In 1978, a maze-like concrete skatepark was opened in Chester, UK by Geoffrey Blythin called the “Inner City Truckers Skateboard Park” on Sealand Road, on the former site of the city’s Royalty Theatre. According to a news article by Ian Callister called “What would Marie Lloyd have made of kick-flips?”, there was one young girl holding her own in the mob scene of a hundred boys – Rebecca Griffiths!
Above: Rebecca front and centre, surrounded by the lads
Rebecca was age 11, from Blacon near Liverpool, and a member of the Chester Ladies soccer team. She had already begun to learn tricks like “double-deckers, hand-stands and 180-degree turns.”
Rebecca said, “My friends don’t seem to be too interested, but I think [skateboarding is] a really exciting sport.” She found the scene on opening day a bit crazy and vowed to return. “At the moment things are a bit hectic for me. I’d probably end up with a raspberry or a road rash, or even as a pavement sleeper, so I’ll come back when things are a little quieter.”
Loving the lingo (apparently a “pavement sleeper” is someone on the sidelines) and I hope Rebecca came back to rule to roost. Any connections out there in the UK to Rebecca?
Regarding the Inner City Truckers skatepark, it sounds like it the situation became a bit dire when an owner took off with all the membership money, abandoning ship, and because the park was poorly made it began to deteriorate. Skaters and BMX bikers made the most of the derelict park throughout the 80s and early 1990s, until it was officially demolished in 1992.
Womxn Skateboard History 