St Hilda's College, Oxford facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Hilda's College
South Building
Blazon: Azure, on a fess or three estoiles gules in chief two unicorns' heads couped, in base a coiled serpent argent.
University	University of Oxford
Location	Cowley Place
Coordinates	51°44′57″N 1°14′43″W / 51.749162°N 1.245334°W / 51.749162; -1.245334
Latin name	Collegium Sanctae Hildae
Motto	non frustra vixi (I lived not in vain)
Established	1893
Named for	Hilda of Whitby
Principal	Professor Sarah Springman
Undergraduates	400 (2011/2012)
Postgraduates	175
Major events	St Hilda's College Ball
Map
Location in Oxford city centre

St Hilda's College is one of the many colleges that make up the famous University of Oxford in England. It is named after Hilda of Whitby, an important Anglo-Saxon saint. The college started in 1893 as a place just for women.

For a long time, St Hilda's was a college only for women. It was the very last college at Oxford to become mixed-gender. This happened in 2008. Now, the college has almost the same number of young men and women studying there.

The head of the college is called the Principal. Currently, Professor Sarah Springman is the Principal. She started this role in 2022.

History of St Hilda's College

St Hilda's College was started in 1893 by Dorothea Beale. She was also a headmistress at another school called Cheltenham Ladies' College. When it first opened, it was called St Hilda's Hall.

At first, St Hilda's was only for women students. It stayed that way for many years. Other colleges at Oxford slowly started to accept both men and women. But St Hilda's remained a women's college until 2008.

In 2006, the college leaders voted to allow both men and women to study there. This was a big change! In October 2007, the college got special permission to make this change. Then, in 2008, the first male students joined St Hilda's. Today, the college has a mix of male and female students.

Women's Rowing History

St Hilda's College made history in sports too! It was the first college for women in Oxford and Cambridge to have a women's rowing team. This happened way back in 1911.

A student from St Hilda's, H.G. Wanklyn, helped create the Oxford University Women's Boat Club (OUWBC). She was also the cox (the person who steers the boat) in the first-ever Women's Boat Race in 1927. Five rowers from St Hilda's were on that team!

In 1969, the St Hilda's rowing team made history again. They were the first all-female crew to race in a big Oxford event called the Summer Eights. They finished in 12th place.

TV Show About St Hilda's

In 2002, students from St Hilda's College were featured in a TV show. It was a documentary series called College Girls on Channel 4.

Buildings and College Grounds

Milham Ford Building next to the River Cherwell

St Hilda's College is located at the eastern end of the High Street, Oxford. It is the only Oxford University college that sits east of the River Cherwell. This location makes it very handy for the Iffley Road Sports Complex, where many university sports happen.

College Buildings

The college has six main buildings. These buildings have student rooms, classrooms, a dining hall, the library, and offices.

• The first building was Cowley House, now known as Hall.
• In 1921, the college got Cherwell Hall, now called South.
• Later, in 1958, they got Milham Ford, which used to be a school.
• Newer buildings include Wolfson (opened 1964), Garden (opened 1971), and the Christina Barratt Building (opened 2001).
• In 2020, a new Boundary Building was built. A new riverside building called the Pavilion replaced Milham Ford.

The college also owns other properties nearby.

The Jacqueline Du Pré Music Building

The Jacqueline Du Pré Music Building

The Jacqueline Du Pré Music Building, often called the JdP, is a special concert hall. It is named after a very famous cellist (someone who plays the cello) who was connected to the college.

The JdP was the first concert hall built in Oxford since 1742! It opened in 1995. It has a main auditorium with a special Steinway piano. There are also music practice rooms. Many famous musicians have performed here. Students also use the building for plays and performances.

The Kathleen Major Library

The college library used to be in the Hall Building. It was quite small. In 1909, a new part was added, and more books were collected. The second head of the college, Christine Mary Elizabeth Burrows, helped organize the first library. It was named after her for a while.

The library grew over the years. In 2005, it was renamed the Kathleen Major Library. This was to honor Kathleen Major, who used to be a librarian and president of the college.

Today, the library has about 70,000 books. These books cover all the subjects students study. It also has special collections for research, like medieval history and women's studies. The library keeps important old letters from the college founder, Dorothea Beale. It also has a collection of about 700 rare books, some from the 15th century!

The library has three floors and seven reading rooms. There are 150 places for students to study. You can also find computers, printers, and scanners there. The main reading room has an art gallery and great views of the River Cherwell.

College Grounds and River Access

The college grounds stretch along the River Cherwell. Many student rooms have lovely views of the river and the playing fields.

A fun fact about St Hilda's is that it has its own fleet of punts. These are flat-bottomed boats that students can use for free during the summer. It's a great way to enjoy the river!

People Associated with St Hilda's College

Principals of the College

These are the people who have been the head of St Hilda's College since it started:

Famous Former Students

Many talented people have studied at St Hilda's College. Here are a few of them:

• 

  Susanna Clarke, a well-known author

• 

  Susan Greenfield, Baroness Greenfield, a scientist and academic

• 

  Susan Kramer, a politician

• 

  Zanny Minton Beddoes, editor of The Economist magazine

• 

  Zeinab Badawi, a BBC journalist

College Fellows

Fellows are important academic staff members at the college.

• Mary Bennett
• William Boyd, author
• Gordon Duff
• Helen Gardner
• Angelica Goodden
• Elspeth Kennedy
• Barbara Levick
• Beryl Smalley
• Helen Waddell
• Kathy Wilkes

Honorary Fellows

Honorary Fellows are people who have been given a special honor by the college.

• Jacqueline Du Pré
• Doris Odlum
• Rosalyn Tureck

Images for kids

• 

  Garden Building

• 

  Hall building and Porters' Lodge (now demolished)

• 

  College library

• 

  South Building as seen from the croquet lawn

• 

  The outside of the JdP

• 

  Anniversary building and Pavilion

See also

In Spanish: St Hilda's College (Oxford) para niños