https://map.mappingwomenssuffrage.org.uk/files/original/5878288b530d57d2f48de3983ba09190.jpg 5a9a6f7e627edec4f95246319c8432d8 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Source: Obituary Kate Close 1926 CLWS paper https://map.mappingwomenssuffrage.org.uk/files/original/8d70f0aa75a443f879d42b36a6dd0d62.jpg 2f5a472e5d530fa69efe626b2515143b Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource CLWS General council meeting, July 1913 in Brighton. Kate is pictured centre (annotated 8). Source: The Women's Library, LSE. Person (Campaigner) A record of a person related to the Mapping Women's Suffrage project Occupation Governess Age The age of this person at the time of the 1911 UK Census 40 Marital Status The marital status of this person at the time of the 1911 UK Census Single Address The address of this person at the time of the 1911 UK Census 48 Rutland Gardens, Hove, Sussex Suffrage Society The suffrage society this person was affiliated with at the time of the 1911 UK Census CLWS Census This person's response to the 1911 UK Census Evades Biographical Text 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. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Katherine (Kate) Close Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant ||||osm POINT(-20515.402913909 6591657.94446408) CLWS