PE trailblazer honoured with exhibition

A rummage in a university cupboard has led to an exhibition about a "trailblazer" who helped develop women's involvement in physical education (PE).

Margaret Stansfeld founded the Bedford Physical Training College in 1903 — an all-female institution on Lansdowne Road, that later became part of the University of Bedfordshire.

Stephanie Daniels and Anita Gabrielle Tedder put together "Stanny's Stus" at The Higgins Bedford, after Daniels made the discovery of about 1,000 images across 100 albums some 26 years ago.

She said it was because of Stansfeld "we have professional women's sport" as she encouraged "the next generation to play on a par with the men".

Tedder said the exhibition was called Stanny's Stus – A Glimpse into Women's Sporting and Social History, because Stansfeld was known as "Stan" and her students "stus".

It features a selection of images that Daniels found in 2000. She began digitising them in 2005, with the help of Andrew Payne.

Both women trained at the college and Daniels finished her career there as a principal lecturer in PE.

Tedder said Stansfeld was "an exceptional woman... at the time when women did not have careers or much education" who started the college with her own money despite the fact "she wasn't wealthy".

"She was a trailblazer who only retired in 1945," said Tedder.

"If we didn't have Margaret Stansfeld the girls of today would not be doing PE in school; it would not have been in the curriculum.

"The girls of today have a lot to thank her for."

In 1953, her college became the Bedford College of Physical Education. In the late 1970s it was part of Bedford College of Higher Education and then in the late 1990s it was part of De Montfort University.

In the early 2000s, it became part of the University of Bedfordshire and, in 2007, it moved from its campus on Lansdowne Road to the university site on Polhill Avenue.

Tedder said Stansfeld "moved with the times".

"Whenever a new dance or new forms of gymnastics came out she made sure her lecturers trained in the new style and it would be taken into schools."

Tedder was part of female pop trio Zenana in the 1980s.

Daniels said: "The college also had a clinic where students learnt bandaging, how to treat ailments and the women became hygiene mistresses in schools.

"Children with ailments would go to the PE college on a Saturday morning and were treated for free; it was before the NHS."

Daniels said: "In Bedford we've trained more PE teachers than any other organisation.

"We now have professional women's sport. If it hadn't have been for Margaret they would never have had those opportunities. She has encouraged the next generation to play on a par with the men.

"In 1918, during World War One officers were stationed in Bedford and they needed to keep fit so she allowed the young ladies to play hockey and cricket against the officers - that was unthinkable at the time."

The exhibition has been funded by Arts Council England and Bedford Physical Education Old Students' Association and is on display at The Higgins' Sir William Harpur Gallery until 31 May.

Daniels said: "It's been a privilege to see the photos get to a wider audience.

"It's not an exhibition about sport — it's social history. I don't want them locked away."

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