Monica Pickersgill

Monica Pickersgill (1934–2026) was the President of the All England Women's Hockey Association and the first President of the English Hockey Association.

Early life and education She was born Monica Horton in Barbados on 29 May 1934, the daughter of an English father, Howard Horton, and a Barbadian mother, Agatha, née Alleyne. The family moved to Sutton Coldfield when she was one. She was educated at Sutton Coldfield High School for Girls and the City of Worcester Training College. On 25 July 1956, she married Peter Pickersgill.

Teaching career Pickersgill worked as a teacher of physical education (PE) and English at West Park School, Leeds from 1953–5 and head of girls' PE at Mirfield Secondary Modern School, West Yorkshire, 1955–62. She then headed the PE departments at Greenhead High School, Huddersfield 1962–6 and Wakefield Girls' High School, West Yorkshire, 1966–70, and Colne Valley High School, Huddersfield, 1970–93. She was the founding president of North Schoolgirls' Hockey Association. She faced several challenges during her presidency, including continuing to advocate for AEWHA staff in the joint organisation and the perception that playing hockey was unfeminine.

In 2022, Pickersgill received a Lifetime Achievement Award from England Hockey.

She died on 28 February 2026.