As the 2003 Woman's Football World Cup in the USA nears the final, between
Germany and Sweden, (the hosts and Canada losing out in the semi-finals),
research in Scotland has revealed that not only did Scots invent football
but 400 years ago pioneered the woman's game. Records show that women
played football in Scotland as far back as 1628 - almost 200 years before
the first evidence of women's football in England.
Stirling University sports studies researcher Jessica MacBeth told The
Flag "All the evidence proves that Scotland not only invented football but
also invented the women's game. There are no references to women's
football in England prior to the 1800s but Kirk records were slamming
Scotswomen for playing on the Sabbath as early as 1628.
The Statistical Account for Scotland of 1795 reveals the first ever
recorded fixture between teams composed entirely by women. The Rev Dr
Alexander Carlisle recorded details of the annual fixture between the
married and unmarried 'fishwives of Fisherow' at Inveresk, Midlothian, 'at
which the former are always victors.'
Women's football has certainly become far more popular over the
past decade or so and now many senior clubs are associated with Ladies
teams, proving that 'The Beautiful Game' is for everyone. Certainly you
are much more likely to find female 'Terracing Tams' than in the past.
Unfortunately most people nowadays watch football on television, invented
by a Scot, rather than attending the 'real' thing - so our recipe this
week is for the stay-at-home football fans! The recipe for Television Cake
was supplied by the Mennock Institute to this column's favourite recipe
book 'The Anniversary Cook-Book of the Dumfriesshire Federation SWRI
1922-1992' - so once again our thanks are due to the Dumfriesshire
Federation SWRI.
Television Cake
Ingredients : 6 oz (175 g) margarine; 7 oz (200 g) self raising flour; 12
oz (350 g) fruit; 3 large eggs; 4 oz (100 g) soft brown sugar; 1 teaspoon
mixed spice; 1 level tablespoon marmalade
Mix all the ingredients together and bake at 275 deg F; 140 deg C; gas
Mark 1; for two and a half hours.
