Lady

Isobel Constance Mary Gathorne-Hardy

DCVO
Lady Isobel Gathorne-Hardy (1897)
Other titlesDame Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
BornIsobel Constance Mary Stanley
(1875-09-02)September 2, 1875
DiedDecember 30, 1963(1963-12-30) (aged 88)
London, England
Noble familyStanley
Spouse(s)Francis Gathorne-Hardy
IssueElizabeth Constance Mary Gathorne-Hardy
FatherFrederick Stanley, 16th Earl of Derby
MotherConstance Villiers

Lady Isobel Constance Mary Gathorne-Hardy DCVO (née Stanley; September 2, 1875 – December 30, 1963) was a British courtier, best known for helping to popularize ice hockey in the early days of the sport in Canada. The daughter of Lord Stanley of Preston, former Governor General of Canada, and Lady Constance Villiers, she was one of the earliest European women known to have played the sport. Today, she is celebrated as an early pioneer of women's ice hockey and the championship trophy of the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) is called the Isobel Cup in her honour.[1]

Personal life

Lady Isobel Stanley was the second-youngest of ten children born to Frederick Stanley, 16th Earl of Derby and Constance Villiers. Two of her siblings died before Isobel was born: Geoffrey, Arthur's twin, died on 16 March 1871 and her elder sister, Katherine Mary, died young in October of the same year. Isobel Stanley grew up in an active environment with her seven brothers.

In 1897, she married General Sir (John) Francis Gathorne-Hardy, a younger son of John Gathorne-Hardy, 2nd Earl of Cranbrook and Cicely Ridgway. She retained her title upon marriage as the daughter of an earl and took on the family name of her husband, being styled Lady Gathorne-Hardy. They had one child, a daughter named Elizabeth Constance Mary Gathorne-Hardy (1904–1953).

Lady Gathorne-Hardy served in the Royal Household as a Woman of the Bedchamber to Queen Mary during 1914 to 1920. In 1945, King George VI appointed her Dame Commander of the Royal Victorian Order for her service to the royal family.[2]

Ice hockey

Isobel Stanley wearing an ankle-length white dress at Rideau Hall on the Rideau Hall rink, Ottawa, circa 1890. Earliest known photograph of women playing ice hockey rather than bandy.

Stanley shared her father's and brothers' love of the game of ice hockey and was instrumental in convincing her father to create the Stanley Cup.[3] Stanley played hockey while she was in Canada, playing on the outdoor rink at Rideau Hall. After the opening of the Rideau Skating Rink, she organized one of the first games of women's hockey on record in 1890.

1904 photo of Rideau Rink in Ottawa

Isobel Gathorne-Hardy Award

Lady Isobel Stanley Gathorne-Hardy's role as a pioneer of women's ice hockey in Canada is acknowledged with the Isobel Gathorne-Hardy Award. The award is presented by Hockey Canada to an active player (at any level) whose values, leadership and personal traits are representative of all female athletes.[4]

YearWinnerProvince
2000 Linda Irving Prince Edward Island
2001 Julie Foster Saskatchewan
2002 Andria Hunter Ontario
2003 Tanya Leone British Columbia
2004 Jane Legacé Alberta
2005 Cathy Phillips Ontario
2006 Melanie McFarlane Ontario
2007 Karen Mamchuk Manitoba
2008 No award
2009 Charla Currie Prince Edward Island
2011 Nancy MacMillan Prince Edward Island
2010 No award
2012 Jordan Krause British Columbia
2013 Caroline Ouellette Québec
2014 Lisa-Marie Breton Québec
2015 Mallory Deluce Ontario
2016 Toni Ross Saskatchewan
2017 Natasha Esquivel Manitoba
2018 MacKenna Parker Saskatchewan
2019 Maggie Connors Newfoundland and Labrador
2020 Ève Gascon Québec
2021 Marie-Philip Poulin Québec
2022 Mélodie Daoust Québec
2023 Emmy Fecteau Québec

Updated January 7, 2024[5]

Isobel Cup

The championship trophy of the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) was called the Isobel Cup in her honor.[6]

YearWinnerMVP
2016Boston PrideBrianna Decker
2017Buffalo BeautsBrianne McLaughlin
2018Metropolitan RivetersAlexa Gruschow
2019Minnesota WhitecapsLee Stecklein
2021Boston PrideJillian Dempsey
2022Boston PrideTaylor Wenczkowski
2023Toronto SixMichela Cava

References

  1. ↑ Caldwell, Dave (March 12, 2016). "A Different Stanley Gets Her Cup". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Gathorne-Hardy, Isobel Constance Mary Stanley, Lady – (1875 – 1963)". Women of History. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Biographies". CBC. Retrieved September 29, 2009.
  4. ↑ Shea, Kevin; Wilson, John Jason (2006). Lord Stanley: The Man Behind the Cup. Bolton, ON: Fenn Publishing. p. 421. ISBN 978-1-55168-281-5.
  5. ↑ "The Isobel Gathorne-Hardy Award". hockeycanada.ca. Hockey Canada. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Isobel Cup". National Women's Hockey League. Archived from the original on May 17, 2018. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
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