Obituary: Beryl Dale remembers a much-loved aunt and hockey great.
PHOEBE Bradshaw (nee Williams), 1950-2015, was one of the greats of women’s hockey and the most talented goal keeper that ever played.
Born at home in Donnybrook to parents Arthur and Mabel Williams, she was the youngest sister of Arthur, Tom, Kath, Florence, Marjorie and Mary.
As a little girl she had a great love for hockey playing with sticks carves out of wood by her father. To get a proper hockey stick, Phoebe joined the local hockey club in Donnybrook.
By the age of 14 she was selected to play in the country week team. Later she moved to Perth to play with the Pirates Club.
By the age of 18 she was chosen in the state side as their goal keeper, a position she held from 1938 to 1950. During that time she had the honour of being named in the All Australian Team. She also gained an Australian Umpires Badge, which enabled her to umpire at the highest level. During all the years she played state hockey, they never ever lost one match.
She was made a life member of the West Australian Women’s Hockey Association and life member of the Pirates Club.
Upon retiring she started coaching, mainly goalkeeping. She also took on the huge task of organising Country Week Hockey. She did these things for a period of 18 years.
As a young woman, Phoebe married Alex Cain. The marriage was short lived; war had broken out and Alex was sent overseas to the Middle East. He was shot down over Egypt, reported missing in action and never returned home.
For most of Phoebe’s hockey career, she played under the name Phoebe Cain.
In the early 1950s she married Ted Bradshaw, an engineer. They had two daughters, Peta and Margo.
At age 70, Phoebe learned to swim. Her daughter Peta, a swimming instructor, had her mother swimming one kilometre a day, five days a week.
She drove her car until at 92, she voluntarily handed in her driver’s licence.
After suffering a fall, she passed away at age 95.
Phoebe was the much loved Aunt of Beryl Dale and the Williams family of Donnybrook.
