User:Spitzmauskc/Lady Isobel Gathorne-Hardy

Lady Isobel Constance Mary Gathorne-Hardy (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 (Viliers), 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 National Women's Hockey League (NWHL) is called the Isobel Cup in her honor.

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

In 1897, she married General Sir Francis Gathorne-Hardy, a younger son of John Gathorne-Hardy, 2nd Earl of Cranbrook and Cicely Ridgway. Upon marriage, her style became Lady Gathorne-Hardy. They had one child, a daughter named Elizabeth Constance Mary Gathorne-Hardy (1904–1953).

a Woman of the Bedchamber to Queen Mary.


 * President of the Committee of the Command Charities at Aldershot
 * organized the Kent 10 Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) in Cranbrook, Kent in 1910
 * Vice President, Queen Alexandra's Army Nursing Board

She was later appointed Dame Commander of the Royal Victorian Order.

Ice hockey
In her early teens, Lady Isobel to Canada with his family after his father was appointed Governor General of Canada in 1888 and became an avid ice hockey player.

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. While she was in Canada, Stanley played hockey on the outdoor rink at Rideau Hall in Ottawa. In 1890, Stanley organized one of the first women's ice hockey games on record.

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.

Isobel Cup
The championship trophy of the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL) is called the Isobel Cup in her honor.