An Appreciation of Margaret Webster, founder of MOW
On Wednesday 28th January, I took my place in St Paul’s Cathedral at the Confirmation of the Election of the Rt Revd Dame Sarah Mullally as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury – the 106th.
As I stood there surrounded by thousands of rejoicing people, in-and-outside of the building, I cast my mind back to many who had helped to make this happen over the years: too many to mention by name but they deserve to be. I thought especially of Margaret Webster, now approaching her 100th birthday, whose initiative in 1978 started so many of us off on the long journey of determined campaigning to get women ordained. It was the beginning of a time when lay women and men, theologians, church historians, clergy, some bishops who had long believed, joined the Movement for the Ordination of Women.
I thought of all those who had campaigned over the decades, against seeming odds, much opposition and often abuse, to see women ordained. Now, here we were, celebrating the first female Archbishop.
I met Margaret in 1978 when her husband Alan was appointed Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral. Alan and Margaret came to a Diocese that was neither woman-friendly or welcoming, rather I would say hostile to any ideas that suggested change. My husband Donald, who was a parish priest in the London Diocese became firm friends with Alan. They were two like-minded people.
In spite of the atmosphere, and undeterred, Margaret immediately formed, “The Movement for the Ordination of Women (MOW)”. She gathered together, a group of women, based in an office in Westminster. One evening at supper, Margaret asked me if I had thought of joining them. At that time my immediate reaction was, “I really do not think I can”, not because I didn’t want to but because I had a demanding job in education, three young children and supported Donald in our parish. I felt that if I could not give proper time to it I did not want to be just a hanger-on. But Margaret, in her gently, persuasive and determined way did not let it go. I realised after knowing her well that, “Gentle”, “Persuasive” and “Determined” were her trade-mark descriptors. I went home that night and thought about what she had said. It was in keeping with my long-held beliefs about the place of women in the Church and society too and how they were treated. I thought then, “How can I not?”, so, in 1979 I joined MOW with other like-minded people and went on from there.
Margaret was a woman of deep faith, vision, strength and conviction; who would not be deterred by those whose opposition and often insults flowed freely. She knew that women had many gifts of faith, pastoral care, theological and spiritual insights; who, as history had shown for centuries, had carried the Church through their faith and work, while over time were made invisible and treated as second class beings. She, like women and men who belonged to MOW, strongly felt women should not be barred from ordination on the grounds of being female, but should contribute their God-given gifts in all capacities.
From the very beginning Margaret’s drive was responsible for the long line of people who found their voices to speak out and act publicly in this belief. Others joined through a gradual recognition and realisation that they felt the same. MOW’s membership grew and spread widely. People gained the courage to speak up about what they had long believed but hadn’t liked to say, especially in a climate of negativity, and abuse they received from some clergy and those in the hierarchy, who could not believe their power and position were being challenged. Opposing is one thing but being abusive, aggressive, demeaning and undermining, they failed to realise it made those it was aimed at more determined to carry on in their belief in justice and the recognition of human worth. The suppression of any God-given gifts devalues Christianity in the eyes of others and weakens the strength of the Church.
Margaret managed the barbs in her calm, determined, often humorous way. I don’t remember her ever being rattled by any of it, just persevering, gaining more and more support. She was above all a good strategist. She lobbied everyone she could, women and men, like-minded friends, lay, priests and bishops, theologians, church historians to those on General and Diocesan Synods, persuading them to join MOW. She was on fertile ground.
Meetings were held up and down the country, friendships were made, people learnt from each other, gaining strengthen and confidence from being together. Knowledge and insights were shared, along with a great variety of creative gifts, some of which we didn’t realise we had. All this carried on through WATCH after MOW was dissolved in 1992.
Margaret always refuted that the growth of MOW was all down to her. She said it was team work, which was true. But she was the catalyst, the pivotal role, the early inspiration who recognised that the time was right, that people were waiting and ready to take up action which they did. So, it was not surprising Margaret was foremost in my mind that day and I was overcome with gratitude for having had the opportunity to know her, to learn so much and participate alongside many others all those decades ago.
If I am honest I did not think the appointment of Archbishop Sarah would happen in my life time and for many it did not but, for Margaret approaching 100 years in June, it has and we send her our love, appreciation and thanks for all she brought to the Church and especially the women.
So, here we were on that historic day, and there, in St Paul’s, Archbishop Sarah was - and we rejoiced in it.