Catherine was born in 1864 to James Cooper and his wife Eliza (nee Carty). Catherine married William Pett in Moonta on 14 May 1887. Catherine appeared on the 1891 Northern Territory Census listing her profession as teacher. In 1895 when Catherine was 31, she was one of the 82 women who enrolled to vote after the franchise was granted to South Australian and Territory women in 1894. Her occupation was listed as 'school teacher'. Catherine taught for 22 years at the Palmerston (later Darwin) Public School, commencing in 1889. She was on her own much of the time having to cope with up to 90 children. Catherine and her husband lost a son to croup when he was 5. Catherine was a much loved school mistress in Darwin, but left in 1910 to take up a similar position at Sandy Creek School in South Australia for a further 15 years. Catherine died at the Hutchinson Hospital in Gawler aged 65, leaving her husband and a son.,
Subject
Women,
Suffrage,
Northern Territory,
History,
Related materials
James, Barbara & Wilson, J. Helen & Os, Van Joanne.
Occupation, citizen : the story of Northern Territory women and the vote (1894-96), B. James, Darwin, N.T, 1995. 324.623 JAME,
Related links
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3381891 ['Death of a Territorian.', Northern Territory Times and Gazette (Darwin, NT : 1873 - 1927), 26 January, p. 2],
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3266186 [1910 'News & notes.', Northern Territory Times and Gazette (Darwin, NT : 1873 - 1927), 14 October, p. 3],
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article43903028 [1926 'Obituary.', The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931), 26 January, p. 15],
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/13168 [PictureNT: PH0238/0481 Pupils at Darwin Public School with their teacher, Catherine Pett, in 1905, Peter Spillett Collection],
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article46869730 [1888 'Teachers' appointments.', South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), 14 January, p. 7],