Catton family Papers
Finding aid prepared by Brooke M. Black
Manuscripts Department
The Huntington Library
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2191
Fax: (626) 449-5720
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
© 2016
The Huntington Library. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Catton family papers
Inclusive Dates: 1875-1968
Bulk Dates: 1931-1951
Collection Call Number: mssHM
68106-68147
Extent:
Approximately 700 items in 14 boxes
Repository:
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens.
Manuscripts Department
The Huntington Library
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2191
Fax: (626) 449-5720
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
Abstract: The Catton family papers consist
mainly of travel letters, diaries, and scrapbooks kept by Margaret Mary Louise
Catton (1882-1971), a medical social worker in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Language of Material: The records are in English.
Access
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader
Services.
Administrative Information
Publication Rights
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material,
nor does it charge fees for such activities.
The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with
the researcher.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item]. Catton Family Papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
Provenance
Gift of Barry Menikoff, December 1986.
Biographical Note
Robert and Brereton Catton left their native Scotland and arrived in Hawaii in 1878.
They had six children: Margaret Mary Louise (known as "Mary"), Janet Renny (known as
"Renny"), John Herbert, Robert Redford, Andrew Allen, and Richard Belmont. Mary, who
is the chief figure in this collection, was born February 9, 1882, in Huelo, Maui.
She was educated at Punahou School as well as other private schools in Hawaii and
Scotland. In 1917, she entered the New York School of Social Work, where she majored
in hospital social service. She graduated in 1919 and returned to Hawaii. In 1932,
Mary became the director of the Medical Social Service Association, the new social
service program she helped found at Queen's Hospital in Honolulu. Mary also helped
start several other groups and organizations including the Hawaii Medical Service
Association, the first voluntary prepaid plan for medical care in the United States;
the Bureau of Mental Hygiene at Queen's Hospital; and the convalescent nursing home
at Maunalani Heights. Mary retired as director of social service at Queen's Hospital
in 1948, and in 1959, she published a semi-autobiographical book entitled Social
Service in Hawaii. She stayed active in the Honolulu community until her death in
1971 at the age of 89.
Scope and Content
The collection comprises 66 items including 23 travel letters, 15 diaries, 4
scrapbooks, 22 photographs and 2 pieces of miscellaneous ephemera. The travel
letters cover two trips taken by Mary Catton: 1. Trip to Japan, China, Hong Kong,
Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, India, Egypt, Israel, Switzerland, Italy, France,
England, Scotland and the United States in 1931-1932; 2. Trip to Canada, the United
States, Panama, New Zealand, Australia and Fiji in 1938-1939. Her travel letters,
which are written like diaries but addressed and sent to family members back in
Hawaii, contain detailed descriptions of each place she visited. They are
illustrated with photographs and postcards, many with handwritten captions (the
travel letters contain over 1,000 photographs). While Catton visited the typical
tourist sites at each city, because she was a social worker, much of the content of
her travel letters is dedicated to comments and discussions regarding the
lesser-seen parts of the cities, their hospitals, conditions of the poor, the
homeless, the available social work services, government and politics, and education
and schools. She often met with doctors and social workers and talked to them about
their experiences; Catton was also often a guest of honor at events where she was
asked to give talks about her work in Hawaii.
While in Thailand she met with Princess Sangwan Mahidol and her three young children
including the future kings Ananda Mahidol and Bhumibol Adulyadej. There are letters
by Princess Mahidol and several photographs of the family in Volume 6. While in New
York she visited her alma mater, the New York School of Social Work. The cities in
which she spent the most time and about which she wrote the most are: Tokyo, Kyoto,
Osaka, Hiroshima-shi (Japan); Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong (China); Saigon
(Vietnam); Angkor, Bangkok (Thailand); Calcutta, New Delhi, Bombay (India); Cairo
(Egypt); Milan, Rome, Venice (Italy); Geneva, Saint Moritz (Switzerland); Paris
(France); London, Stratford-upon-Avon (England); Edinburgh, Inverness, Melrose
(Scotland); New York, Baltimore (U.S.); Auckland, Wellington (New Zealand);
Melbourne, Sydney (Australia).
The 15 diaries, all of which belong to Mary Catton, span the years 1939 to 1951. The
diaries describe in great detail all aspects of Mary's life in Honolulu including:
her daily activities; her work at Queen's Hospital, her difficulties with the
doctors and hospital administration, her work with nurses, patient care, hospital
costs; teaching social work; Mary's work with the many groups of which she was a
member including several medical and social work associations; the attack on Pearl
Harbor and aftermath including blackouts and the fear of another attack; World War
II events; treatment and views of Japanese living in Hawaii; Mary's work in starting
a convalescent home in Hawaii; various other medical issues such as adoption,
sterilization, staffing, and fundraising. More specifically, Mary discusses her work
with the following associations and organizations: Hospital Social Service
Association (later the Medical Social Service Association), Bureau of Mental
Hygiene, Hawaii Medical Service Association, the Hawaiian Chapter of the American
Association of Social Workers, the Hawaiian Department of Public Welfare.
Two of the four scrapbooks belong to Mary Catton and two belong to her sister Renny
Catton. The four scrapbooks include photographs, letters, newspaper clippings,
invitations, calling cards, programs for shows and events, telegrams, tickets,
notes, dance cards, post cards, and greeting cards (birthday, Christmas, etc.). The
photographs are of Catton family members.
There are Catton photo albums in the Photograph Archives of the Huntington Library,
but access is restricted due to their fragile condition (photCL 432).
More material was found in October 2016 and added as an addenda (Boxes 12-14) which
consists mainly of correspondence between the Catton family members.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in the following order: Boxes 1-4: Travel Letters
(Volumes 1-23); Boxes 5-7: Diaries (Volumes 24-38); Boxes 8-10: Scrapbooks
(Volumes 39-42); Box 11: Photographs and Miscellaneous Ephemera; Boxes 12-14:
Addenda.
Indexing Terms
Personal Names
Ananda Mahidol, King of Thailand,
1925-1946
Bhumibol Adulyadej, King of Thailand,
1927-
Catton (Family)
Catton, Janet Renny
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise
Catton, Robert
Sangwan Mahidol, Princess,
1900-1995
Corporate Names
American Association of Social
Workers
Hawaii. Board of Health
Hawaii Medical Service Association
Foundation
New York School of Social
Work
Queen's Hospital (Honolulu,
Hawaii)
Subjects
Subjects
Adoption -- Hawaii
Adoption -- Law and
legislation
Charities -- Hawaii --
History
Hospitals --
Administration
Hospitals -- Case
management
Hospitals -- Hawaii
Japanese Americans -- Evacuation and
relocation, 1942-1945
Medical care -- Hawaii
Medical social work --
Hawaii
Mental illness -- Hawaii
Nurses -- Hawaii
Ocean travel
Pearl Harbor (Hawaii), Attack on,
1941
Physicians -- Hawaii
Public health -- Hawaii
Single women -- Diaries
Single women -- Hawaii
Social service -- Hawaii
Sterilization of women --
Hawaii
Sterilization of women -- Law and
legislation
Voyages and travels --
Anecdotes
Women -- Hawaii
Women social workers --
Hawaii
Women social workers --
Travel
Women -- Societies and
clubs
World War, 1939-1945 -- Japanese
Americans
Geographic Areas
Angkor (Extinct city) --
Description and travel
Australia -- Description and
travel
Bangkok (Thailand --
Description and travel)
Beijing (China) -- Description
and travel
Mumbai (India) -- Description
and travel
Cairo (Egypt) -- Description
and travel
Kolkata (India) -- Description
and travel
China -- Description and
travel
Edinburgh (Scotland) --
Description and travel
Egypt -- Description and
travel
England -- Description and
travel
Hawaii -- History -- 19th
century -- Sources
Hawaii -- History -- 20th
century -- Sources
Hawaii -- Social life and
customs
France -- Description and
travel
Hiroshima-shi (Japan) --
Description and travel
Hong Kong (China) --
Description and travel
India -- Description and
travel
Inverness (Scotland) --
Description and travel
Isreal -- Description and
travel
Italy -- Description and
travel
Japan -- Description and
travel
Jerusalem -- Description and
travel
Kyoto (Japan) -- Description
and travel
London (England) -- Description
and travel
Melrose (Scottish Borders,
Scotland) -- Description and travel
New Delhi (India) --
Description and travel
New Zealand -- Description and
travel
Osaka (Japan) -- Description
and travel
Panama -- Description and
travel
Paris (France) -- Description
and travel
Rome (Italy) -- Description and
travel
Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) --
Description and travel
Scotland -- Description and
travel
Shanghai (China) -- Description
and travel
Switzerland -- Description and
travel
Thailand -- Description and
travel
Tokyo (Japan) -- Description
and travel
United States -- Description
and travel
Vietnam -- Description and
travel
Genre
Diaries -- Hawaii -- 20th
century
Letters (correspondence) -- Hawaii
-- 20th century
Photographs -- Hawaii
Scrapbooks -- Hawaii
Box 1
Travel Letters, 1931-1932, Feb., Volumes 1-7
HM 68106
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 1
(1931, Sep. 14-21)
HM 68107
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 2
(1931, Sep. 26-Oct. 14)
HM 68108
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 3
(1931, Oct. 19-23)
HM 68109
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 4
(1931, Oct. 27-Nov. 27)
HM 68110
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 5
(1931, Dec. 8-13)
HM 68111
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 6
(1931, Dec. 18-1932, Jan. 28)
HM 68112
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 7
(1932, Jan. 10-Feb. 8)
Box 2
Travel Letters, 1932, Jan.-May, Volumes 8-13
HM 68113
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 8
(1932, Jan.-Feb.)
HM 68114
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 9
(1932, Feb. 14-20)
HM 68115
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 10
(1932, Mar.)
HM 68116
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 11
(1932, Mar. 13-Apr. 6)
HM 68117
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 12
(1932, Apr. 8-25)
HM 68118
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 13
(1932, Apr. 26-May 17)
Box 3
Travel Letters, 1932, May-Sep., Volumes 14-18
HM 68119
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 14
(1932, May 17-24)
HM 68120
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 15
(1932, May 25-June 27)
HM 68121
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 16
(1932, June 27-July 7)
HM 68122
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 17
(1932, July 22-Aug. 12)
HM 68123
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 18
(1932, Aug. 18-Sep. 2)
Box 4
Travel Letters, 1932-1938, Volumes 19-23
HM 68124
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 19
(1932, Sep. 3-Oct. 22)
HM 68125
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 20
(1932)
HM 68126
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 21
(1938, Sep. 3-Nov. 20)
HM 68127
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 22
(1938, Nov. 27-Dec. 14)
HM 68128
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 23
(1938, Dec. 19-1939, Jan. 18)
Box 5
Diaries, 1939-1943, Volumes 24-28
HM 68129
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 24
(1939, June-Dec.)
HM 68130
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 25
(1940)
HM 68131
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 26
(1941)
HM 68132
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 27
(1942)
HM 68133
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 28
(1943)
Box 6
Diaries, 1944-1946, Volumes 29-33
HM 68134
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 29
(1944, Jan.-June)
HM 68135
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 30
(1944, July-Dec.)
HM 68136
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 31
(1945, Jan.-June)
HM 68137
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 32
(1945, July-Dec.)
HM 68138
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 33
(1946)
Box 7
Diaries, 1947-1951, Volumes 34-38
HM 68139
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 34
(1947)
HM 68140
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 35
(1948)
HM 68141
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 36
(1949)
HM 68142
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 37
(1950)
HM 68143
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 38
(1951)
Box 8
Scrapbooks, Volumes 39-40
HM 68144
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 39
(1896-1915)
HM 68145
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Volume 40
(1906-1907)
HM 68146
Catton, Renny. Volume 41
(1891-1915)
HM 68147
Catton, Renny. Volume 42
(1910-1929)
Box 11
Photographs and Miscellaneous Ephemera
Folder 1
Photographs: Catton, Brereton
([approximately 1890]-1938)
Folder 2
Photographs: Catton, Margaret Mary Louise
([approximately 1890]-1960)
Folder 3
Photographs: Catton, Renny
([approximately 1890]-1938)
Folder 4
Photographs: Catton, Richard
([approximately 1900]-1920)
Folder 5
Miscellaneous Ephemera
(1959)
Folder 1
Catton, Andrew A. Letter to Margaret Mary Louise Catton
(1932, Sep. 27)
Folder 2
Catton, Brereton. Letter to Margaret Mary Louise Catton
(1919, Apr. 20)
Folder 3
Catton, Edith. Letters to Margaret Mary Louise Catton
(1932)
Folder 4
Catton, Janet Renny. Letters to Catton family
(1898-1937)
Folder 5
Catton, Janet Renny. Letters to Margaret Mary Louise Catton
(1906-1939)
Folder 6
Catton, Janet Renny. Letters to Richard Catton
(1909-1913)
Folder 7
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Letters to Brereton Catton
(1931-1938)
Folder 8
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Letters to Janet Renny Catton
(1931-1950)
Folder 9
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Letter to Robert Redford Catton
(1938, Oct. 3)
Folder 10
Catton, Margaret Mary Louise. Letter to "My dear friends"
(1941, Dec. 20)
Folder 11
Catton, Robert. Letters to Andrew Catton
(1883-1895)
7 items. Very fragile. Some items stuck together. Some items ripping.
Folder 12
Catton, Robert. Letters to George Catton
(1883-1900)
6 items. Very fragile. Some items stuck together. Some items ripping.
Folder 13
Catton, Robert. Letters to Janet Redford Catton
(1883-1896)
12 items. Very fragile. Some items stuck together. Some items ripping.
Folder 14
Catton, Robert. Letters to John Catton
(1885-1886)
4 items. Very fragile. Some items stuck together. Some items ripping
Folder 15
Catton, Robert. Letters to Margaret Mary Louise Catton
(1919-1932)
Folder 16
Catton, Robert. Letters to Redford Catton
(1882-1884)
3 items. Very fragile. Some items stuck together. Some items ripping.
Folder 17
Catton, Robert. Letters to "Dear Sister"
(1883-1900)
approx. 20 items. Very fragile. Some items stuck together. Some items
ripping.
Folder 18
Catton, Robert Redford. Letter to Margaret Mary Louise Catton
(1932, Aug. 23)
Folder 19
-----, Jean. Letter to Margaret Mary Louise Catton
(1938)
Box 13
Addenda: Miscellaneous Correspondence
Folder 1
Condolence letters on Death of Brereton Catton
(1944-1945)
Folder 2
Condolence letters on Death of Robert Catton
(1938)
Folder 3
Correspondence between Robert Catton and Brereton Catton
(1875)
Folder 4
Correspondence between Robert Catton and Brereton Catton
(1876)
Folder 5
Miscellaneous Correspondence
(1918-1968)
Box 14
Addenda: Manuscripts and Ephemera
Folder 1
A History of the Hawaiian Islands by Robert Catton
(1894)
2 items. With letter about manuscript.
Folder 2
Autobiography of Robert Catton by Robert Catton
[before 1938]
Folder 3
Manuscript re: Pearl Harbor attack by C. C. Barnes
(1942, June)
Folder 4
Pohai Nani by Margaret Mary Louise Catton
(1965)
Folder 5
Greeting Cards, Invitations and Notes
(1919-1964)
Folder 6
Miscellaneous Ephemera
(1924)
Folder 7
Newspaper Clippings
(1941-1961)
Folder 8
Poetry and Quotations
(1901-1957)
Folder 9
Programs and Printed Items
(1940-1966)
