First woman priest in Banbury celebrates 30 years of women's ordination in Church of England

Reverend Stella Fairbairn celebrated the anniversary at Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford on Sunday, April 28.

She was among the first women in Britain to be ordained as priests in 1994, after serving as a deacon for seven years.

A talented needleworker, Stella was first introduced to St Mary’s in the 1970s after being asked to make some vestments for the church.

This led to her setting up an Embroiderers’ Guild before becoming a server, and later, after attending Bible study sessions, she became a lay reader.

Stella said: “I'm pleased that the 30th anniversary is being celebrated. I went to the 10th, when we met on the lawn by Westminster Abbey and walked together to St Paul's for a service, having beeps of support from car horns on the way.

"I'm now 93, so this will be my last. I think that anniversary celebrations will die out and women at all levels in holy orders will just be taken for granted, as they are getting to be now.”

Since her early childhood, Stella has had her eyes on presiding over a church and remembers speaking with her mother about the subject.

Stella said: “I told my mother that when I grew up I wanted to ‘keep a church’. She said that I must marry a vicar. I said: No! I want to do it myself.”

When Stella was first ordained, there was only one other woman priest in Banbury.

She said: “Churchgoers gradually got used to seeing us presiding. I think that one of the most important parts of my ministry was in taking funerals, and then the general public saw women priests robed and riding round in the front seat of a hearse.”

Now, after 30 years of service to the community, Stella continues to lead services at St Mary’s and continues to find satisfaction in her work.

Stella said: “I found my ministry satisfying, though not always easy. I'm keeping my Permission to Officiate up to date and from time to time I'm called on for funerals of friends, and the family for weddings or baptisms of my rather numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.”