Catherine Whitwell 1789 – 1873
Educationalist, feminist, Owenite communitarian, writer on astronomy.
16 January 1789 – 7 September 1873
Education
Widely read with a particular interest in metaphysical works.
Some Key Achievements and Interests
1815 Exhibited a Portrait of a Lady at the Royal Academy.
Ran a private school at 8 Russell Square, Bloomsbury.
1818 Published An Astronomical Catechism, a 400 page work in the form of dialogues between mother and daughter describing ‘the development and uses of astronomy and related astronomical phenomena to the wider natural world, with a strong emphasis on natural theology’ and illustrated with her own engravings. (Donnachie, Ian) In the work she argued the importance of presenting science to women and, more generally educating daughters.
1819 Published Education: An Address to Mothers in the British Empire dedicated to Pestalozzi proposing a system for making mathematical subjects accessible to the young, especially girls.
1820 Exhibited View of the Agricultural and Manufacturing Villages of Unity and Mutual Co-operation at the Royal Academy.
1821 Taught at Robert Owen’s schools in New Lanark supporting Owen’s emphasis on the environment as important to a child’s development.
Developed visual aids to teach history, botany and music notation.
1826 Taught children and gave lectures at the Owenite community at Orbiston, south of Glasgow where she was superintendent of the education department. Was elected on to the community’s management committee.
1827 Proprietor of a school at 11 Charlotte Street, Bloomsbury, offering botanical and entomological illustrations and lessons in chalk drawing.
1841 Ran a school in Solihull then in Leamington.
Connection to Bloomsbury
Lived for 7 years in South Crescent, Bedford Square, Bloomsbury then 8 Russell Square where she ran a private school Miss Whitwell’s seminary, Russell Square.
Ran a school at 11 Charlotte Street.
Female networks
Emma Harris.
Publications/writing include:
c1818 Miss Whitwell’s Seminary, Russell Square (Prospectus)
1818 An Astronomical Catechism
1819 Education: An Address to Mothers in the British Empire.
1849 The Material and Intellectual Universe, from which the Object and End of Education May Be Deduced.
Art work:
Portrait of a Lady.
1820 View of the Agricultural and Manufacturing Villages of Unity and Mutual Co-operation, an engraving.
References
Donnachie, Ian; Whitwell, Catherine Vale (1789–1873), educationist and communitarian | Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (oxforddnb.com)
Further reading