Wor Bella honoured at Blyth Library
10 Mar 2023 ARCHIVED (over 3 months old) - view latest news
First World War football hero Bella Reay has been honoured in a special ceremony carried out by her grandson and his daughter.
Bella was the ace goal scorer for the unbeaten Blyth Spartans Ladies team who won the Munitionette Cup in 1918 - a shard of light in difficult days.
William and Faye Hamilton unveiled two banners showing the original adverts for the cup final to mark William’s grandmother’s achievements at an event at Blyth Library.
Guests also heard from Ed Waugh, author, and Jane Harker, co-producer, of the play “Wor Bella” which toured the region to rave reviews last year.
Councillor Jeff Watson, Northumberland County Council Cabinet Member for Culture, Heritage and Libraries said: "Women’s football has been in the spotlight recently but it was a popular sport 100 years or so ago, until the Football Association banned it in 1921.
“The ban was only lifted in 1971, and the wonderful Lionesses of today stand on the shoulders of these fantastic Munitionettes, especially the excellent Blyth Spartans Ladies side of WW1.
“The Blyth team were drawn from Blyth Harbour where they worked as stevedores, helping the war effort by unloading spent cartridges and loading bombs destined for the front.
“Bella Reay from Newsham, was the Alan Shearer of her day, notching up 133 goals in 30 matches for Blyth Spartans Ladies between 1917 and 1918 – a great record.”
The banners were paid for by a donation from Sir Matt Ridley, and are based on original adverts for the cup final that took place at St James' Park, Newcastle, and the replay at Ayresome Park, Middlesbrough.
Around 15,000 people attended the Newcastle match on March 30, 1918, when it was a 0-0 draw against Bolckow Vaughan from Middlesbrough. The replay at Ayresome Park on May 18 attracted 22,000 people and saw Bella notch a hat-trick in Blyth's 5-0 victory.
Cllr Watson said: “Blyth Library has been chosen as the fitting new home for these wonderful banners and we can’t wait to share them with visitors to the library."