Katherine Watney (1870 – 10 January 1958) was a British-born missionary nurse in China.

Early years

Katherine Watney was born on 23 February 1870 in

Beddington Beddington is a suburban settlement in the London Borough of Sutton on the boundary with the London Borough of Croydon. Beddington is formed from a village of the same name which until early the 20th century still included land which became ...

, Surrey. A member of the Watney family, she was the second daughter of Norman Watney of

Westerham Westerham is a town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the Sevenoaks District of Kent, England. It is located 3.4 miles east of Oxted and 6 miles west of Sevenoaks, adjacent to the Kent border with both Greater London and Surrey. I ...

, Kent, son of the brewer

James Watney James Watney (18 December 1800 16 March 1884) was an English brewing, brewer and landowner who resided at Haling Park, Croydon, and Beddington, Surrey. He was born to Daniel Watney (1771–1831) of Mitcham, Surrey and Mary Galpin (1771–1830 ...

. She was commonly called 'Kate'. Early in life Watney dedicated herself to missionary work, and for this purpose trained as a nurse.

Missionary work in China

Watney was accepted by the CEZMS ( Church of England Zenana Missionary Society), a mission which started in India but spread to China. She was sent to China. In 1922 at the time of the National Christian conference in Shanghai she was in

Fuzhou Fuzhou is the capital of Fujian, China. The city lies between the Min River (Fujian), Min River estuary to the south and the city of Ningde to the north. Together, Fuzhou and Ningde make up the Eastern Min, Mindong linguistic and cultural regi ...

Fujian Fujian is a provinces of China, province in East China, southeastern China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, Guangdong to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the east. Its capital is Fuzhou and its largest prefe ...

province. She was Principal of the Church of England Zenana Mission School for Blind Girls in Nantai. Watney never married. She retired to

Limpsfield Limpsfield is a village and civil parish in Surrey, England, at the foot of the North Downs close to Oxted railway station and the A25 road, A25.Westerham Westerham is a town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the Sevenoaks District of Kent, England. It is located 3.4 miles east of Oxted and 6 miles west of Sevenoaks, adjacent to the Kent border with both Greater London and Surrey. I ...

, Kent.Principal Probate Registry. Calendar of the Grants of Probate and Letters of Administration made in the Probate Registries of the High Court of Justice in England. London, England

Missionary heritage

Watney's sister Constance Watney was a missionary in Uganda with CMS (

Church Missionary Society The Church Mission Society (CMS), formerly known as the Church Missionary Society, is a British Anglican mission society working with Christians around the world. Founded in 1799, CMS has attracted over nine thousand men and women to serve as ...

). Her niece, Faith, was a missionary with CMS in Sudan, and married Leonard Sharland. Two of their sons, Roger and David, have also been missionaries in Sudan, as is their grandson, Emmanuel.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Watney, Katherine 1870 births 19th-century English women 1958 deaths 19th-century English people

Katherine Katherine (), also spelled Catherine and Catherina, other variations, is a feminine given name. The name and its variants are popular in countries where large Christian populations exist, because of its associations with one of the earliest Ch ...

People from Surrey English nurses English Protestant missionaries Church of England Zenana Missionary Society 20th-century English people Protestant missionaries in China British missionaries in China 20th-century English women