KATHERINE FITZGERALD PRATT nee CLARKE
MRS. KATHERINE PRATT DIES AT 90
A well-known Newburian, who started teaching when she was 13, Mrs. Katherine Fitzgerald Pratt, died on Saturday aged 90. For the past few months she had lived at the Abbeyfield Home in Howard-road.
Mrs. Pratt was the widow of Mr. James Edward Pratt, who at one time had a stationer's shop in Cheap-street. He died 15 years ago.
Daughter of Mr. F.H. Clark, one-time headmaster at Stockcross School, Mrs. Pratt used to walk to West-street every day to teach. For this she was paid 1/6 a week. At home she studied to pass all her examinations, becoming a certified teacher.
Keen on art, Mrs. Pratt attended the Technical Institute, then in Northbrook-street, and it was there that she met her husband.
HEADMISTRESS
She gave up teaching on her marriage, but after the birth of her third child, resumed her profession at West-street, subsequently teaching at other Newbury schools. Altogether she taught for 40 years, and was headmistress of St. Mary's School. After retiring, she and her husband lived in Winchcombe-road.
A keen card player, Mrs. Pratt attended a whist drive the evening before she became ill. She was also a well-known bridge player.
She is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Katherine Sparrow, principal of Craven School. One son, Harry, died last year and the other, Laurence, a Christ Hospital scholar, died some years ago as a result of gassing in the 1914 war.
Following cremation, the interment takes place at Newtown-road cemetery at 11am today.
Newbury Weekly News 3 January 1963 with a photograph
Buried 3 January 1963 from 28 Howard-road. Book 1917 p. 300 no. 11997
[Mother of Katherine F. Sparrow]
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