My mother, Sheila Cross, who has died aged 82 from cancer, was an inspirational university careers adviser, while also working as a social studies tutor at the Open University (OU) for 36 years.
A feminist, Sheila developed some of the earliest women’s studies courses, in the early 1970s, for Durham University. In the mid-70s, she became a tutor for the New Opportunities for Women courses run by the universities of Durham and Newcastle, empowering women across the north-east – according to my mother, this was the most rewarding work she did.
Becoming a careers adviser at Sunderland Polytechnic in 1981, Sheila researched the experience of mature graduates and developed courses, also becoming a member of the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (Agcas, now the Graduate Futures Institute). In 2009, she received a lifetime achievement award from Agcas.
Born in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, Sheila was the daughter of Constance (nee Baynton), a physiotherapist, and Frank Williams, a teacher. After the family moved to Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, Sheila went to King Edward’s school, then to Bedford College, London University, to study sociology. There she met Peter Cross, a fellow sociology student, and they married in 1965.
Sheila lectured in sociology at Borough Polytechnic (now South Bank University) before moving to Teesside in 1971 where Peter was taking up a lecture post at the polytechnic. The same year, Sheila had begun working as a social science tutor with the OU – her first tutorial took place on the day classes started at the new institution.
As well as her work in women’s education in the north-east, Sheila helped set up a women’s action group and a campaign to improve access to abortion services in Cleveland. In 1979 she was commissioned by the OU to set up an educational guidance service for adults across Sunderland and South Shields. After leaving Sunderland Polytechnic in 1989, she moved to York St John University, heading up the careers service until retirement in 2009.
My parents loved travel, including to Cuba and north Africa, but above all to France. They also shared a passion for ballet and modern jazz, with Sheila contributing to an online ballet magazine and the Dancing Times, writing insightful reviews of performances. After Peter’s death in 2002, Sheila continued to travel widely to see many ballet companies. Genuine, warm and principled, she was also a self-described “ardent” Guardian reader and letter writer.
Sheila is survived by me, her granddaughter, Anna, and her sister, Diane.
