CLUB KV
Representing The Red & Green Colours With Pride
As we honour the history of Knock & Victorians Hockey Clubs, we continue to provide a welcoming, supportive, and inclusive environment for our players, families, and the teams we compete with.
Our members engage in fair and respectful competition, proudly upholding the Victorians 'red' and Knock 'green' as a symbol that unites our rich past with an exciting and youthful future.
The Journey of Knock Ladies Hockey Club
According to the annals of Irish Hockey, Knock Ladies Hockey Club began its illustrious journey in 1906. Until its amalgamation with Victorians Hockey Club and the subsequent formation of Club KV, it was one of the oldest clubs still in existence.
In November 1906, an Ulster Committee meeting led to a revision of the rules, stating that “Hockey skirts must be 6 inches from the ground all round. This rule is to be strictly adhered to, and no hat pins or hats with stiff brims are to be worn in matches”. Quite a contrast to the playing uniform of 2023!
The Club was founded by women from the Knock area in East Belfast. It was an open club, welcoming members from all walks of life, with neither division nor selection preventing entry. The Club had a nomadic existence, moving from the Shore Road to finally settling at Shaws Bridge.
Knock had a rich history of administrators, umpires, selectors, coaches, presidents, and players who represented Ireland at all levels. In 1927, eight players from Knock played for the Ireland Senior team. In 1979, four players also represented Ireland in Vancouver. Lottie Wishart, from Comber, is still the youngest player, at the age of 13, to have represented Ireland.
Through the decades, the Club won many accolades. In 1913, it won the 1st All-Ireland Senior Cup. Seventy years later, it won the inaugural All Ireland Indoor Cup in 1983.
The Journey of Victorians Ladies Hockey Club
Victorians Ladies Hockey Club's history starts in Victoria College with the photograph below of the winners of the prestigious Ulster Shield in 1897-98 and 1898-89.
Victorians Ladies Hockey Club's history starts at Victoria College. Established in 1935 by a group of past school pupils, Victorians quickly succeeded, winning the Ulster Shield 10 times between 1942 and 1969-70. The Club had three teams competing every week by the 1950s, with the 1st XI boasting Inter-provincial and international players, including a past Club President, Dr Moira McKelvey (nee Hopkins), and her sister Thelma Hopkins (now McLernon), an all-round sportswoman who achieved international honours in Hockey, Athletics, and Squash.
Towards the end of the 1960s, the Club's membership expanded to include schoolgirls from Victoria College and Strathearn School.
In 1977, the Club's Pavilion was erected alongside the pitch at Victoria College in memory of the Club's long-time President, Mrs Winifred Templeton, who also served as President of Hockey Ireland. Sadly, with the construction of the new Sports Centre, it had to be demolished.
In 1980, Victorians became a semi-open club, initially accepting only five guests as full members. The benefits were evident through League & Cup successes, and the Club soon became a fully open club. It was the first Ulster Club, in 1990, to take the innovative step of practising and playing their Senior League fixtures on an artificial surface at Olympia Leisure Centre.
In 1989, the Victorians Youth Development Programme was launched to develop the skills of schoolgirls to the level needed for Representative & Senior Club Hockey. The mid-1990s identified the need to start even earlier. Mini hockey started on Saturday mornings at Victoria College, catering for girls from P.3 to P.7. At the other end of the age spectrum, a successful Veteran's team played for many years. It was part of the Club's touring team to the Caribbean in the 1990s.
Over the years, the Club has continued to evolve and change with the times. In 2018, discussions began between Knock and Victorians to amalgamate two of the oldest clubs in Ulster and become Club KV. The future of hockey lies with today's youth, and we strive to provide a pathway to opportunity and success.
