The Goodison crowds today see a different Toffee Lady every match, but between 1953 and 1956 there was only one - Mary Gorry.
The idea of handing out toffees at Goodison dates back to the 1890s with Old Ma Bushell's Toffee House. To compete against her rival, Mother Nobletts Toffee Shop, Old Ma Bushell dressed her daughter, Jemima Bushell, in her best clothes and sent her to matches with a basket full of individually wrapped Everton toffees which she handed out to the crowds.
In 1953 Mary Gorry continued this tradition. Her and a friend made a few alterations to a bridesmaid dress, then went to Goodison dressed up, as Jemima Bushell did, to hand out Everton toffees. Mary did this at every Everton match for three years before handing over the job to Peggy Morley.
We were delighted to meet Mary in The Everton Collection exhibition and listen to her fascinating stories. The objects and photographs in the exhibition brought back many fond memories, including an illustration of Mary's Toffee Lady successor, Peggy Morley, on the front cover of Charles Buchan's Football Monthly.
Do you remember Mary, or have any stories about Everton's Toffee Ladies? If so, tell us here.
The idea of handing out toffees at Goodison dates back to the 1890s with Old Ma Bushell's Toffee House. To compete against her rival, Mother Nobletts Toffee Shop, Old Ma Bushell dressed her daughter, Jemima Bushell, in her best clothes and sent her to matches with a basket full of individually wrapped Everton toffees which she handed out to the crowds.
In 1953 Mary Gorry continued this tradition. Her and a friend made a few alterations to a bridesmaid dress, then went to Goodison dressed up, as Jemima Bushell did, to hand out Everton toffees. Mary did this at every Everton match for three years before handing over the job to Peggy Morley.
We were delighted to meet Mary in The Everton Collection exhibition and listen to her fascinating stories. The objects and photographs in the exhibition brought back many fond memories, including an illustration of Mary's Toffee Lady successor, Peggy Morley, on the front cover of Charles Buchan's Football Monthly.
Do you remember Mary, or have any stories about Everton's Toffee Ladies? If so, tell us here.
Mary at Goodison Park in the 1950s
Mary in The Everton Collection exhibition