It is with great sadness to share the news that Win Lawrence passed away on 18 th July after a short illness. Beacon Hill prides itself on its long family connections. Win played for the Club in the 1940’s, her daughter Ann runs the Hatch for us all, grand-daughter Rachel played in the re-formed Rovers Women’s team from the late 90s and is still the key figure in our Girls Teams development and then Win’s grandkids, Lucy and George, have now also

played for the Hill.

Win discovered her love of football kicking the ball around with the Marconi women workers during the 39-45 War as they had commandeered the Village Hall. She was one of the leaders of the Women’s Football Revolution as they formed a Beacon Hill team in 1946 against the FA ban. Win is pictured here; front right, as the Rovers’ line up for a charitable fund-raising match. The Beacon Hill team was a great success winning the ’48 Maldon Cup and in ’49 they took the Burnham Shield. Win was one of the stars of the team, not that you’d know that from anything she might have said. For her it was always about “the girls”. Her performances during those ban defying seasons won her selection in an Essex Rep team which then resulted in selection for a still ‘unofficial’ England team against France. Win then travelled via Dover to play again in the away fixture: Beacon’s first International Footballer and an inspiration for all the female Beacon players since. The funeral is to be held at St Bartholomew’s Church, Wickham Bishops on Tuesday 23rd August at 2pm. Family flowers only, donations to Farleigh Hospice via Richards Funeral Directors or to ‘Little Elsie’s Big Steps’.