Born

c. 1852
Scotland

Died

1955
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Occupation

Editor, Journalist, Newspaper Proprietor and Print Journalist

Alternative Names

• Lewis Fotheringhame, Pattie (also known as)
• Lewis, Pattie (birth name)
• Mab (pen name)

Summary

Pattie Fotheringhame was Sydney's first female journalist and the pioneer of photo-engraving in Sydney. She was 'discovered' by her brother-in-law, W.H Traill, editor of the Sydney Mail, in 1878 when he heard her telling a story to a group of children. He learned that the story was her own creation and so employed Fotheringhame to write a weekly piece for the paper. Following Traill to the Bulletin she wrote the Woman's Letter as 'Mab' for almost seven years until she married James Fotheringhame.

Fotheringhame bought Young Australia from Louisa Lawson and she continued it for thirty years with her sister-in-law Josephine Fotheringhame. She also owned the weekly Splashes, and edited the monthly paper The Sphere for six years. She also contributed lighter pieces to The Soldier and The Commonwealth Home. At her busiest, she was writing for six newspapers simultaneously