Sally Stewart walks into history

On 10 September 1985 Sally Stewart didn’t just start a new school, she made history. When she nervously walked into Assembly, she marked the beginning of co-education at a school that had been a male preserve for more than 400 years.  

Sally came to Christ College from St David’s Ursuline Convent School, which was on Glamorgan Street in Brecon until 1997. In fact, Convent girls had been joining classes at Christ College since 1967. Though they also performed in Christ College drama productions and sang with Christ College in the Choral Society, Sally was the first girl to enrol as a Christ College pupil and proudly wear the ‘h’.

40 years later, we look back with Sally as she shares her experience of being the only girl in the school. Her words are a powerful reminder of what it means to be a pioneer. They also remind us of the importance of supporting each other when facing new challenges. 

Her recollections of being welcomed and looked after by the friends she made at school reveal that many of the boys became her staunchest allies in the historic change that began on her first day. Together they successfully helped Christ College break with centuries of tradition to become the thriving, inclusive, co-educational community we know today.

Our warmest thanks go to Sally (School House Red 1985-87), who has been so generous in sharing her recollections with us.

My first introduction to CCB was on a joint music trip to Swansea with St David’s Ursuline Convent where I was a pupil. In the interval I was approached by a group of boys and the spokesperson announced, “You might think we look like the back end of a bus but we think you’re gorgeous”.

Through the Choral Society, I made my first friends at CCB. One introduced me to Crusaders, a Christian Youth organisation, and through Crusaders I made further friends at CCB. Chinese whispers from their parents suggested CCB was intending to go co-ed. My Mum wrote that fateful enquiry letter, ignorant of the fact it would change history.

I was astonished, stunned and in turn overwhelmed by the offer to become not just the first girl at CCB but the only girl. My decision to accept could not have been made without the counsel, support and friendship of my CCB friends.

The Housemaster in School House Red, Edward Parry, could not have been more welcoming - although he couldn’t dress up the fact that I was going to be housed in a former cleaners’ cupboard. (The following year in an even smaller broom cupboard). Or that its window opened onto a damp, mouldy, overgrown courtyard opposite the boys showers - fortunately visually screened with opaque windows but no audio screening, if you get my drift.

The first morning, my CCB friends met me to accompany me into assembly. No sneaking in at the back, the door opened in full view of the whole school. The only other time my legs have shaken so much was on my wedding day, but then with joy vs abject fear. It felt like every pair of eyes was upon me; one brief look and I kept my eyes down. My memory is hazy from fear and anxiety; I pretty sure I’m pretty sure I was introduced, smiled and giggled nervously.

Those first few days were fraught with excitement and anxiety. New experiences, new friends, new places, new opportunities but also adversity. It soon became clear there was a divide between those who actively supported my addition to the school, who were the majority, and those few who just seemed angry. They made their anger known and I didn’t know what to do with it.

It wasn't all plain sailing. There were times, including in some classes, when my anxiety levels were at a level I now recognise as acute panic attacks. On those occasions, the anxiety I had experienced since a child skyrocketed and it nearly derailed the whole process. I am eternally grateful for my high quality friendships. Without the support of my CCB friends old and now new, I’m not sure how I would have got through those first weeks. My friends counselled me in place of the school counsellors that are available now. I applaud the openness towards mental health issues in schools today.

Other than switching company from schoolgirls to schoolboys, my biggest anxiety had been spending so many long hours at school including weekends. Soon I discovered I enjoyed the long hours. As an only child I’d often been lonely, now I had a whole house of friends to talk to. My cupboard became a through door for unsanctioned chat and coffee during dedicated prep time. It was fantastic!

I was able to keep in touch with my friends from the Convent who had continued in the 6th Form through my involvement with the Choral Society and I joined the joint Drama Society. It was a great chance to be with other girls. I also continued to attend Crusaders, an actual co-ed normal activity.

Towards the end of my first year I was with a group of boys from different years outside Reds. I’m not sure who asked what but I was highly complimented when the boys said, “She’s one of us”. I had been accepted. It was a warm, wonderful, confirming feeling.

When 7 more girls started in my second year, I was no longer, as HTV Wales quoted, “Sally Stewart only but not lonely”. You have no idea what gossip that quote triggered in town!

I’m so grateful to CCB for the education that enabled me to become a surgeon. I then became a GP working in Bradford working in a specialised practice for vulnerable people: people seeking asylum in the UK; people who were homeless, suffering with substance abuse, affected by mental health issues.

I approached life by facing my fears. I learnt at Crusaders and CCB that I could survive life with the love, compassion, friendship and support of friends who become family. That community has surrounded me in one form or another my whole life.

And for those of you who were there, some more of her recollections may resonate with your own.  

Mornings began with Chapel at 8.30am. I was invariably late. My absence must have been noticeable I should imagine, yet I was never disciplined. Odd - or perhaps no-one could quite work out what punishment should be given to a girl!

At lunchtime, I experienced mostly gentlemanly behaviour and was escorted to the front of the queue so heckling was at a minimum. Inside, however, I needed protectors. Food fights were not uncommon at the time and I was an easy target. Convent girls were not taught how to throw, CCB boys were. Individual butter packs were the favourite missile. Chips the second, preferably covered in ketchup. Even my friends joined in, not always on my side. Hopefully in a fully co-ed CCB, all are taught to throw. (And hopefully they no longer have to prove their skills in the Dining Hall.)

Chemistry was scary. The school master was serious and stern, but it was the same for everyone. Experiments were bungled, occasionally succeeded, but the only explosion I remember was caused by the school master himself.

Biology had always been my favourite class and continued as such. At CCB I was able to enter the S Level Biology. Banter,  jokes and laughter were encouraged - more so around certain topics.

My Biology project involved catching insects in a field, not my favourite subjects. Somehow I managed to hide my arachnophobia. Two younger boys hijacked me in my study, holding of all things a hairbrush box. They taunted me with the two large spiders inside. Fortunately, they were thin and spindly and I managed to convince the boys nonchalantly they could do what they liked with them. If the spiders had been black, stocky and hairy, I’d have screamed the house down and run out like there was a axe murderer behind me.

I’d happily dance all afternoon but sport - just no. This had not been considered. I acquired my first ever cassette player and discovered music in the afternoon instead. I also volunteered at Brecon War Memorial Hospital one afternoon a week. My visits to the operating theatre fuelled my ambition to be a surgeon. 

At the weekend I was a spectator at home rugby matches. I began an understanding of rugby, quickly became the team mascot and developed a lifelong support for . . . the old enemy, England!  

An attempt was made for me to supervise junior prep. This did not go well. I was no authority figure, I was short and slight and utterly clueless. I did wonder what was so fascinating on the floor under the table until I realised the boys were trying to look up my skirt. Eventually Mr and Mrs Parry tired of the raucous noise and relieved me of my duty.

Winter brought snow to CCB. One of my friends came to warn me I had a welcoming committee lined up on my way to class. My classmates had arranged the First Form to roll snowballs and ambush me. One hit fuelled me into tipping the first boy in line into the snowbank off the path. I opened my umbrella to fend off the rest of the snowballs as I stalked along the path into the building. My classmates were either disappointed or impressed!

Sally's recollections will surely prompt a few of your own. And someone out there is bound to know who boxed up those spiders or who threw that snowball. You may even have been the unsuspecting ‘sprog’ Sally tipped into the snow!

If you were there, send your memories to Huw or Felicity for sharing. We’d all love to know more!