Katherine Preston

Katherine Preston (30 April 1868 – 29 May 1951) was a British college head of Alexandra College in Ireland.

Katherine Preston
Born
Catherine (sic) Mary McEwen

(1886-04-30)30 April 1886
Garvock, Scotland
Died29 May 1951(1951-05-29) (aged 65)
Rathgar, Ireland
NationalityBritish
EducationAlexandra College
Known forHead of Alexandra College
PredecessorHenrietta White
SpouseThomas Preston

Life

Preston was born in Garvock at the schoolhouse in Scotland. Her father was the local schoolmaster, Thomas McEwen, and her mother was Eliza Gray (born Mann).[1]

Preston was educated at Alexandra College before going on to gain a masters degree at the Royal University of Ireland in modern languages. She returned to Alexandra College in 1891 to lecture and stayed there until 1895.[2]

In 1900 her husband died leaving her as the mother of two young children. She returned to work at Alexandra College and from 1901 she was employed as an assistant to the head teacher, Henrietta White.[2]

In 1932 Henrietta White decided to retire and Preston reluctantly agreed to take on the role of head. She was known as "Ma P" and she consolidated the improvements that had been made when White was the head.[2]

Preston died in the Rathgar area of Dublin at her home in 1951.[2]

References
  1. O'Connor, A. V. (23 September 2004). "Preston [née McEwen], Katherine Mary (1868–1951), college head". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 1 (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/48676. ISBN 978-0-19-861412-8. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. "Preston, Katherine Mary | Dictionary of Irish Biography". www.dib.ie. Retrieved 6 October 2022.


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