Catherine Courtney, Baroness Courtney of Penwith (néePotter; 4 April 1847 – 26 February 1929), known as Kate Courtney, was a British social worker and internationalist. Active in charitable organisations in her early life, she later campaigned with her husband Leonard Courtney to end the Second Boer War and the First World War. She sought to bring attention to the plight of citizens of the enemy nations and was denounced as being overly sympathetic to the enemy during both wars.
Catherine Potter was born at Gayton Hall, Herefordshire. She was the second daughter of the businessman Richard Potter and his wife Lawrencina (née Heyworth), daughter of a Liverpool merchant. Her seven younger sisters included the social reformer Beatrice Webb, Baroness Passfield, while Charles Cripps, 1st Baron Parmoor, and Henry Hobhouse were among her brothers-in-law. Mostly educated at home by tutors, she briefly attended a London boarding school for girls in the 1860s.[1] She was not regarded as particularly clever or beautiful,[2] and strongly disliked seasons and socialising with the upper class.[3] After her coming out party in 1865, she strived for independence and resisted her parents' attempts to marry her off.[1]
Work in the slums
In 1875, after a particularly difficult year, the 28-year-old Kate Potter left her family home and went to London to enlist in the activities of Octavia Hill and started training for the Charity Organization Society in Whitechapel, as well as working as an organiser of an East End boys' clubs, before joining Samuel Augustus and Henrietta Barnett in their philanthropic work.[1] Her parents frowned upon her decision, as did her elder sister Lawrencina, but ultimately granted her a small allowance which enabled her to settle in Great College Street in Westminster. She stayed in touch with her family and they often complained about her forcing them to attend "poor people's parties", which they escaped as soon as they could.[4]
For the next eight years, she worked at St Jude's Church, Whitechapel.[3] As Hill's full-time aide from 1876 until 1883, Kate Potter's duties included running youth clubs and collecting rents.[4] The tight work schedule that she maintained, helped her to avoid dealing with her family's expectations.[5] Her friendliness made her popular even as a rent collector, and she eventually managed to persuade her sisters Theresa and Beatrice to join her.[3] In 1884, model dwellings in Aldgate in which she worked, were named after her – Katharine Buildings.[3]
Catherine Potter met the 48-year-old Leonard Courtney, then Liberal cabinet minister, in 1880,[1] and became friends with him at Charles Booth's dinner parties.[4] Potter and Courtney married on 15 March 1883.[1] Both were Quakers[6] and they were happily married for 35 years. Despite their hopes to have children and Catherine's fertility operation in 1888, the couple remained childless.[5] Under her husband's influence, she became a suffragist and Liberal Unionist.[1] Marriage, however, required her to relinquish her earlier activities for the sake of homemaking and supporting her husband's career.[5] They founded the South Africa Conciliation Committee in 1899.[7] In the 1890s, she became leader of the Women's Liberal Unionist Association but was disappointed by its conservatism and imperialism and resigned from the association's committee on 24 October 1900.[1] Meanwhile, the Courtneys were significant supporters of the Zulu welfare activist Harriette Colenso, daughter of Bishop John Colenso.[8]
Wartime activities
The Courtneys actively campaigned for world peace. They were accused of being "pro-Boers" during the Second Boer War, receiving anonymous threatening letters, and Catherine was called "pro-Hun" after the First World War by the Daily Sketch. She actively supported negotiating the end of both wars, joining the 1899 armistice campaign of Emily Hobhouse, and later aligning herself with Jane Addams' attempts to negotiate peace during the First World War, with the help of neutral nations.[1]
Throughout 1901, she visited South Africa to report on conditions inside the concentration camps built for Boer civilians. In 1906, her husband was elevated to peerage and she became Baroness Courtney of Penwith. Lady Courtney championed the "innocent enemies" of the First World War and participated in the founding of an emergency committee aimed at helping German civilians living in Britain. She visited German prisoners of war and publicised the work of her German counterparts in Berlin. She unsuccessfully pleaded with the Home Office to prevent German aliens from being deported back to Germany.[1]
Widowhood and death
Lady Courtney was widowed in May 1918. In January the next year, she hosted the first meeting of the Fight the Famine Committee at her home in Cheyne Walk; the Save the Children Fund developed from that committee.[1] Along with her former brother-in-law, Lord Parmoor, Lady Courtney campaigned for ending the blockade of Germany.[9] She wrote to The Daily News in 1920, saying that "somebody must begin to be good if the better world we were promised is ever to come". She died in Cheyne Walk in 1929 and was buried at Chelsea Old Church.[1]
^Pennell, Catriona (2012), A Kingdom United: Popular Responses to the Outbreak of the First World War in Britain and Ireland, Oxford University Press, ISBN978-0199590582
^Storr, Katherine (2009), Excluded from the Record: Women, Refugees and Relief, 1914–1929, Peter Lang, ISBN978-3039118557
^Guy, Jeff (2011), The View Across the River: Harriette Colenso and the Zulu Struggle Against Imperialism, New Africa Books, ISBN978-0864863737
catherine, courtney, baroness, courtney, penwith, née, potter, april, 1847, february, 1929, known, kate, courtney, british, social, worker, internationalist, active, charitable, organisations, early, life, later, campaigned, with, husband, leonard, courtney, s. Catherine Courtney Baroness Courtney of Penwith nee Potter 4 April 1847 26 February 1929 known as Kate Courtney was a British social worker and internationalist Active in charitable organisations in her early life she later campaigned with her husband Leonard Courtney to end the Second Boer War and the First World War She sought to bring attention to the plight of citizens of the enemy nations and was denounced as being overly sympathetic to the enemy during both wars The Right HonourableThe Lady Courtney of PenwithCatherine Courtney in 1883BornCatherine Potter 1847 04 04 4 April 1847Herefordshire EnglandDied26 February 1929 1929 02 26 aged 81 Chelsea London EnglandNationalityEnglishOther namesKate CourtneyOccupationSocial workerKnown forActivismSpouseLeonard CourtneyParent s Richard PotterLaurencina Heyworth Contents 1 Early life 2 Work in the slums 3 Marriage 4 Wartime activities 5 Widowhood and death 6 Family tree 7 ReferencesEarly life EditCatherine Potter was born at Gayton Hall Herefordshire She was the second daughter of the businessman Richard Potter and his wife Lawrencina nee Heyworth daughter of a Liverpool merchant Her seven younger sisters included the social reformer Beatrice Webb Baroness Passfield while Charles Cripps 1st Baron Parmoor and Henry Hobhouse were among her brothers in law Mostly educated at home by tutors she briefly attended a London boarding school for girls in the 1860s 1 She was not regarded as particularly clever or beautiful 2 and strongly disliked seasons and socialising with the upper class 3 After her coming out party in 1865 she strived for independence and resisted her parents attempts to marry her off 1 Work in the slums EditIn 1875 after a particularly difficult year the 28 year old Kate Potter left her family home and went to London to enlist in the activities of Octavia Hill and started training for the Charity Organization Society in Whitechapel as well as working as an organiser of an East End boys clubs before joining Samuel Augustus and Henrietta Barnett in their philanthropic work 1 Her parents frowned upon her decision as did her elder sister Lawrencina but ultimately granted her a small allowance which enabled her to settle in Great College Street in Westminster She stayed in touch with her family and they often complained about her forcing them to attend poor people s parties which they escaped as soon as they could 4 For the next eight years she worked at St Jude s Church Whitechapel 3 As Hill s full time aide from 1876 until 1883 Kate Potter s duties included running youth clubs and collecting rents 4 The tight work schedule that she maintained helped her to avoid dealing with her family s expectations 5 Her friendliness made her popular even as a rent collector and she eventually managed to persuade her sisters Theresa and Beatrice to join her 3 In 1884 model dwellings in Aldgate in which she worked were named after her Katharine Buildings 3 Marriage Edit Lord and Lady Courtney in 1916 Catherine Courtney in 1898 by Sir John Benjamin Stone Catherine Potter met the 48 year old Leonard Courtney then Liberal cabinet minister in 1880 1 and became friends with him at Charles Booth s dinner parties 4 Potter and Courtney married on 15 March 1883 1 Both were Quakers 6 and they were happily married for 35 years Despite their hopes to have children and Catherine s fertility operation in 1888 the couple remained childless 5 Under her husband s influence she became a suffragist and Liberal Unionist 1 Marriage however required her to relinquish her earlier activities for the sake of homemaking and supporting her husband s career 5 They founded the South Africa Conciliation Committee in 1899 7 In the 1890s she became leader of the Women s Liberal Unionist Association but was disappointed by its conservatism and imperialism and resigned from the association s committee on 24 October 1900 1 Meanwhile the Courtneys were significant supporters of the Zulu welfare activist Harriette Colenso daughter of Bishop John Colenso 8 Wartime activities EditThe Courtneys actively campaigned for world peace They were accused of being pro Boers during the Second Boer War receiving anonymous threatening letters and Catherine was called pro Hun after the First World War by the Daily Sketch She actively supported negotiating the end of both wars joining the 1899 armistice campaign of Emily Hobhouse and later aligning herself with Jane Addams attempts to negotiate peace during the First World War with the help of neutral nations 1 Throughout 1901 she visited South Africa to report on conditions inside the concentration camps built for Boer civilians In 1906 her husband was elevated to peerage and she became Baroness Courtney of Penwith Lady Courtney championed the innocent enemies of the First World War and participated in the founding of an emergency committee aimed at helping German civilians living in Britain She visited German prisoners of war and publicised the work of her German counterparts in Berlin She unsuccessfully pleaded with the Home Office to prevent German aliens from being deported back to Germany 1 Widowhood and death EditLady Courtney was widowed in May 1918 In January the next year she hosted the first meeting of the Fight the Famine Committee at her home in Cheyne Walk the Save the Children Fund developed from that committee 1 Along with her former brother in law Lord Parmoor Lady Courtney campaigned for ending the blockade of Germany 9 She wrote to The Daily News in 1920 saying that somebody must begin to be good if the better world we were promised is ever to come She died in Cheyne Walk in 1929 and was buried at Chelsea Old Church 1 Family tree EditRichard PotterLawrencina PotterCatherine CourtneyLeonard CourtneyTheresa CrippsCharles CrippsMarian CrippsMargaret HobhouseHenry HobhouseBeatrice WebbSidney WebbStafford CrippsStephen HobhouseArthur HobhouseReferences Edit a b c d e f g h i j k Oldfield Sybil Courtney Catherine Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Oxford University Press Oldfield Sybil 2000 Alternatives to militarism 1900 1989 women against the iron fist Edwin Mellen Press ISBN 0773477659 a b c d Roodenburg Herman 2004 Social Control in Europe 1800 2000 Ohio State University Press ISBN 0814209696 a b c Ross Ellen 2007 Slum Travelers Ladies and London Poverty 1860 1920 University of California Press ISBN 978 0520249059 a b c Caine Barbara 1996 Destined to be wives the sisters of Beatrice Webb Clarendon Press ISBN 0198200544 Pennell Catriona 2012 A Kingdom United Popular Responses to the Outbreak of the First World War in Britain and Ireland Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0199590582 Storr Katherine 2009 Excluded from the Record Women Refugees and Relief 1914 1929 Peter Lang ISBN 978 3039118557 Guy Jeff 2011 The View Across the River Harriette Colenso and the Zulu Struggle Against Imperialism New Africa Books ISBN 978 0864863737 Veerman Philip E 1992 The Rights of the Child and the Changing Image of Childhood Martinus Nijhoff Publishers ISBN 0792312503 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Catherine Courtney Baroness Courtney of Penwith amp oldid 1126425349, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
