Catherine Pennefather born Catherine King (c. 1818 – 12 January 1893) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

home mission worker. She was president of the Association of Female Workers, and she edited a magazine and wrote. She created a cottage hospital in

Bethnal Green Bethnal Green is an area in the East End of London northeast of Charing Cross. The area emerged from the small settlement which developed around the common land, Green, much of which survives today as Bethnal Green Gardens, beside Cambridge Heat ...

Life

Pennefather was born about 1818 in

Fulham Fulham () is an area of the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham in West London, England, southwest of Charing Cross. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, bordering Hammersmith, Kensington and Chelsea. The area faces Wandsworth ...

. Her father was Rear Admiral James William King and her mother was Caroline Cleaver, the daughter of

Euseby Cleaver Euseby Cleaver (8 September 1745 – 10 December 1819) was the Church of Ireland Bishop of Ferns and Leighlin (1789–1809) in Ireland and subsequently Archbishop of Dublin (1809-1819). Life He was of Buckinghamshire origin, the younger son of th ...

, the

Archbishop of Dublin The Archbishop of Dublin is an archepiscopal title which takes its name after Dublin, Ireland. Since the Reformation, there have been parallel apostolic successions to the title: one in the Catholic Church and the other in the Church of Irelan ...

and his wife Catherine Wynne. In 1847 she married

William Pennefather William Pennefather (1816-1873) was an Irish Anglican cleric who spent most of his adult life in England. He was famous for his hymns and sermons, and also for missionary work with his wife Catherine Pennefather. Catherine founded several project ...

. 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 Holy Trinity Church is a Church of England church in Walton, Somerset, England. It was rebuilt in 1865–66 to the design of Rev. J. F. Turner and is a Grade II listed building. History The earliest reference to a church at Walton dates to 1168, ...

near Aylesbury in 1848. In 1852 she and William moved to Barnet. She also wrote several hymns. From 1858 she was president of the Association of Female Workers, connected first with

Barnet Barnet may refer to: People *Barnet (surname) * Barnet (given name) Places United Kingdom *Chipping Barnet or High Barnet, commonly known as Barnet, one of three focal towns of the borough below. *East Barnet, a district of the borough below; an ...

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. 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 Shoreditch is a district in the East End of London in England, and forms the southern part of the London Borough of Hackney. Neighbouring parts of Tower Hamlets are also perceived as part of the area. In the 16th century, Shoreditch was an impor ...

. The hospital had a doctor, 27 beds, three nurses and five deaconesses in training. 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. Catherine has been credited with bringing 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 Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) is a nonprofit organization with a focus on empowerment, leadership, and rights of women, young women, and girls in more than 100 countries. The World office is currently based in Geneva, Swi ...

The YMCA's main offices were in Mildmay until 1884. Other sources credit

Emma Robarts Emma Robarts (died 1 May 1877) was a British Christian activist who formed a group known as the Prayer Union. The organisation combined in 1877 with an organisation created by Mary Jane Kinnaird to form the Young Women's Christian Association. Hist ...

and Lady

Mary Jane Kinnaird Mary Kinnaird or Mary Jane Kinnaird, Lady Kinnaird; Mary Jane Hoare (1816–1888) was an English philanthropist and co-founder of the Young Women's Christian Association. Kinnaird has one Women's College and a girls' High School in Pakistan and ...

. Pennefather was engaged in training deaconesses for the mission including Maud Cattell in 1886 who went to lead Mildmay Mission Hospital. Pennefather died in

Islington Islington () is a district in the north of Greater London, England, and part of the London Borough of Islington. It is a mainly residential district of Inner London, extending from Islington's High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the ar ...

on 12 January 1893. She had survived William by nearly twenty years. They had no children.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pennefather, Catherine 1810s births 1893 deaths Year of birth uncertain People from Fulham Women founders Founders