Catherine Winter (campaigner) facts for kids

Catherine Winter (died 1870) was an Irish woman who worked as a publicist and campaigner. This means she wrote and spoke to the public to support causes she believed in.

Who Was Catherine Winter?

Catherine Winter was the only daughter of James Nicholas Maillard, an army officer, and Catherine Stubber. Her father's family came from the West Indies. Her parents were married in Dublin, Ireland, in 1801.

Catherine married Edward Winter, but he passed away before 1848. Before returning to Ireland, she worked as a teacher in Paris, France.

Fighting for Her Rights

When Catherine came back to Ireland, she started a long fight. She believed that an estate, or large property, should have been hers. She thought her cousin, Robert Hamilton Stubber, had taken it.

Catherine decided to fight for her claim in court. What was special about her was that she didn't use lawyers. Instead, she spoke for herself in courtrooms and to judges. This might have been the first time a woman did this in Ireland.

People who saw her were impressed by how much she knew about the law. However, a judge still dismissed her case in April 1850. But Catherine didn't give up!

She continued to fight for her land. In 1860, she tried to take back control of some of her cousin's land. In 1861, Catherine and a helper even stayed in one of his castles in Galway. She resisted when they tried to make her leave. Because of this, she was tried and spent about six weeks in jail in 1862.

Speaking Up for Women

Catherine Winter was also a strong voice for women's rights. In 1861, she tried to vote in an election. The election official said she met all the requirements to vote, except for being a woman. This showed how unfair the rules were for women at the time.

Catherine spoke to groups of women more than once. She gave talks in Dublin in September 1851 and again in October 1868. On June 28, 1870, she gave a lecture in the Rotunda in Dublin. During this talk, she showed her support for "home rule," which meant Ireland governing itself.

Her Legacy

Catherine's brother, Nicholas Maillard, sometimes went to court with her. Catherine also wrote many stories about her experiences. These included newspaper clippings from that time.

Even with all her efforts, Catherine never managed to gain control of her cousin's estates. When her cousin died in 1863, his properties went to his children. Catherine Winter passed away in 1870. She is remembered as a determined woman who fought for what she believed was right and spoke up for women's voices in Ireland.