Mary Catherine (Kate) Farrell

Date of Birth: 7 June 1862

Place of Residence: Launceston Tasmania Australia

Spouse Name: Did not marry

Children's Names: No children

Notes:

Mary Catherine Farrell, known professionally in her role as a journalist as Kate, was born at Evandale on 7 Jun 1862 to William Farrell and his wife Sarah Manning. They had one other child, Lucy, born 21 Dec 1864, later Mrs H C Spotswood. Kate began her working career as one of Tasmania’s first female journalists under James Brickhill in the 1880s, managing the women’s pages of the weekly journal The Colonist (associated with The Daily Telegraph). She later transferred to The Examiner, and from 1901 also edited the social and women’s pages of The Weekly Courier. Kate wrote under the pen-names of ‘Sylvia’ and ‘Nina’. She retired in May 1927. Kate died in Launceston on 3 Jul 1933, and was buried at Carr Villa.

Contributors: Barbara Valentine Apr 2008