Margaret Boyd

Margaret Boyd (17 January 1913 - 21 November 1993) was an English lacrosse player, administrator and school teacher who founded the International Federation of Women's Lacrosse Associations (today World Lacrosse) in 1972 and was vice-president (later president) of the English Women's Lacrosse Association. She was an educator at Roedean School, a girl's public school in Sussex, then at Berkhamsted School and finally at Wycombe Abbey as the head of physical education and later a housemistress. In lacrosse, Boyd played as a defence wing for Bedford College, Boxmoor Ladies, the East Ladies Lacrosse Association and the England women's lacrosse team, which she captained from 1938 to her retirement from playing in 1951. She worked as a lacrosse coach in the United States and elsewhere for two decades. Boyd was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1971 and was inducted into the Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1993.

Early life On 17 January 1913, Boyd was born in Strasbourg, Alsace, Germany. She was the daughter and fourth of five children born to the Manchester oil company manager Harold de Haven Boyd and his wife Charlotte Elisabeth. Boyd lived in Strasbourg, and was educated firstly at Berkhamsted Girls' School in Hertfordshire and then at Wycombe Abbey in Buckinghamshire, where she learnt lacrosse. She excelled at playing games and could play the piano well. Boyd trained as a physical education teacher at Bedford PE College. and established a basis for women's lacrosse in the country and brought it to Merestead Camp in Maine. Boyd also coached lacrosse in Wales. When she returned to Britain, she became a lacrosse administrator, In 1969, Boyd took a combined British and United States lacrosse team that she organized and managed team—the Pioneers-for their first overseas tour to Australia. They held exhibition matches in Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, New Zealand and the Netherlands. a thanksgiving service for her was held at Wycombe Abbey School Chapel in the afternoon of 23 January 1994.

Legacy In the 1971 New Year Honours, she was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire "for services to women's lacrosse." Boyd was inducted into the Lacrosse Hall of Fame in Baltimore in November 1993. A total of £1,000 was donated from her estate to Wycombe Abbey in her wish that it be used for any seniors requiring financial assistance.