Catharine Cappe

Catherine Cappe
an engraving
Born	3 June, 1744 Long Preston
Died	27 July, 1821 York
Nationality	UK

Catherine Cappe or Catherine Harrison (3 June, 1744 – 27 July, 1821) was a British writer, diarist and philanthropist.

Cappe was born in Long Preston in 1744. She was educated in York including time at a boarding school where her studies included French.

She converted to Unitarianism under the influence of the free thinker Theophilus Lindsey. Lindsey had taken over her father's ministry in Catterick after he died. Lindsey designed in 1773 to found his own church in London.

Cappe became the second wife of another Unitarian named Newcome Cappe in 1788. Cappe was enthusiastic and helped to reform education at Grey Coat's School in York and wrote about assisting other charity schools. She also tried to establish visitors to her local hospital. She had no ambition to vote but she felt that middle class women had a duty to inspect female sections of charities.

She was interested in education. She was the benefactor of Charlotte Richardson. She knew her from her years at school and her brother had been her family's doctor. Cappe was impressed by Richardson's poetry and arranged for Poems on Different Occasions to be published in 1806. She ensured these were bought by writing to The Gentleman's Magazine. Over 600 books were sold by subscription and a second printing enabled Richardson to open a small school.

After her husband's death, Catherine (died 1821) collected and edited many volumes of his discourses

She placed forewords in the 1802 and 1805 publications consisting of her memoirs of her husband.

Cappe died in York in 1821.

Amongst her works are:

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