Lady Catherine Milnes Gaskell (1856–1935) devoted much of her life to improving the health, education and wellbeing of Wakefield’s poorest communities. She was a philanthropist, writer, and one of the first women to become a Justice of the Peace.
Supporting Women and Children in Wakefield
Shortly after arriving in Yorkshire as a new bride from her home in Shropshire in the 1880s, Lady Catherine set about supporting women and children less fortunate than herself.
She established the Guild of Pity, which provided free milk to children in workhouses and distributed clothing to poor families and the families of wounded soldiers.
She was also instrumental in setting up a scheme to place orphans in foster homes rather than leaving them in the workhouse.
Lady Catherine Milnes Gaskell: Writer and Essayist
By 1891, Lady Catherine was a published essayist. In her essays, she explored the complex lives of women, although her work sometimes met with hostility from the male-dominated press.
By the time of her death in 1935, she had published nine books and numerous articles and essays. She shared publishers with George Gissing and the Brontë sisters.
Supporting Medical Care During the First World War
In 1911, Lady Catherine was appointed a Lady of Grace of the Order of St John, an honour recorded in the Edinburgh Gazette on 8 August that year. The appointment recognised her extensive charitable work, including her contribution to the St John Ambulance movement.
That same year, she founded the Wakefield division of the St John Ambulance Brigade, which went on to provide medical care at the city’s former Clayton Hospital during the First World War.
At registration, 70 men and 27 women proudly wore uniforms provided by Lady Catherine. She funded these through the sale of Alpine plants grown in her garden.
Lady Catherine’s Legacy in Wakefield
Lady Catherine was also among the first women to become a Justice of the Peace.
Her generosity extended to the people of Wakefield through the donation of land that became part of Thornes Park.
Her blue plaque can be found on the Gardener’s House in the Rose Garden at Thornes Park.
Lady Catherine Milnes Gaskell’s Blue Plaque
Lady Catherine is Blue Plaque Number 14 in our campaign for Blue Plaque Parity.
We unveiled her blue plaque in September 2020 as part of the Suppressed Suffragist exhibition, supporting the Unfinished Business exhibition from London Library. The ceremony took place at Wakefield Library.
Lady Catherine Broadsheets
Discover more about Lady Catherine’s achievements and the ways in which her work continues to shape Wakefield today in this artistic graphic created by Dream Time Creative.
Artist Response: “Lady Catherine”
Originally written as a stage play by Sarah Leah Cobham, this comedic film, Lady Catherine, was recorded by the Forgotten Women of Wakefield team over one weekend. It was during lockdown, under the constraints of social distancing regulations.
Despite the challenges, we hope this farce gives you an insight into the kind of character we believe Lady Catherine might have been.
Community Response: Toni Stephenson
Researcher, Forgotten Women of Wakefield volunteer, and actor Toni Stephenson explores Lady Catherine’s life and achievements in this podcast. It shares some of the fascinating discoveries she made during her research.
Creative Response: Restoring Lady Catherine’s Seal
Early in 2021, Forgotten Women of Wakefield’s Sarah Cobham learned that an antiques dealer had a certificate and medal awarded to Lady Catherine. Unfortunately, the seal had deteriorated over time. Sarah worked with the West Yorkshire Archive Service to restore it. Below, you can see the results of this work.
Press and Further Information
Meet the ‘forgotten woman’ behind the beginnings of Wakefield’s St John Ambulance