Headstone for Mary Lyons (from Ed Waugh)

As a response to our play Wor Bella, about women’s football in WW1, there will be an unveiling of a headstone to Mary Lyons at Jarrow Cemetery on Sunday, April 27 @ 11.30am. See press release below.

FORGOTTEN WW1 FEMALE FOOTBALL STAR TO GET A HEADSTONE

She died a forgotten hero in 1979, but WW1 women’s football superstar Mary Lyons is about to get the recognition she deserves when a headstone on her previously unmarked Jarrow grave is unveiled in April.

Mary was born in 1902 in Jarrow. She became the youngest-ever England footballer and goal scorer when she netted in front of 20,000 people on her debut against Scotland at St James’ Park, Newcastle, in 1918, aged 15! It is a record that still stands today, and yet her achievements have been written out of history – until now!

Mary died in Primrose Hill hospital, Jarrow, in 1979, aged 76, and was laid to rest in an unmarked grave with three others.

The Friends of Jarrow Cemetery have been at the forefront of getting recognition for the town’s forgotten football hero and, last year after discovering her final resting place, erected a 3ft wooden cross to mark the grave.

However, Mary features prominently in Wor Bella by South Tyneside-based playwright Ed Waugh and due to the success of that play in the North East in 2022 and its hugely successful re-run in London and Newcastle Theatre Royal last year, the Friends of Jarrow Cemetery moved to get Mary a permanent headstone.

Jarrow amateur historian Stewart Hill, 73, and Tricia Vickers, 67, are members of the Friends and have led the way in getting recognition for Mary.

Stewart explained: “Mary was the youngest of eight siblings and she worked in Jarrow shipyard during WW1. She was a tremendous footballer by all accounts.

“Mary debuted for Jarrow Palmers when she was only 15 and quickly caught the eye. In May 1918, she was seconded to the mighty Blyth Spartans for the Munitionettes’ Cup final against Bolckow Vaughan of Middlesbrough.

“Mary scored a goal in the 5-0 victory at Ayresome Park, in front of 22,000 spectators and was crowned “Player of the Match”.

“The following year, 1919, Mary captained Jarrow Palmers to win the Munitionettes’ cup at St James’ Park, in front of 9,000 people, an incredible figure considering it was a time of the flu pandemic!”

Stewart added: “So by the age of 16, Mary had won two cup finals, scored in one, captained her team in the other – only two finals were ever played – and became the youngest-ever England player and goalscorer!

“What a brilliant achievement! Imagine what she would be like today, given the modern game and opportunities.”

Tricia, said: “Our great friend George Le-Blond of Abbey Memorials in Jarrow has generously donated the beautiful marble headstone and genealogist Sam Nicol has been a great help trawling through hundreds of newspaper articles for information.”

She continued: “Friends of Jarrow Cemetery work to keep the cemetery welcoming and clean, and make it safe for people and their loved ones. This is a tremendous development.

“Mary and the WW1 women footballers should be an inspiration to young women everywhere.”

The unveiling will take place at Jarrow Cemetery on Sunday, April 27, at 11.30am and everyone is welcome to attend. A brass band will lead the procession to the grave and ex-England Lionesses Christine Knox and Aran Embleton will perform the unveiling ceremony.

Christine, who won ten England caps in the 1970s and 1980s, played for Wallsend Ladies, Whitley Bay Ladies and North Shields Ladies.

Aran, the first millennial Geordie Lioness, gained four England caps and played for Blyth Spartans, Sunderland Ladies and Doncaster Belles in her illustrious career.

Aran said: “I am proud to have been invited to recognise Mary who, like the incredible Bella Reay of Blyth Spartans and other women of their generation, played women’s football until it was criminally banned by the FA in 1921.

“Players like Christine and I, and the current Lionesses, stand on the shoulders of these brilliant working class women from more than 100 years ago.”

Following the unveiling at Jarrow Cemetery, there will be refreshments and a celebration of Mary’s footballing achievements at the Iona Club, Hebburn. Due to start at noon, speakers at the event will be Wor Bella co-producer Jane Harker, Aran and Christine, and Wor Bella actress Catherine Dryden. The event is public and entry is free.