Millicent Hall

British fencer (1881-1958)

Millicent Hathaway Hall-Spong (1 November 1881 — 12 January 1958) was an English fencer. She was a member of Salle Bertrand in London.[1]

Millicent Hall
Personal information
Full nameMillicent Hathaway Hall
Born(1881-11-01)1 November 1881
Chiswick, England
Died12 January 1958(1958-01-12) (aged 76)
Bristol, London, England
Sport
SportFencing
ClubSalle Bertrand, London
Coached byprofessor Felix Bertrand

She became national champion in 1907, 1908 and 1922.[2] She competed as at the 1908 Summer Olympics in the open foil event. This event was held a demonstration event. She was the only female participant, competed against men and so she was the first female Olympic fencer.[3]

She won an international competition against Dutch women of Salle De Vos during the 1911 England–Holland women's fencing competitions in London.[4][5] According to the Dutch newspaper De nieuwe courant Hall was together with Julia Johnstone, much better compared to the other British women.[6] After a period of not fencing, she started fencing again in late 1913. She competed in November 1913 at the 1913 Alfred Hutton Memorial Challenge Cup where she was described of making "excellent assaults". In this competition she was eliminated in the semi-final.[7]

She became the first president of the Ladies’ Amateur Fencing Union in 1930.[3]

References change

  1. "The development of foil (part 2)". leonpaul.com. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  2. "BRITISH CHAMPIONS" (PDF). British Fencing. p. 3. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  3. 3.0 3.1 "Millicent Hall". Olympedia. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  4. "Haagsche dames te Londen". Het vaderland (in Dutch). 20 March 1911. Retrieved 1 August 2022 – via Delpher.
  5. "Hollandsche schermsters te Londen". Algemeen Handelsblad (in Dutch). 20 March 1911. Retrieved 1 August 2022 – via Delpher.
  6. "Damesmatch Engeland-Holland". De nieuwe courant (in Dutch). 21 March 1911. Retrieved 1 August 2022 – via Delpher.
  7. "The Alfred Hutton Memorial Challenge Cup". Les Armes (in French). 14 December 1913. p. 503-504. Retrieved 21 September 2022 – via calameo.com.