About

Celebrating the stories of sporting superstars, Kitty Godfree, Pamela Barton, Gem Hoahing and Betty Nuthall, and their connections to Richmond.

We think of the social changes that have made our modern society emulating from the 1950s, 60s and 70s. However, for those seeds to bloom, the groundwork must have been completed before. This exhibition celebrates the lives and careers of four groundbreaking Richmond sportswomen who helped lay that groundwork.

Kitty Godfree, Betty Nuthall, Pamela Barton, and Gem Hoahing may not be as well remembered as the sports stars and trailblazers that followed, but their early success should be celebrated not just for their sporting accomplishments, but also for their roles in pushing the boundaries of women’s participation in sport.

Their careers span from the end of the First World War to the start of the Swinging Sixties. In that 40-year period, British society, family norms and women’s lives changed dramatically.