Margaret Stansfeld (; 10 March 1860 – 28 June 1951) was a British teacher and educator who was the founder and Principal of the

Bedford Physical Training College Bedford is a market town in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2011 Census, the population of the Bedford built-up area (including Biddenham and Kempston) was 106,940, making it the second-largest settlement in Bedfordshire, behind Luton, whilst th ...

from 1903 to 1945 and promoted physical education for girls.

Career

Stansfeld was born in

Edmonton Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city ancho ...

Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, historic county in South East England, southeast England. Its area is almost entirely within the wider urbanised area of London and mostly within the Ceremonial counties of ...

, on 10 March 1860 and was the daughter of the baker James Stansfeld and his wife Mary Stansfeld, the daughter of James Fallon. She and her elder sister were educated at a board school in London. In 1881, Stansfeld enrolled on courses for female school teachers, taught by Martina Bergman-Osterberg, and she was recruited as an instructor for Hampstead Physical Training College in 1885. She taught gymnastics and games at girls' schools, including Bedford High School for Girls, and also taught at the Froebel Institute,

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, and the Cambridge Training College for Women Teachers. She played a leading role in founding the Ling Association, for the promotion of Swedish gymnastics, in 1899 and later established their library and courses, and was their President from 1910 to 1920. Stansfeld was also a founder of the Bedford Women's Suffrage Society and was President of the Association of Principals of Women's Physical Training Colleges. Stansfeld founded the

in 1903 and served as its Principal until 1945. She began with 13 students and developed Bedford into an exclusive women's physical training college. She also established the College's Old Students' Association, founded in 1909, which organised annual alumni events. By 1930, the College became a private company. Stansfeld retired as Principal in 1945, aged 85, but continued as the principal shareholder, Chair of the Board and President of the Old Students' Association. In 1949, she briefly returned as Principal after the sudden death of her successor. She died at Bedford on 28 June 1951.

Honours

Stansfeld's contribution to physical education was recognised in her appointment as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the

1939 Birthday Honours The King's Birthday Honours 1939 were appointments in many of the Commonwealth realms of King George VI to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries. The appointments were made to celebrate the of ...

. Her legacy is still remembered with the ''Margaret Stansfeld Building'', named in her honour, forming part of Bedford College.

Bibliography

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stansfeld, Margaret 1860 births 1951 deaths British women educators Officers of the Order of the British Empire Physical education in the United Kingdom Stansfeld family People from Edmonton, London