Formerly Oxford’s only female college, St Hilda’s flies the literary flag for women, writes Gill Oliver

It may have relinquished its status as the only remaining exclusively female college at Oxford University, but St Hilda’s is as keen as ever to fly the flag for women.

With more high-achieving alumni in the arts and media world than you can shake a stick at, it seems entirely logical that it should have its own programme of events at the Oxford Literary Festival.

Not only is this the first time that one of the university colleges has done this, it is an exclusively female initiative, since St Hilda’s opened its doors to male students only two years ago.

The dazzling array of ‘Hildabeasts’, as they are affectionately known, attending the festival include a slew of well-known authors and media professionals including PD James (not a graduate of St Hilda’s, but an honorary fellow) and novelists Victoria Hislop, Adele Geras and Gaynor Arnold.

Oxfordshire-based writer Juliet McKenna, classics graduate of St Hilda’s and author of 12 books, is a member of the college’s alumni media network committee that organised the events.

She explained: “When St Hilda’s was founded over a century ago, the idea that women should be educated, let alone join the professions, was considered ludicrous.

“Those days are long gone. But if you ask someone to name a famous professional in any field, the chances are the first name that comes to mind will be that of a man.

“What this day at the festival offers is a chance to celebrate everything that women can achieve, given equality of opportunity.”

Gaynor Arnold, who studied English at St Hilda’s, is a social worker-turned-writer whose first novel Girl in a Blue Dress was published two years ago when she was 63.

Long-listed for both the Man Booker Prize and the Orange Prize, it tells the story of a woman loosely based on Charles Dickens’ wife.

She is extremely enthusiastic about St Hilda’s holding its own programme of events at the Oxford Literary Festival.

“It shows what a lot of very celebrated people have been through St Hilda’s.”

She looked back fondly at her time there: “Most of the women in the women’s colleges in those days were really quite hardworking. I almost scraped a first, so I obviously did put the work in, but I played hard as well.

“There were so many things to be involved in. I recall having lots of cards on my mantelpiece, membership of various groups, auditions, rehearsals, parties.

“In those days our social life seemed to be centred around going to tea with people.

It sounds pretty wet and wimpy, but we were having coffee or tea with groups of people nearly every day of the week.

“Punting on the Cherwell, starting off at Magdalen Bridge and going up the river, is also a big part of my memory.”

Gaynor and her retired university lecturer husband Nicholas, who met while he was studying history at Magdalen College, live in Birmingham but visit Oxford.

“I am not obsessed about coming back but it is nice. It gives me a good feeling and I always enjoy it.”

Adele Geras, author of books for children and adults including Facing the Light, is also extremely keen on St Hilda’s celebrating its achievements at the festival.

“I think it is brilliant. I want to go and hear PD James talking about Barbara Pym and also Sarah Baxter, Bethany Hughes and Sue Lloyd Roberts, who will be discussing women’s roles in the media.”

“I live in Manchester now and coming back to Oxford feels a bit weird, like being a benevolent ghost. Everything looks so familiar, there should be your friends coming around the corner recognising you saying ‘hi’. But of course, nobody does.”

At the festival, Ms Geras will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of writing about the past with fellow Hildabeasts Victoria Hislop, who penned The Island and The Return, and Anita Mason, whose book The Illusionist was shortlisted for the Booker Prize.

Has she ever used things that happened to her while she was at St Hilda’s and woven them into her novels?

“I have in various stories. And places and events have infiltrated my books.”

She said she hopes the St Hilda’s event will become a permanent fixture at the Oxford Literary Festival.

■ There are four events taking place on Saturday, March 27, as part of St Hilda’s at the Oxford Literary Festival. For more details and to book, visit the website: www.oxfordliteraryfestival.com