Kate Beath
Kate Beath | |
|---|---|
| Born | Katherine Christian Beath 20 December 1882 Christchurch, New Zealand |
| Died | 29 June 1979 (aged 96) |
| Occupation | Architect |
Katherine Christian Beath (married name McDougall; 20 December 1882 – 29 June 1979) was probably the first female professional architect in New Zealand.[1]
Biography
Beath was born in Christchurch in 1882, the daughter of Marie Malcolm (eldest sister of Kate Sheppard) and George Low Beath, founder of the Christchurch department store Beath and Co. Her family were artistic and musical and members of the Congregational Church, YMCA and YWCA.[2] Beath was the niece of the feminist Kate Sheppard.[3]
Beath studied at the Canterbury School of Art in Christchurch from 1899 to 1904, after completing her studies, she trained as an architect under Samuel Hurst Seager until 1908.[4][5][6] During this time she took courses and sat the South Kensington Art and Science examinations in design, model drawing and building construction.[7][8] She then travelled to London with her aunt Kate Sheppard where she studied architecture across the United Kingdom and Europe.[9] Beath arrived back to Christchurch in 1910.
Throughout her career she lectured in both architecture and decorative design at the Canterbury School of Art.[10][4]
In 1915, she married Colin Barclay McDougall (1889–1982), a pharmacist from Christchurch.[11][12][13] The couple moved to Wellington, had children and lived in a house in Island Bay for over 40 years.[8]
Beath was also a prolific watercolour painter and part of The Canterbury Arts and Crafts Movement, with works in the collection of Kate Sheppard House and artists files at Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.[4]
Beath was honoured with a panel in the Suffrage in Stitches expedition created and toured by the Wellington Museum.[14]
References
- ^ "Beath, Katherine". findnzartists.org.nz. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
- ^ "M Beath | NZ History". nzhistory.govt.nz. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
- ^ Judith Devaliant, Kate Sheppard, a biography: the fight for women's votes in New Zealand—the life of the woman who led the struggle, Penguin Books, 1992, p. 193. ISBN 9780140176148.
- ^ a b c Ann Calhoun, Simplicity and Splendour: The Canterbury Arts and Crafts Movement from 1882, Christchurch Art Gallery, 2004, p. 50. ISBN 9781877375040.
- ^ Ann Calhoun, The Arts & Crafts movement in New Zealand, 1870–1940: women make their mark, Auckland University Press, 2000, p. 64. ISBN 9781869402297.
- ^ Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga. "Te Matatiki Toi Ora The Arts Centre". Welcome to Heritage New Zealand. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
- ^ Star (Christchurch) (6 February 1905). "Local and General". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
- ^ a b Cox, Elizabeth (2022). Making Space. Massey University. ISBN 1991016344.
- ^ "SOME VERY SPECIAL OBJECTS". Katherine Mansfield House & Garden. Retrieved 9 September 2025.
- ^ "1900–1910 – Selective Chronology – ArtSchool 125". christchurchartgallery.org.nz. Retrieved 9 September 2025.
- ^ "Births, Deaths and Marriages Online, Katherine Beath". Births, Deaths and Marriages Online.
- ^ "Colin Barclay McDougall | NZ Ancestor Search Helper". ash.howison.co.nz. Retrieved 9 September 2025.
- ^ "Archway-style Collections Search". archway.howison.co.nz. Retrieved 9 September 2025.
- ^ "Panel 501". Suffrage in Stitches. Retrieved 12 May 2023.