Catherine Christian (1901–1985) was an English novelist, known for her children's books and retellings of Arthurian legend. She is classified
as having produced 45 works in 85 publications in two languages (English and French) and with 1,019 library holdings. She was also involved with the Girl Guide movement and published several books for girls in the "Ranger" series under the
pen name
A pen name, also called a ''nom de plume'' or a literary double, is a pseudonym (or, in some cases, a variant form of a real name) adopted by an author and printed on the title page or by-line of their works in place of their real name.
A pen na ...
of Patience Gilmour.
Early life
Catherine Christian was born on 22 June 1901
in
Chelsea,
London, England, the daughter of a
German father, Christian John Mühlenkamp, and an
English mother, Catherine Harriett (née Ellett, born
in
Wandsworth in 1873). Christian and Catherine had married
in
Wandsworth in 1899.
Her birth was registered as Mamie Muhlenkamp, but the family may have changed their surname
during
World War I. There is no legal evidence for this name change and Mamie remained "Mulenkamp" in her school records, although later became known as Catherine Mary Christian.
Mamie attended
Croydon High School
Croydon High School is an Independent school (UK), independent day school for girls located near Croydon, London, England. It is one of the original schools founded by the Girls' Day School Trust.
History
The school was founded in 1874 in Welles ...
for girls between 25 September 1911 and 25 June 1920, initially at the site in
Purley and then from September 1914 at the main school. In 1919 her school records show that she achieved Senior Oxford Class III with subjects English, History, Religious Knowledge, French, German, Mathematics and Botany.
After leaving school she returned to live at home.
Later life
Christian was a published author during the period 1930 to 1970. She edited ''The Guide'' journal from 1939 to 1945. She also made contributions to ''The Guider'', a publication being produced at the same time and edited by her friend
Margaret Tennyson. After the war, Christian moved
to
Devon and was Curator of the
Salcombe National Trust Museum (
Overbeck's
Overbeck's Museum and Garden is an Edwardian house and 2.75 hectare (7 acre) garden at Sharpitor, Salcombe, Devon, England. It is named after its last private owner Otto Christop Joseph Gerhardt Ludwig Overbeck (1860–1937).
Until 2014 the h ...
).
Christian was involved in the Guide International Service, and assisted
Olga Drahonowska-Małkowska, a former Polish Chief Guide and founder of scouting in Poland, who ran the Polish Children's Home at Hawson Court in
Buckfastleigh, Devon.
Christian died on 12 November 1985.
Bibliography
As Catherine Christian
*''L'aube de la Liberté'', publisher unknown
*''Greenie and the Pink 'Un: a Girl Guide story'', illustrated by
Gordon Browne, published by "Every Girl's Paper" Office, c1925
*''The Luck of the Scallop Shell'', published by Brown, Son & Ferguson Limited, 1929
*''Syringa Street'', published London, 1930
*''Cherries in Search of a Captain'', Illustrated by Comerford Watson, published by Blackie & Son, c1935
*''The Legions Go North'', published by Cassell & Co., 1935
*''The Wrong Uncle Jim'', published by Edward Arnold & Co., 1935
*''Great Stories of All Time'', illustrated by
Alfred Garth Jones
Alfred Garth Jones (1872–1955) was an English artist and illustrator who worked mainly in woodcut, pen and ink line art drawing and watercolour.
Early life
Alfred Jones was born in Hulme, Manchester in 1872, the son of Thomas Jones (b1844) ...
, published by Hutchinson, c1936
*''Baker's Dozen: thirteen stories for girls'', published by
The Girl's Own Paper, 1937
*''The Marigolds Make Good'', published by Blackie & Son, 1937
*''A Schoolgirl from Hollywood'', illustrated by Ernest Baker, published by Blackie & Son, 1939
*''Diana Takes a Chance'', illustrated by
A A Nash
A, or a, is the first letter and the first vowel of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''a'' (pronounced ), plural ''aes'' ...
, published London by Blackie & Son, 1940
*''The Pharaoh's Secret'', published by Lutterworth Press, 1940
*''Harriet: The Return of Rip Van Winkle'', published by C. Arthur Pearson, 1941
*''Harriet Takes The Field'', published by Pearson, 1942
*''The Kingfishers See It Through'', illustrated by E. Spring-Smith, published by Blackie & Sons, 1942
*''The School at Emerys End'', published London by C Arthur Pearson, 1944
*''The Silver Unicorn London'', published by Hutchinson, 1946
*''Phyllida's Fortune'', published by George Newnes Ltd, 1947
*''The Big Test: The Story of the Girl Guides in the World War'', published by The Girl Guides Association, 1947
*''The Seventh Magpie'', illustrated by E. Spring-Smith, published by Blackie & Son. London, c1948
*''Sally and the Sixpenny Pig'' (Read every day library), illustrated by
Constance Marshall
Constance may refer to:
Places
*Konstanz, Germany, sometimes written as Constance in English
*Constance Bay, Ottawa, Canada
* Constance, Kentucky
*Constance, Minnesota
*Constance (Portugal)
*Mount Constance, Washington State
People
*Constance ...
, published by Blackie, 1960
*''A Stranger Passed'', published by G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1961
*''Sidney Seeks Her Fortune'', published by Peal Press, 1965
*''Sally Joins the Patrol'', published by Peal Press, 1966
*''The Pendragon'', published by Knopf, 1978 and MacMillan, 1981 (as ''The Sword and the Flame''); Warner, 1984
As Patience Gilmour
*''Three’s a Company'', 1935
*''The Seven Wild Swans: A Story for Rangers'', published by Epworth Press, 1936
*''The Quest of the Wild Swans'', 1941
*''The Cygnets Sail Out'', 1943
References
External links
LibraryThing
{{DEFAULTSORT:Christian, Catherine
1901 births
1985 deaths
English children's writers
English women novelists
People educated at Croydon High School
Writers from Chelsea, London
20th-century English women writers
20th-century English novelists
Chief Guides