Catherine Pennefather

Catherine Pennefather born Catherine King (c. 1818 – 12 January 1893) was an English home mission worker. She was president of the Association of Female Workers, she edited a magazine and wrote. She created a cottage hospital in Bethnal Green.

Catherine Pennefather
Born
Catherine King

c. 1818
Fulham
Died12 January 1893
Islington
NationalityUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Known formission work
Spouse(s)William Pennefather
Childrennone

Life

Pennefather was born about 1818 in Fulham. Her father was Rear Admiral James William King and her mother was the daughter of the Bishop of Dublin.[1]

In 1847 she married William Pennefather. She participated fully in her husband's work and was regarded as an equal partner. He was appointed as the perpetual curate to Holy Trinity Church, Walton near Aylesbury in 1848.[2] In 1852 she and William moved to Barnet.

She also wrote several hymns.[3]

From 1858 she was president of the Association of Female Workers, connected first with Barnet and then with the Mildmay area of Islington. She worked again with orphans in 1872. Her husband died on 30 April 1873 at their home in Muswell Hill.[2] The Mildmay Mission Hospital was credited to him and his deaconesses, but it was opened fours year after he died by a dozen women including Catherine in an old warehouse near the church in Shoreditch. The hospital had a doctor, 27 beds, three nurses and five deaconesses in training.[4]

In 1876 she opened a mission to the Jews, and the following year she created a medical mission in Bethnal Green. A cottage hospital followed in 1883.[2] Catherine has been creditted with bring together the Working Girls' Institute which was founded in 1855 to link those engaged in social work for girls in 1877 which led to the creation of the Y.W.C.A.. The YMCA's main offices were in Mildmay until 1884.[5] Other sources credit Emma Robarts and Lady Mary Jane Kinnaird.[6] Pennefather was engaged in training deaconesses for the mission including Maud Cattell in 1886 who went to lead Mildmay Mission Hospital.[7]

Pennefather died in Islington on 12 January 1893. She had survived William by nearly twenty years. They had no children.[2]

References
  1. O'Byrne, William Richard, "King, James William", A Naval Biographical Dictionary, retrieved 2020-07-25
  2. "Pennefather, Catherine (1818–1893), home mission worker". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/21863. Retrieved 2020-07-25. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  3. "Catherine King Pennefather". hymntime.com. Retrieved 2020-07-25.
  4. "Mildmay Mission Hospital in the AIM25 collection". aim25.com. Retrieved 2020-07-25.
  5. "Islington: Undenominational missions | British History Online". british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 2020-07-25.
  6. Costa, Mathew (2012-12-06). "The Warwick Hip Trauma Study". doi:10.1186/isrctn49197425. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  7. "Cattell, (Fanny) Maud (1857–1947), nurse". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/47845. Retrieved 2020-09-21. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
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