In 1925 Aldershot was a garrison town of 30,000 soldiers, 60% of whom had been to India and had played hockey and as that was one of the main forms of recreation, there was a lot of local interest in the game.
Local lads, mostly from Odiham Grammar School, some bank clerks, one or two Army personnel and some farmers got a team organised and Fleet Hockey Club was established the following year. Dr Frere was President and Eric Jannis Secretary and Treasurer.
A Mr W. Edwards, a builder, made the goal posts (the club bought the nets) and with some borrowed tools from Mr Cyril Hankins’ hardware business the far comer of the cricket pitch at Calthorpe Park was cleared and levelled so that a pitch could be marked out without infringing on the wicket, (Mr Edwards’ father, incidentally, had been a founder of Fleet Cricket Club in the 1890’s). A roller was borrowed from a local cab driver which was apparently never returned.
The Men’s team consisted of a pool of sixteen players and paid a subscription of 25 shillings (£1.25), they had changing facilities but no showers, kitchen or bar. Cyril Hankins, obviously a great supporter of sport, used to pile the team into his first lorry (which he was converting a nfrom horse to petrol) and drive them to all their away games for about 3s/6d (17p). By the 1927/28 season his invoice rose to the dizzy heights of £7, 13 shillings and 4d. This was the first season the Club was affiliated to the Hampshire County Hockey Association. They wore the same colours as we wear today.

Fleet Hockey Club Men’s Team 1927-28

The opposition included two Woking clubs, Basingstoke, Merrow (now Guildford), several London banks and of course teams from the Army. There was a claim Fleet held the Army to a 1-1 draw on one occasion but a stronger Army side subsequently beat them 9-0! They went to the Worthing Hockey Festival in the early years but never won it.
The Fleet Ladies’ section was formed around the same time by some like-minded local ladies who wanted something to do during the winter months. They played their home matches on the same pitch at Calthorpe Park on alternate weeks to the Men’s team. Initially it was difficult to find other Ladies’ teams to play, but by the 1928/29 season many opposition fixtures had been secured and clubs played included Basingstoke, Godalming, Byfleet and Reading. The captain at the time was Miss Marjorie Pidwell.

Fleet Hockey Club Ladies Team 1928-29

Until the outbreak of WWII both Men’s and Ladies’ sides continued. Although there are limited details of the club and of matches played in this period, Hockey World Magazine reported in October 1936 that the club had secured ‘an attractive range of fixtures for the forthcoming season’ but that there was a need for a regular Men’s goalkeeper! These fixtures included matches for the Ladies against Camberley, Woking, Odiham, Aldershot Traction Co and Aldershot High School and for the Men included a number of military teams one being the Royal Artillery Ewshot as well as civilian clubs such as Alton, Ascot, Basingstoke and Woking.

Fleet HC Fixtures 1936-37 Season
Other regular opposition in the 1920’s and 1930’s was ‘Flamingoes’ from Camberley who beat Fleet 6-3 and 6-2 in 1927 and 1928 respectively with Fleet winning 7-3 in a match in 1931. Fleet also played Reading University in this period. Inevitably the Club broke up as men enlisted, fought for their country and in some instances never came back from the war.

Fleet HC Fixtures Card 1936-37 Season