Katherine Bathurst

Katherine Bathurst (10 May 1862 – 12 March 1933) was a British Inspector of schools. She was frequently outspoken, according to her changing supervision. Her forced resignation resulted in a "unique example" of a government report because it showed a large difference of opinion between a ministry and its servant.

Life Bathurst was born in Diddington in 1862. Her parents were Catherine Georgiana (born Moore), daughter of Rev. Calvert Fitzgerald Moore who was a chaplain to the King and the Reverend Frederick Bathurst who was a cricketer and bellringer. Several of her uncles were clergy, and her aunt Catherine Bathurst was a prioress and school founder.

Bathurst was educated privately in Brighton before going on to tuition in Germany and a tour of Switzerland and Italy. She appears to have never obtained an educational qualification herself but she taught at Morley College for Working Men and Women and went to lectures for two years at the London School of Economics until 1897. Each woman inspector was based in a different city and Bathurst was sent to Manchester in March 1904 where E. M. Sneyd-Kynnersley was her new boss. She had been asked by Robert Morant to look at elementary schools for three to five year olds. However Bathurst had not retired but had been instructed to resign. On the day of her resignation she added additional material which Morant did not want to publish. However Bathurst insisted. She had been encouraged by Gorst who wanted revenge on Morant for losing his position. The result is said to be a unique example which shows in public a difference of opinion between a ministry and its servant. The collection contains personal correspondence, reports and inspection forms, and press cuttings relating to educational issues during Bathurst's career.