Catherine Forrester Paton

Catherine Forrester Paton (1 June 1855 – 8 August 1914) was a British philanthropist, temperance campaigner and the founder of women's missionary training in Scotland.

Life Paton was born in Alloa. Her parents were Alexander and Mary Forrester, but the family changed their name to Forrester Paton. Her mother's birth name was Paton and her father John Paton employed Alexander as an accountant at his large woollen business John Paton & Son. She was brought up in a religious household and she had the ambition to be a missionary but her health was considered poor. In 1880 she took a leading role in the YWCA and she would host tea on Sundays for the young women.

In 1906 she was elected as the President of the temperance organisation BWTA Scottish Christian Union. She stressed in her acceptance speech that she was driven entirely by her Christian faith.

She allowed her home in Glasgow to be used as a training location for women who wanted to be missionaries. Women came from Britain and abroad and during her life 220 people were trained there.

Paton died in Grantown-on-Spey whilst suffering with pleurisy.

Her nephews included Ernest Forrester Paton and Colin Forrester-Paton.