 Market St, Farnworth, and 1 and 3, Cannon St, Bolton, it has been specially designed for the competition, and the central picture of girls engaged in playing has in the background a building to imply that the competition is a Sunday school one. As will be seen there are 10 surrounding plates. It is offered for an annual knockout competition. A set of medals is to be provided for the champions, and sets are to be won by the clubs second, third, fourth and fifth in the league, with badges for the winners of the shield."

The shield was played for between 1924 and 1929.

The first winners were Hollands School Hockey team in 1924 after a controversial final in which the score was level at 1-1 after 70 minutes.

Extra time was to be played but their opponents, Walkden St Paul’s, refused to continue and the shield was awarded to Hollands School.

They went on to win the it on three more occasions in 1927, 1928 and 1929 and the other winners were Market Street Congregational in 1925 and Wesley Hall in 1926.

How many more items are there to be discovered? I would suggest a great many. If you have any hockey-related items please contact me at mevans873@aol.com or visit hockeymuseum.net