Liverpool has long been a birthplace of bright ideas, ground-breaking innovation, and remarkable ‘firsts’ that inspire generations. It's not only inventions or discoveries which leave the greatest legacies, it's also the people whose kindness continues to shape lives and have an impact long after they are gone.
Alumna Ellen Teresa Keil, (known as Teresa) died peacefully in her sleep at the age of 88 on the 18th of May 2023. In her Will, she remembered the University and generously contributed to the reopening of the Tate Hall Museum this September.
Teresa’s legacy has helped fund a new exhibition named Lightbulb Moments , which invites visitors to immerse themselves in the power of creativity, innovation, and will spark meaningful conversation. By sharing her love for education and innovation Teresa has championed this thought-provoking exhibition, inspired by the National Archives.
As a student at the University in the late 1950’s, reading Social Sciences, Teresa made life-long friends and met her future husband, research student, Ian Keil. Teresa was an advocate of education and worked at various universities throughout her life. A feminist, she wrote many sociological papers exploring women’s changing role in society.
Teresa’s niece, told us: “She felt enormously grateful for her years at Liverpool and for the opportunity of a university education, the friends she met, and meeting our Uncle Ian, her husband for many years until he passed away in 2012. My sister, and I are also grateful for her experience at Liverpool University as our parents met because Teresa was there and also because it opened the possibility for us to both go to university at a time when there were so many barriers for girls from a working-class background to feel accepted.”
Dr Matt Greenhall, Director of Libraries, Museums and Galleries, said: "We are deeply grateful for Teresa’s generous gift, which has made Lightbulb Moments possible. Her belief in the power of education and ideas shines through this exhibition, which not only celebrates Liverpool’s spirit of innovation but also inspires future generations to think boldly and creatively. Thanks to her support, Tate Hall Museum reopens with renewed purpose—as a place where imagination and discovery can spark for everyone who visits."
What will your Liverpool legacy be?
If you’ve been inspired by Teresa, and are interested in remembering Liverpool in your Will, please contact your friendly legacy officer Carolyn Jones at: carolyn.jones@liverpool.ac.uk.
Lightbulb Moments is on from 11 September 2025 onwards and is free to attend. Find out more.