jjheritage is celebrating four years and looking forward to 2021

In what has been a difficult trading year for many limited companies, jjheritage is pleased to have completed a new range of projects, including some new media work with the Sky Sports Women’s Football Show, Clare Balding for BBC Radio Four and the World Service, and Dan Snow’s History Hit.  

During Lockdown One March-July 2020 we have been continuing with zoom reunions and there are four sessions recorded at The Football Collective Website.

1. Celebrating 50 Years of Manchester Corinthians versus Dundalk 

​2. Looking Back on Englnd nearly winning the first Euros in 1984 with Carol Thomas, Gill Coultard and Pia Sundhage, now Brazil national coach 

3. Celebrating 50 Years Since The First Women’s World Cup in Italy 1970 sponsored by Martini and Rosso 

and 4. England v Germany rivalry in the 1980s Women’s Football Panel with Gill Coultard and Kerry Davis, and Petra Landers of Germany 

But, before we look forward to new projects in 2021, what did 2020 hold for us?

First off, Prince Harry, in one of his last public duties, opened the Silverstone Experience with Lewis Hamilton in March 2020.

This was the culmination of a long process of refurbishing the Hangar Building, to house the collections, and in spite of a difficult trading year for visitor attractions generally, there is great optimism for 2021.

New Book Published in July 2020, British Olympic Women: a history (Routledge)

This 120,000 word manuscript was originally planned to be out by the Tokyo Olympic Games of 2020, with the academic publisher Routledge. Obviously the Olympic and Paralympic Games are now postponed, as is the book launch. This has been a huge project, covering 120 years of history, and with Olympic spectacle shaped by world events. The Olympic Games are the biggest mega sports spectacle in the world and the most significant showcase for women athletes in the twenty first century. That increasing numbers of women, in a widening range of disciplines, have changed the Games between 1900 and 2020 is obvious to even the most casual observer. The book will be the first monograph on British women in the Olympic movement more generally.

Appointed as England National Expert for the FARE net Governance Index, for Men’s Elite Professional Football

​Jean assessed the situation in England for the FA, the Premier League, each of the 20 Premiership clubs for gender, and ethnicity as part of a sixteen nation European-wide project in the summer of 2020. We looked at leadership, governance and coaching in each of the organisations highlighted. Having written extensively about governance and women in leadership positions, Jean was able to offer her expertise to the cross-national comparisons.

History and Heritage Scoping Study for British Judo

Jean completed a heritage scoping session with British Judo, although the situation meant that our plans to apply for funding had to be postponed-the story of 2020 really! Work throughout 2020 has focussed on planning to preserve the collections of British Judo, and discussing with the historians already working with the governing body. The forthcoming Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022 provides a focal point for our ambitious plans, which, although in the early stages have a number of stakeholders active who will help us to achieve our aims. ​

Legendary Lionesses

jjheritage.com launched the Legendary Lionesses webpages after helping the FA to track down the names of every player to have appeared for official England teams, since they were launched in 1972. 
Having covered the first four captains, we have also received funding from FARE to look at ten ethnic minority, and Black British England women players, building up a profile of diverse dual heritage players as well. We are continuing this work in 2021. If  you have more details, please get on touch, especially if you have photographs, and player memorabilia.

The Manchester Corinthians Women’s Football Club formed in 1949

jjheritage has also launched a free to read, Manchester Corinthians webpages to document the history of the club, which was formed by Percy Ashley for his daughter, captain and leading player, Doris, in 1949. It is well known that the FA banned women’s football from the grounds of Association-affiliated clubs in 1921, on the grounds that the organization perceived that football was ‘unsuitable’ for women and too much money raised for charity had been absorbed in player expenses. So Corinthians were formed in the midst of that ban, and by the time the FA lifted the ban on women’s football in England in 1969, Corinthians and Nomads had between them raised over £275,000 for charity; mostly for the Red Cross and Oxfam.
This club has an amazing history: and we have featured players from Canada, Australia, and mainland Europe. Please if you have more details do get in touch.

New project Quorndon Murders launched 1 December 2020

Having long talked about a Midlands-based crime fiction project, Jean launched this at the end of 2020 and we are hoping to develop this, along with a range of merchandise in 2021. Look out for our first tea towels soon! The idea is to develop tourism to the local area and encourage interest in local produce, and history. This includes Jean’s interest in fashion history, particularly high-end fashion and sports clothing. Do look out for us and join us on Patreon. 

New Book for 2021
Jean is currently writing a history of the England Women’s Football Team, a book on the history of women’s sport, an Olympic history book, and more work for British Judo. So, lot’s more news to follow in 2021.

​Thanks to everyone who has supported jjheritage.com in a very difficult trading year. Have a peaceful and restful end to 2020, and here’s to new horizons in 2021! Here’s to our fifth year of trading. 

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