Emily Frances Valentine, designated the first lady of rugby and "female William Web Ellis" by the media,[4] is the earliest documented female rugby player (at the age of 10) in 1887, and provides the only confirmed record of a woman playing in the nineteenth century.[5] Prior to the discovery of Valentine, the earliest named female rugby player was Mary Eley in 1917, who at the age of sixteen played for the Cardiff Ladies.[4]
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| Birth name | Emily Frances Valentine[1] | ||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | ca. 1878 | ||||||||||||
| Place of birth | County Fermanagh, Ireland | ||||||||||||
| Date of death | 1967[citation needed] | ||||||||||||
| Place of death | London, England[2] | ||||||||||||
| School | Portora Royal School | ||||||||||||
| Occupation(s) | Nurse[3] | ||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||
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Rugby
Valentine, born in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland circa 1878, was the youngest of six brothers and sisters.[3][4][5] She played her first match of rugby union at the Portora Royal School, three years after her father William Valentine was named Assistant Headmaster.[5] According to her memoirs, in the winter of 1887, she removed her hat and overcoat to play alongside her two brothers (William, aged 16, and John, aged 10 or 11)[6] as their team was a man short.[3][5][7] Valentine first kicked place, but then scored a try in her first game after moving to the wing alongside her brothers in the backline.[5][7] Valentine would continue to participate with the team in practices and intra-school matches according to the school's records which also includes correspondence from Valentine in 1951.[5]
Personal life
Valentine moved to South Africa in the late 19th century.[1] She became a nurse and changed her name to Galway after marrying military doctor Major John Galeway OBE in 1909.[3][5] Valentine moved to India until about 1915[3] (and possibly Canada)[6] before settling in England.[5][8]
One of Valentine's eight grandchildren is named Catherine Galway.[4][5]