Governess

40

Single

48 Rutland Gardens, Hove, Sussex

CLWS

Evades

Katherine Louisa Naomi Close (1871-1926) or Kate Close was born in Leeds in 1871 to Prudence and Richard Close, clergyman. After 1901 she lived in Worthing and Hove. Kate was a governess and a born organiser. She was secretary of the Worthing branch of the Children’s Union of the Church of England Waifs’ and Strays’ Society in June 1907, increasing membership from six to sixty children in a few months. In 1911, Kate was living in Hove, Sussex with her mother, aunt and sisters Evelyne and Ethel at 48 Rutland Gardens, Hove. Her married sister (see) Elizabeth Close Shipham, living in Lewisham, often visited. Her brother, Richard Bevill Middleton Close was a clergyman in Middlesborough. Kate’s involvement in the Church League for Women’s Suffrage (CLWS) seems to have started through her sister, Elizabeth who was on the Executive Committee. Kate Close spoke on prison reform to the Brighton and Hove CLWS in October 1911. In ‘Votes for Women’ in November 1911, Kate offered to copy extracts from articles in Braille. Kate evaded the government's 1911 census staying away from her home at 48 Rutland Gardens - as did her sister Elizabeth in Lewisham. Their mother, Prudence had two of Elizabeth’s children staying with her there, and their sisters Evelyne and Ethel, aunt Naomi and the Swiss-born servant, Jeanne were all recorded as suffrage workers there. At the AGM in February 1912, the Brighton and Hove CLWS elected Kate Close as Branch Secretary. Meetings were held at 48 Rutland Gardens, Hove until an office was rented in Brighton in 1913. Kate arranged bicycle rides to surrounding villages to hold open air meetings twice weekly in the summer of 1912. The CLWS General Council meeting in July 1913 was held in Brighton and Hove, organised by Kate and the committee. The programme involved a public reception, church services and General Council meeting. Kate wrote: ‘The Reception was a financial success but the success was also there of added spiritual zeal and increased enthusiasm for the Cause’. Her organisational skills were praised by Rev. Claude Hinscliff in his meeting report. Kate remained Branch Secretary until the closure of the office in 1919. She became secretary of the Brighton branch of the Women’s Freedom League in 1923. Kate Close died in 1926. Her obituary described her as a skillful artist, expert teacher, untiring cyclist, excellent swimmer and loyal colleague. It went on to give more insights into her ‘unique personality’ in glowing terms (see image). Researched & contributed by local and family historian Margaret Scott who is related to the Shipham family.