Catherine Blair (1872-1946)
From Chambers Scottish Biographical Dictionary
Painter and reformer, born in Bathgate, West Lothian. From her late thirties she was at the forefront of the Women’s Suffrage Movement and deeply involved in the Scottish Women’s Rural Institute. A few years later, in 1920, she founded the Mak’ Merry Pottery in Macmerry, East Lothian, which specialized in painting pottery blanks to an extremely high standard in a colourful and decorative manner. Throughout her life she was an outspoken champion of the ordinary Cottar woman and she happily passed on her skills, enabling this cottage industry to develop.
From Jean Shirlaw, wife of the late Reverend Robert Shirlaw, Minister of Gladsmuir Parish Church, East Lothian
I have been looking at an article from Scottish Home and Country written by its editor, Monica Sharon in December, 1987. She had access to Catherine Blair’s scrap books which I also had.
Here are some extracts from them.
Catherine Shields was born in Byres Farm, Drumcross, Bathgate in January, 1872, the third of 6 children.
The family attended the Evangelical Union Church in Marjoribanks Street, Bathgate ( the Blair’s were never members of Gladsmuir Church).
Catherine’s mother, Susan Jemima Hogg (b 1843) died in March 1877, aged 34, shortly after the birth of her 6th child, James. The only mother the children knew was their aunt, their mother’s sister, Elizabeth Hogg Bertram. Legally James Shields could not marry her. Eventually they went to Norway to be married in July 1890. Aunt Elizabeth finally became step mother to the growing Shields family. Catherine Shields attended Bathgate Academy where she was one of their brightest pupils, excelling also in Art.
The Shields family moved from the Bathgate area to Dolphingstone Farm, near Tranent. Here she met the young farmer, Thomas Blair. They married in July 1894; she was 22 and he was 33. They set up home at Hoprig Mains, Gladsmuir, a tenant farm on the Lamington Estate.
In June 1895 Thomas was born, followed by Susan Bertram in 1897, Jean Chisholm in 1900, and James Shields in 1906.
Catherine was an ardent suffragette while still a busy farmer’s wife. She wrote and spoke a great deal in support of the suffragette movement. In her scrapbook she describes the various topics she dealt with. For years up until WW1 she bombarded the Scottish Press with hundreds of letters but it was not until 1928 that the women of Britain had the full voting rights of men.
Hoprig Mains was a safe haven for suffragettes released from prison. When the suffragettes walked to London and passed near the farm, Catherine was out on the road giving them tea.
In 1917 she heard of the founding of Women’s Institutes in Canada, and in England and was determined to start a Women’s Institute in Scotland which she named The Scottish Women’s Rural Institute. Longniddry had the honour of having the first Rural Institute in July 1917. Macmerry was planned to be the first but measles had broken out in the school which was closed. Catherine was desperate to start her meetings so the next nearest village was Longniddry.
Another of Catherine Blair’s passion was her love of art. She was a skilled painter,and a gifted needle worker and embroiderer. These crafts she arranged to be taught to members of the Rural.
Shortly after the first Rural was formed a pottery painting demonstration was given in 1919 which led her to found what became known as The Mak’Merry Studio working from a shed in the garden at Hoprig Mains. Catherine Blair called herself the Heid Painter and her chief assistant was Betty Wight ( b 1902) a daughter of the grieve at Hoprig Mains. She was a delicate child but was a talented painter and Catherine encouraged her in her painting. During the years pottery painting classes were organised in various Rural Institutes. Mak’ Merry painted pottery was sold at the Highland Shows where it was bought by Queen Mary and the late Queen Mother. Today it is collectable and fetches a fair price.
When Thomas Blair retired from farming in 1932 the couple went to live in North Berwick to be near one of their daughters. Betty Wight went with them and worked in the studio which had been set up in the house named Seaworthy. Pottery decoration was continued there until about 1940 when it was difficult to obtain blanks due to WW2. Many Arts and Crafts products were made in the studio.
Mak’ Merry Pottery Decoration is another story. As I was I member of the Scottish Pottery Society I became involved in its early research. There has been a lot written about it.
Thomas Blair died in 1936.
In 1940, Catherine Blair published a book called Rural Journey: a History of the SWRI 1917-1939. She designed and illustrated the colourful cover.
Catherine died on November 18th, 1946 aged 74.
From Jessie Thomson, niece of Jimmy Drake of Middlerig Farm, Easton, Bathgate.
I know all about Catherine Blair’s Bathgate connections as my father James Cunningham
came from Drumcrosshall which is the neighbouring farm to Byres.
Our farm, Wheatrig, is between Longniddry and Gladsmuir and about 2 miles from Hoprig
Mains where Catherine Blair lived.
Catherine Blair (1872-1946)
From Chambers Scottish Biographical Dictionary
Painter and reformer, born in Bathgate, West Lothian. From her late thirties she was at the forefront of the Women’s Suffrage Movement and deeply involved in the Scottish Women’s Rural Institute. A few years later, in 1920, she founded the Mak’ Merry Pottery in Macmerry, East Lothian, which specialized in painting pottery blanks to an extremely high standard in a colourful and decorative manner. Throughout her life she was an outspoken champion of the ordinary Cottar woman and she happily passed on her skills, enabling this cottage industry to develop.
From Jean Shirlaw, wife of the late Reverend Robert Shirlaw, Minister of Gladsmuir Parish Church, East Lothian
I have been looking at an article from Scottish Home and Country written by its editor, Monica Sharon in December, 1987. She had access to Catherine Blair’s scrap books which I also had.
Here are some extracts from them.
Catherine Shields was born in Byres Farm, Drumcross, Bathgate in January, 1872, the third of 6 children.
The family attended the Evangelical Union Church in Marjoribanks Street, Bathgate ( the Blair’s were never members of Gladsmuir Church).
Catherine’s mother, Susan Jemima Hogg (b 1843) died in March 1877, aged 34, shortly after the birth of her 6th child, James. The only mother the children knew was their aunt, their mother’s sister, Elizabeth Hogg Bertram. Legally James Shields could not marry her. Eventually they went to Norway to be married in July 1890. Aunt Elizabeth finally became step mother to the growing Shields family. Catherine Shields attended Bathgate Academy where she was one of their brightest pupils, excelling also in Art.
The Shields family moved from the Bathgate area to Dolphingstone Farm, near Tranent. Here she met the young farmer, Thomas Blair. They married in July 1894; she was 22 and he was 33. They set up home at Hoprig Mains, Gladsmuir, a tenant farm on the Lamington Estate.
In June 1895 Thomas was born, followed by Susan Bertram in 1897, Jean Chisholm in 1900, and James Shields in 1906.
Catherine was an ardent suffragette while still a busy farmer’s wife. She wrote and spoke a great deal in support of the suffragette movement. In her scrapbook she describes the various topics she dealt with. For years up until WW1 she bombarded the Scottish Press with hundreds of letters but it was not until 1928 that the women of Britain had the full voting rights of men.
Hoprig Mains was a safe haven for suffragettes released from prison. When the suffragettes walked to London and passed near the farm, Catherine was out on the road giving them tea.
In 1917 she heard of the founding of Women’s Institutes in Canada, and in England and was determined to start a Women’s Institute in Scotland which she named The Scottish Women’s Rural Institute. Longniddry had the honour of having the first Rural Institute in July 1917. Macmerry was planned to be the first but measles had broken out in the school which was closed. Catherine was desperate to start her meetings so the next nearest village was Longniddry.
Another of Catherine Blair’s passion was her love of art. She was a skilled painter,and a gifted needle worker and embroiderer. These crafts she arranged to be taught to members of the Rural.
Shortly after the first Rural was formed a pottery painting demonstration was given in 1919 which led her to found what became known as The Mak’Merry Studio working from a shed in the garden at Hoprig Mains. Catherine Blair called herself the Heid Painter and her chief assistant was Betty Wight ( b 1902) a daughter of the grieve at Hoprig Mains. She was a delicate child but was a talented painter and Catherine encouraged her in her painting. During the years pottery painting classes were organised in various Rural Institutes. Mak’ Merry painted pottery was sold at the Highland Shows where it was bought by Queen Mary and the late Queen Mother. Today it is collectable and fetches a fair price.
When Thomas Blair retired from farming in 1932 the couple went to live in North Berwick to be near one of their daughters. Betty Wight went with them and worked in the studio which had been set up in the house named Seaworthy. Pottery decoration was continued there until about 1940 when it was difficult to obtain blanks due to WW2. Many Arts and Crafts products were made in the studio.
Mak’ Merry Pottery Decoration is another story. As I was I member of the Scottish Pottery Society I became involved in its early research. There has been a lot written about it.
Thomas Blair died in 1936.
In 1940, Catherine Blair published a book called Rural Journey: a History of the SWRI 1917-1939. She designed and illustrated the colourful cover.
Catherine died on November 18th, 1946 aged 74.
From Jessie Thomson, niece of Jimmy Drake of Middlerig Farm, Easton, Bathgate.
I know all about Catherine Blair’s Bathgate connections as my father James Cunningham
came from Drumcrosshall which is the neighbouring farm to Byres.
Our farm, Wheatrig, is between Longniddry and Gladsmuir and about 2 miles from Hoprig
Bathgate Old Times 