Catherine was one of the first hundred women to graduate in Law from the University of Glasgow. She was born on 23rd December 1906 in Montrose to Margaret and Robert Hastie. Her father, who was a shipping clerk, died in the First World War, leaving Margaret to bring up their four children on her own. Catherine began her studies in the Faculty of Law in 1928. In that session she earned 3rd place in Public International Law and a certificate of distinction in Constitutional Law and History. Good first-time passes followed in Law of Scotland and Forensic Medicine. In her final year she took 3rd prize in Civil Law and graduated B.L. During the course of her studies she would also have served an apprenticeship in a law firm. Although she did not complete the professional qualification for admission to the roll of solicitors, she may well have continued to work in a very similar role, as many of the early graduates did. Her last address listed in the records of the General Council was in Edinburgh, where she died, aged 90, in 1997.
Sources
University of Glasgow Registry & General Council Records
Scotlands People
