Patricia Cockburn facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Patricia Cockburn
Born	Patricia Evangeline Anne Arbuthnot 17 March 1914 Derry House, Rosscarbery, County Cork, Ireland
Died	6 October 1989(1989-10-06) (aged 75) Mercy University Hospital, Cork, Ireland
Resting place	Collegiate Church of St Mary Youghal
Notable work	The years of The Week (1968), Figure of eight (1985)
Spouse(s)	Arthur Byron (m. 1933; div. 1939) Claud Cockburn
Children	Alexander Cockburn Andrew Cockburn Patrick Cockburn
Parent(s)	John Bernard Arbuthnot Olive Blake
Relatives	Henry Arthur Blake (grandfather) Edith Blake (grandmother) Olivia Wilde (granddaughter)

Patricia Cockburn (born March 17, 1914 – died October 6, 1989) was an amazing Irish woman. She was a writer, traveler, and artist. She was also a conchologist, which means she studied seashells! Patricia was famous for her writing and for making beautiful art from shells.

Patricia's Early Life

Patricia Evangeline Anne Arbuthnot was born on March 17, 1914. Her birthplace was Derry House in Rosscarbery, County Cork, Ireland. She was the youngest of six children. Her parents were Major John Bernard Arbuthnot and Olive Blake. Her father was a soldier in the Scots Guards during World War I.

In 1916, Patricia's family moved to Myrtle Grove, Youghal. They lived with her grandmother, Lady Edith Blake. In 1918, her parents moved to London. Patricia stayed in Myrtle Grove with her grandmother. She did not go to a regular school there. Instead, she spent her time riding horses.

Moving to London and Back

In 1922, Patricia joined her parents in London to start school. While in London, she saw something very shocking. She witnessed the murder of Sir Henry Wilson, 1st Baronet.

Patricia did not like school in London. She missed her life in the countryside. She became very sad and stopped eating. Because of this, she was sent back to Cork with a private teacher.

After her grandmother died in 1926, her parents returned to Myrtle Grove. Patricia stayed there and stopped school lessons at age 14. She wanted to focus on horse riding.

An Accident and New Beginnings

On her 16th birthday, Patricia had an accident. She fell from a horse and broke her back. While she was getting better, she moved to Algiers. She lived there with Clare Sheridan.

In 1931, Patricia returned to London. She became a debutante, which meant she was introduced to society. She also started studying art at the Westminster School of Art. Later, she realized she wasn't the best painter. So, she decided to study design instead.

While studying, Patricia met Arthur Byron. He worked in insurance. They got married on October 10, 1933. After marrying, Patricia stopped her art studies. They lived in London for a short time. Then, they went on a trip around the world. When they came back to London in 1936, Patricia had a son named Darrell.

Career and Family Life

Patricia received a special task from the Royal Geographical Society. She was asked to study the languages of central Africa. She and Arthur left their son with her parents. They traveled to the Ituri Rainforest.

Patricia met different tribes and created a map of their languages. She wasn't a language expert. She used her observations and common sense. Her photographs from this trip were shown in London.

After returning to London, Patricia was getting ready to see her son in Cork. Sadly, Darrell had an accident and passed away. Patricia felt very sad after her son's death.

New Work and Marriage

In 1939, Patricia got a new job. She wrote articles for the Evening Standard newspaper. These articles were about a newly independent country called Ruthenia. By this time, her marriage to Arthur Byron had ended. They divorced in 1939.

When she came back to London, she met and fell in love with Claud Cockburn. Her parents did not approve of their relationship. They stopped supporting her when she married Claud in 1940. When Patricia became pregnant, her parents started talking to her again. Unlike her early life, Patricia and Claud often had money problems during their marriage.

While her husband traveled, Patricia helped him. She edited his newspaper, The Week, in 1945.

Moving to Cork

Patricia grew tired of London. In 1947, her family moved back to Cork. Her brother and parents were already living there. At first, they lived in Myrtle Grove, Youghal. Then, the Cockburns moved to Brook Lodge. This was a Georgian style house nearby. The house was in bad shape, so they rented it for a very low price.

Patricia worked hard on the house. She installed a new drainage system. She also created a beautiful garden. She even trained ponies that she bought from Irish Travellers. Then, she sold the ponies to buyers in England. In 1968, she published her first book. It was called The Years of the Week. It was about her husband's newspaper.

Later Life and Artistic Career

Later in her life, Patricia returned to art. She started making shell pictures. This type of art was popular in the 1700s but had gone out of style. Her friends, Desmond Guinness and Norah McGuinness, encouraged her. Patricia became a professional artist. Her shell pictures were shown in Ireland and New York.

In 1980, the lease on Brook Lodge ended. The Cockburns moved to a smaller home in Ardmore, County Waterford. Claud passed away in 1981. Patricia lived in Ardmore for the rest of her life. She became the president of the local Irish Countrywomen's Association. This group helps women in rural areas.

In 1985, Patricia published her life story. It was called Figure of Eight. Patricia died on October 6, 1989. She passed away from cancer at Mercy University Hospital in Cork. She was buried next to her husband. Their grave is in the churchyard of the Collegiate Church of St Mary Youghal. A tree planted by her mother marks the spot.

All three of Patricia and Claud's sons became journalists. They were Alexander, Andrew, and Patrick. Through her son Andrew, Patricia was the grandmother of actress Olivia Wilde.