As Cheltenham Ladies' College concludes its celebrations for the 170th anniversary of its foundation, the school has been reflecting on its rich history and the years leading up to its establishment. The College Archives have been an invaluable resource in this journey, offering insight into the institution's early years.
Among the many treasures in the archives, one of the most festive items is a Victorian Christmas card that encapsulates the enduring traditions of the season. Three robins merrily sing from a branch adorned with ivy and rose hips, set against a crescent moon with the words "Good Wishes" inscribed in gold.
This small, cheerful card tells a greater story of the allyship between two pioneering figures in the education of women in the United Kingdom: Frances Buss and Dorothea Beale, whose legacies are celebrated as part of the 170th anniversary reflections.
In 1841, the founding of Cheltenham College for boys sparked discussions among Cheltenham’s influential figures about the lack of a comparable education for girls in the town. Educating girls to the same standard as boys was still a novel idea; the teaching of academic subjects to girls had previously been considered unnecessary and was only just beginning to receive serious consideration in the country.
The establishment of Cheltenham Ladies' College in 1853 marked a significant milestone in this endeavour. The founders, Rev. Walford Bellairs, Rev. W. Dobson, Rev. H.A. Holden, and Dr S.E. Comyn, understood the importance of providing academic opportunities to girls, laying the groundwork for future advancements in women’s education.
Photograph 1: The original Cambray House, leased in 1853, when College was founded. The first 82 pupils assembled on February 13th, 1854.
At the time of CLC’s foundation, the founders looked to other schools for inspiration, specifically the North London Collegiate School, which Frances Buss had founded in 1850. This school served as a model for CLC to educate girls to the same academic standards as boys.
In 1858, a few years after the foundation, Dorothea Beale was appointed Principal and remained in the post until her death in 1906. Like Beale, Frances Buss dedicated her life to advancing education. Over the following decades, both educators built their respective institutions into nationally and internationally celebrated establishments for women’s education, both of which are still thriving today.
The two figures were well-known to one another during their lifetimes, connected through their shared purpose in life. In her later years, Buss reflected on the significant impact of their work and the future of the educational movement they were helping to shape, saying: “I should like to revisit the earth at the end of the twentieth century to see the result of the great revolution of the nineteenth – the women’s rights movement.”[1]
Photograph 2: Dorothea Beale, 1902
Ordinarily, greeting cards are seldom preserved in archives due to their disposable nature. However, this Christmas card from Frances Buss may have been saved by Dorothea Beale because it has a poignant story to tell.
At Christmas time in 1894, Buss was unwell but remained present in the school until the end of the term. After 44 years of service as the Founder and Headmistress of the North London Collegiate School, Frances Buss passed away on Christmas Eve.
In her 1895 biography, Annie Ridley writes that "before this illness came on, [Buss] had with her own hands arranged all her Christmas gifts and ordered her Christmas cards, received by many of her friends on that sad Christmas Day.”[2]
This card may have been one of those ordered by Buss, making it the final communication Beale received from her peer and long-time friend. This poignant detail may explain why Beale chose to preserve the card in the archives.
Shortly afterwards, Beale wrote a tribute to Buss in The Guardian. Mindful of their shared mission, she wrote: “We have lost... one who was a great leader of that great movement by which God has called upon women in this age to arise and minister.”[3]
Beale and Buss would be proud to know that their work and legacies continue. With their institutions currently celebrating their 170th and 175th anniversaries, their dedication and vision have inspired generations of young women to pursue academic excellence.
As we celebrate this festive season and the conclusion of our 170th year, this Victorian Christmas card serves as a poignant reminder of the lasting impact of friendship, dedication, and the importance of education.
Photograph 3 and 4: A Christmas card sent by Frances M. Buss to Dorothea Beale.
[1] Coutts, E. ‘Buss, Frances Mary (1827–1894)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 2004. https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/37249
[2] Ridley, A. Frances Mary Buss and Her Work for Education. United Kingdom: Longmans, Green, and Company, 1895.
[3] Kamm, J. How Different from Us: A Biography of Miss Buss and Miss Beale. United Kingdom: The Bodley Head Ltd, 1958.
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