150th anniversary event explores the trailblazing women behind QMU
As part of Queen Margaret University’s 150th anniversary celebrations, a special public talk and Q&A will explore the remarkable legacies of women who shaped Scotland’s history and are associated with the institution.
The event, ‘Acting with Head, Heart and Hand’ will take place at the university on 13 November and will feature two distinguished historians who will bring these stories to life.
Dr Bill Aird, Senior Lecturer in Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, will examine the extraordinary life and influence of Margaret, Queen and Saint, after whom the University is named.
Dr Lesley Orr, historian and Visiting Lecturer at QMU, will highlight the late nineteenth and early twentieth-century pioneers of women’s rights, including Christian Guthrie Wright and Louisa Stevenson, whose efforts to expand opportunities for women in education and society laid the foundations for Queen Margaret University.
The discussion will be chaired by Baroness Margaret Curran, former MP and MSP and now a member of the House of Lords, ensuring a thought-provoking and inspiring evening of insight and discussion.
Queen Margaret University takes its name from Queen Margaret of Scotland (c.1045–1093), canonised in 1250, who was celebrated for her intellect, faith, compassion and dedication to education and community service. After nearly a century of growth and development, the institution first known as the Edinburgh School of Cookery took the name ‘Queen Margaret’ in 1972, becoming Queen Margaret College, and eventually becoming Queen Margaret University in 2007.
The University’s founders, Christian Guthrie Wright and Louisa Stevenson, were pioneers in women’s education and social reform. Their vision in establishing the Edinburgh School of Cookery in the nineteenth century created opportunities for women and addressed pressing issues of poverty, nutrition and public health at a time of great social change.
Today, QMU continues to honour the legacy of all three of these women – Queen Margaret, Christian Guthrie Wright and Louisa Stevenson - by advancing equality, widening access to education, and enhancing quality of life through teaching, research and community engagement.
This special event forms part of the university’s QMU150 programme of activities marking the 150th anniversary of the founding of the institution now known as Queen Margaret University. It promises to be a fascinating journey through history, linking the intellectual and social contributions of Queen Margaret University to both the pioneering spirit of the women who founded the institution and to the historical figure after whom it is now named. ‘Acting with Head, Heart and Hand’ will take place in QMU’s Halle Lecture Theatre on 13 November 2025. Light refreshments will be served from 5.30pm, with the talk and Q&A beginning at 6.00pm. The event is free and open to the public.
For further media information please contact Emma Reekie, Media Relations and Content Officer, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, E: ereekie@qmu.ac.uk (copy to pressoffice@qmu.ac.uk)
