CATHERINE HOLLINGWORTH (1904-1999)
For many citizens of Aberdeen today the name of Catherine Hollingworth is legendary. Perhaps they saw their first live theatre in their school hall given by The Motley Players or participated in the Non-Competitive Festival of Speech and Drama or were a member of Aberdeen Children’s Theatre or the Longacre Players.
Catherine Hollingworth instigated every one of these initiatives, leading, Pied Piper like, an educational philosophy based on the need for clear communication skills and confidence in one’s voice.
Catherine’s own journey was unconventional. She was born in 1904 in Brechin to a family from a farming background. After relishing her “elocution” lessons in Dundee she did further speech training at the Royal Academy of Music in London (the only Scottish student), thereafter teaching elocution at St Margaret’s private school in Aberdeen. Summer holidays were spent performing in a theatre company who presented mimes, poems and folk songs throughout England and Scotland. This life, however, was cut short by a bad car accident which cut her cheek from ear to ear. Being Catherine, and resolute, she taught herself to speak again. Around this time, she was asked to assist a child with his stammer and Catherine, using her own intuition and personal communication skills, achieved success.
In 1941 these three strands aligned. Catherine was appointed Superintendent of Speech in Aberdeen City schools. This was a huge remit - teachers of speech did not hitherto exist in state schools. Also, children at that time had three languages - home language, classroom language and that of the playground. When inspectors asked the children to speak, they were too shy, too diffident, being unsure of which speech pattern to use.
Catherine approached this issue with her usual gusto.
She visited every school and gained the respect and co-operation of the teachers. By 1945 she had established good classroom lessons, playlets, choral verse, performances of plays by a group of teachers, mimes and puppet shows, a poetry festival - and more.
Aberdeen Children’s Theatre is an A listed building at 31 King St.
Catherine had realised that some children wished to develop theatre skills and thus she established Saturday morning sessions in King St and Mastrick. In 1958 Dame Flora Robson, a leading actress of her day, opened the new purpose-built theatre. Having 31 King St, a small but fully equipped theatre, gave the members a full creative arts experience; sets, costumes, lighting and sound were all practised by the students. When a group of members “didn’t want to leave” at age 15, Catherine formed the Longacre Players, the name being based on that area of King St.
Catherine Hollingworth never followed a pattern - there was none to follow. She was extraordinary; a visionary and a fearless pioneer. Generations of Aberdonians have benefitted from her skill and encouragement to develop their confidence and communication skills through creating theatre.
Catherine herself said that her aim was
“To build a race of adults fit for future adults to live with. Education can and must still afford that.”
Entry written by Margaret Hearne
Catherine Hollingworth instigated every one of these initiatives, leading, Pied Piper like, an educational philosophy based on the need for clear communication skills and confidence in one’s voice.
Catherine’s own journey was unconventional. She was born in 1904 in Brechin to a family from a farming background. After relishing her “elocution” lessons in Dundee she did further speech training at the Royal Academy of Music in London (the only Scottish student), thereafter teaching elocution at St Margaret’s private school in Aberdeen. Summer holidays were spent performing in a theatre company who presented mimes, poems and folk songs throughout England and Scotland. This life, however, was cut short by a bad car accident which cut her cheek from ear to ear. Being Catherine, and resolute, she taught herself to speak again. Around this time, she was asked to assist a child with his stammer and Catherine, using her own intuition and personal communication skills, achieved success.
In 1941 these three strands aligned. Catherine was appointed Superintendent of Speech in Aberdeen City schools. This was a huge remit - teachers of speech did not hitherto exist in state schools. Also, children at that time had three languages - home language, classroom language and that of the playground. When inspectors asked the children to speak, they were too shy, too diffident, being unsure of which speech pattern to use.
Catherine approached this issue with her usual gusto.
She visited every school and gained the respect and co-operation of the teachers. By 1945 she had established good classroom lessons, playlets, choral verse, performances of plays by a group of teachers, mimes and puppet shows, a poetry festival - and more.
Aberdeen Children’s Theatre is an A listed building at 31 King St.
Catherine had realised that some children wished to develop theatre skills and thus she established Saturday morning sessions in King St and Mastrick. In 1958 Dame Flora Robson, a leading actress of her day, opened the new purpose-built theatre. Having 31 King St, a small but fully equipped theatre, gave the members a full creative arts experience; sets, costumes, lighting and sound were all practised by the students. When a group of members “didn’t want to leave” at age 15, Catherine formed the Longacre Players, the name being based on that area of King St.
Catherine Hollingworth never followed a pattern - there was none to follow. She was extraordinary; a visionary and a fearless pioneer. Generations of Aberdonians have benefitted from her skill and encouragement to develop their confidence and communication skills through creating theatre.
Catherine herself said that her aim was
“To build a race of adults fit for future adults to live with. Education can and must still afford that.”
Entry written by Margaret Hearne
