We’re continuing our series of blogs to mark Edinburgh 900. In this blog, History Curator Vicky Garrington explores the life of one of the few women to study Mathematics at the University of Edinburgh in the early 20th century via a treasured scarf from Edinburgh's iconic shop Romanes & Paterson.
A beautiful cream silk scarf with floral decoration has just been donated to the Museums & Galleries Edinburgh collection. It was bought from Romanes & Paterson on Princes Street and mailed to an address in Crieff. Its story shines a light on a formidable woman who excelled at Mathematics.
Katherine (Kate) Eliza Donaldson Brotherston was born in 1899 to parents who worked in service as a butler and children’s nurse on Dundas street. Kate’s talent for numbers led her to graduate from the University of Edinburgh with a degree in Mathematics in the 1920s. Kate was one of very few female students in Mathematics during this period. She later used her skills as a teacher at Morrison’s Academy school in Crieff, eventually becoming Acting Headteacher. The photograph below shows her at the time of her appointment to that senior role.
Kate might have ordered the scarf from Romanes & Paterson for herself, or it may have been a gift. The great niece who donated it notes that it isn’t indicative of ‘Aunty Kate’s’ style. She was known for her smart woollen skirt suits, made up with material ordered from high-end stores like Jenners and Forsyths. However, her niece remembers her having a ‘bottom drawer’ of daintier pieces. A ‘bottom drawer’ was often kept with pieces for a future marriage or to be handed on to family. The silk scarf may have been bought for that purpose.
The scarf is addressed to Kate via ‘Miss Lyall’ with whom she boarded while she worked at the Academy. Although this was a very modest home set-up, Kate went on to own property and to travel extensively, including travelling to New York by ocean liner.
The silk scarf is very evocative of the 1920s period. The embroidery has an oriental flavour, in tune with the fashions of the time. The tasselled ends echo the fringing found on other scarves and dresses of the 1920s.
Romanes & Paterson sold fabric and complete accessories in their shop during this period, but they were also well set up for mail order, as this box shows. An area is clearly marked out for an address label, and the box is sturdy enough to withstand transport and delivery.
Romanes & Paterson remain an Edinburgh institution. You can find out more about their history in another of our blogs here.
Edinburgh 900
2024 marks the 900th anniversary of King David I introducing a new system of local government into Scotland, and making Edinburgh a royal burgh. To mark this anniversary, we're exploring the different ways the city museums' collections can tell Edinburgh's story. We'll be following the 10 themes of the programme, so keep an eye out for new blogs as we discover more. You can hear more about some of the items in these blogs in the Edinburgh 900 lecture series at the City Art Centre.