Kate Lee (English singer) facts for kids

Kate Lee, whose birth name was Catharine Anna Spooner, was an English singer. She was born on March 9, 1859, and passed away on July 25, 1904. Kate Lee was also a keen collector of old folk songs. She was one of the people who helped start the Folk-Song Society in 1898.

Who Was Kate Lee?

Kate Lee was born in Rufford, England. She was one of ten children in her family. Her father, Lucius Henry Spooner, worked with land. Her mother, Margaret Skottowe Parker Spooner, was from Ireland. Kate had some famous cousins, including William Archibald Spooner. He is known for "spoonerisms," which are funny slips of the tongue where you swap the first letters of words, like saying "flutterby" instead of "butterfly."

Early Life and Learning

In January 1876, Kate Spooner began studying at the Royal Academy of Music. She dreamed of becoming a singer. After she got married and had children, Kate went back to school. She continued her music studies at the Royal College of Music from 1887 to 1889.

A Singing Career

Kate Lee had a busy but short career as a professional singer. In 1894, she sang in a show called Die Walküre at Drury Lane theatre. The next year, she had her first big concert. She also sang at events to support her husband when he tried to become a member of Parliament in 1895. People described her voice as either a deep female voice (contralto) or a slightly higher one (mezzo-soprano). Her last performance was in 1900. She sang to help explain a talk she was giving about folk songs.

Collecting Old Songs

Kate Lee loved to collect folk songs. She often rode her bicycle through the countryside to find them. She found many songs from people like James and Thomas Copper. In 1899, she wrote an article about her experiences called "Some Experiences of a Folk-Song Collector." She remembered how much she enjoyed hearing the Copper family sing. She said they were very proud of their Sussex songs and sang them with great passion. Kate was also a member of the Irish Literary Society. In 1898, she was a key person in starting the Folk-Song Society. She became the society's first secretary. However, she soon became ill and had to let Lucy Broadwood take over her duties.

Her Family Life

Catharine Anna Spooner married Arthur Morier Lee in December 1877. He was a lawyer and also worked with sugar. Kate and Arthur had two sons, Phillip and Archibald. In 1900, Kate became sick with cancer. She passed away in 1904 near Maidenhead, England.