Fifty years of women: co-education since 1976

A year of celebration has begun to mark 50 years since the first women arrived and Selwyn became co-educational.

Celebrating 50 brings together the history, events and stories of Selwyn’s community since 1976.

In October 1976, 26 women undergraduates arrived and, shortly afterwards, Dr Jean Chothia became our first female Fellow. We were among the second group of Cambridge colleges to admit women, after Churchill, Clare and King’s in 1972.

Women shaped Selwyn long before then. Kathleen Lyttelton was a campaigner for women’s education and suffrage in 1882 during her time here when her husband, Arthur, was Master. Generations of women staff kept our college running. In 1976, they also became members of it.

The Master said: “The decision to admit women as students and Fellows in 1976 transformed the college, enabling our strong academic achievement, showing the enormous value of openness and building a community which is greater because it welcomes different perspectives.”

In September 2026, the 1976 and 1986 year groups returned to Selwyn. Alumni shared their memorabilia, stories and pictures, some of which we have published on this group of Celebrating 50 pages.

For example, Angela McNelly (SE 1976) remembers her offer letter arriving on a Sunday before Christmas, when Sunday post was unheard of. Rob Pitt (SE 1976) recalls the courage of the first women, who faced bullying and misogyny and succeeded despite it. Pyjama parties in Cripps Court and breakfast on its gravel roof also feature. As late as the 1990s, women could not wear trousers to formal dinners.

Celebrating 50 runs across the 2026-27 academic year. It includes talks, music, exhibitions drawing on our archive and A Year of Faithful Women, a preaching series in Chapel. On 7 November, the Celebrating 50 Forum will hear from speakers across a range of fields, with an invited audience of students, alumni and Fellows. Find out more about upcoming events here.

We will be sharing stories from the first cohort to current students. If you have a memory or photograph to add, we would like to hear from you at archives@sel.ac.uk.

With thanks to Emma Lester (SE 2022, Classics) who designed the logo for Celebrating 50.