Catherine Hay Thomson
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Catherine Hay Thomson (died 1928) was a Scottish-born Australian undercover journalist, literary agent and educator.


Early life and education

Catherine Hay Thomson was born in
Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
, educated in
Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
and was one of the early female graduates from
the University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb nor ...
.


Career

Thomson was principal of Queen's College, Ballarat for some time. In 1881, she opened a boarding and day school for girls in Spring Street, Melbourne. Thomson began writing investigative articles, being referred to in
The Bulletin Bulletin or The Bulletin may refer to: Periodicals (newspapers, magazines, journals) * Bulletin (online newspaper), a Swedish online newspaper * ''The Bulletin'' (Australian periodical), an Australian magazine (1880–2008) ** Bulletin Debate, ...
in 1886 as "the female 'Vagabond' of Melbourne". Thomson worked as an undercover journalist, disguising herself as a man to visit brothels and taverns investigating corruption which was exposed in her newspaper articles. She investigated undercover as an attendant at the Kew Asylum, a psychiatric hospital in Melbourne and also as an assistant nurse at the Melbourne Hospital. Thomson was one of the founders of the
Austral Salon The Austral Salon of Music, Literature and the Fine Arts also known as the Austral Salon is a club that was established for women interested in the fine arts in Melbourne. Establishment The Austral Salon was founded in January 1890 by female journ ...
in 1890, a women’s club to foster literature, music and the arts. In 1899, Thomson and Evelyn Gough became joint proprietors of ''The Sun: An Australian Journal for the Home and Society''. After the magazine merged with ''Arena'' in 1903 Thomson became a literary agent. Thomson founded the National Council of Women of Victoria in 1902.


Personal life

Thomson married Thomas Floyd Legge in Melbourne in 1918, aged 72. The wedding was held at the Women Writer’s Club. Thomson died in
Cheltenham Cheltenham (), also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a spa town and borough on the edge of the Cotswolds in the county of Gloucestershire, England. Cheltenham became known as a health and holiday spa town resort, following the discovery of mineral s ...
on 24 July 1928.


Works

* *Thomson, Catherine Hay (August 1906) The Austral Salon: women's clubs in Australia. ''Womanhood''. Vol.16 (93), p. 33


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomson, Catherine Hay 1928 deaths Australian women journalists Australian educators University of Melbourne alumni 20th-century Australian journalists Australian women educators Year of birth unknown Literary agents 20th-century Australian women writers