Occupation Novelist Role Novelist Nationality British Died November 12, 1985 | Alma mater Croydon High School Education Croydon High School Name Catherine Christian | |
Born Mamie Muhlenkamp
22 June 1901
Chelsea, London, England, United Kingdom ( 1901-06-22 ) Genre Arthurian, Children's literature Books The Pendragon, The Sword and the Flame: Variations on a Theme of Sir Thomas Malory | ||
Catherine Christian (1901–1985) was an English novelist, known for her children’s books and retellings of Arthurian legend. She is classified as having produced 45 works in 85 publications in two languages (English and French) and with 1,019 library holdings. She was also involved with the Girl Guide movement and published several books for girls in the "Ranger" series under the nom de plume of Patience Gilmour.
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Early life
Catherine Christian was born on 22 June 1901 in Chelsea, London, England, the daughter of a German father, Christian John Mühlenkamp, and an English mother, Catherine Harriett (née Ellett, born in Wandsworth in 1873). Christian and Catherine had married in Wandsworth in 1899. Her birth was registered as Mamie Muhlenkamp, but the family may have changed their surname during World War I. There is no legal evidence for this name change and Mamie remained "Mulenkamp" in her school records, although later became known as Catherine Mary Christian.
Mamie attended Croydon High School for girls between 25 September 1911 and 25 June 1920, initially at the site in Purley and then from September 1914 at the main school. In 1919 her school records show that she achieved Senior Oxford Class III with subjects English, History, Religious Knowledge, French, German, Mathematics and Botany.
After leaving school she returned to live at home.
Later life
Christian was a published author during the period 1930 to 1970. Many of these were books for girls and included references to the Girl Guides. She had become involved with the Girl Guide Movement, probably during her school years.
She edited "The Guide" journal from 1939 to 1945. She also made contributions to "The Guider", a publication being produced at the same time and which was edited by her friend Margaret Tennyson. After the war, Christian moved to Devon and was Curator of the Salcombe National Trust Museum (Overbeck's).
Christian was involved in the Guide International Service, and assisted Olga Drahonowska-Małkowska, a former Polish Chief Guide and founder of scouting in Poland, who ran the Polish Children's Home at Hawson Court in Buckfastleigh, Devon.
Christian died on 12 November 1985.