Kathleen Todd
Encyclopedia
Kathleen Mary Gertrude Todd (19 November 1898 – 21 March 1968) was a pioneering New Zealand child psychiatrist.
, Otago
, She was one of the seven children (her siblings were Charles P, Desmond, Moyra, Bryan
, Andrew
, and Sheila) of Charles Todd
, an auctioneer and stock and station agent
who founded a firm that became the Todd Corporation and his wife, Mary Hegarty. Kathleen Todd was educated at St Dominic’s College
, Dunedin
(of which she was dux in 1915) and then completed medical degrees (M.B.Ch.B) at the University of Otago
in 1923. She obtained junior medical positions, but for women doctors professional options were limited in New Zealand at that time. She carried out further studies in Vienna
and London
hospitals and did further courses in Boston
and Oakland, California
in relation to psychological medicine and child psychiatry in which she had decided to specialise. She later obtained a diploma in psychiatric medicine (DPM) in London.
. In 1935 she commenced studies at the West End Hospital for Nervous Diseases, and at the Tavistock Clinic
, both leading centres of psychoanalysis and psychotherapy. Todd increasingly worked in child guidance clinics, where multi-disciplinary teams of specialists diagnosed and treated children who had mild emotional and behavioural problems, and also their parents. She was appointed assistant director of the child guidance department at West End Hospital and became a staff member at the Tavistock Clinic and at the psychological clinic at Hill End Hospital. In 1941 she became director of the London Child Guidance Clinic and Training Centre. She wrote the influential Child treatment and the therapy of play with Lydia Jackson. Published in 1946, it was aimed at professionals and parents and became a best seller. In 1947 she contributed a section on the child guidance clinic to the practitioner handbook Child health and development . Todd was elected a Member of the British Psychological Society
in 1938 and a Fellow in 1942; a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine
in 1941; a Member of the Royal Medico Psychological Association in 1943.
Todd also conducted a private practice first in Wimpole St and then in Harley Street. She lived with her sister Moyra Todd, her life’s companion, in Hampstead; New Zealand doctors studying or practising in England were often entertained there. In 1943 Kathleen was diagnosed with breast cancer and when she returned to New Zealand for a holiday three years later, decided not to return to London. From 1949 to 1963 she ran a private practice from her home in Melling
, Lower Hutt
, but was able to continue her involvement with wider professional issues. She used her considerable means to establish a fund to provide fellowships for young psychiatrists to engage in postgraduate study in Europe. This grew from her firm belief that psychiatrists, more than other medical specialists, needed the broad cultural background they could acquire in Europe. However, she stipulated that recipients return to New Zealand to practise.
Todd also developed an active interest in the convalescent home at Qui Nhon
, South Vietnam
, which had been established by the London branch of the Save the Children Fund adjacent to the New Zealand surgical unit. With her sister, Moyra, she made a large grant to her local branch of the fund.
Early Life
Kathleen Todd was born on 19 November 1898 in HeriotHeriot, New Zealand
Heriot is a small settlement in West Otago, in the South Island of New Zealand. It is located 20 kilometres southwest of Raes Junction and 15 kilometres north of Tapanui....
, Otago
Otago
Otago is a region of New Zealand in the south of the South Island. The region covers an area of approximately making it the country's second largest region. The population of Otago is...
, She was one of the seven children (her siblings were Charles P, Desmond, Moyra, Bryan
Bryan Todd (New Zealand)
Bryan James Todd was one of four brothers who built one of New Zealand's biggest industrial and commercial enterprises. He was an important figure in the development of the New Zealand oil and gas energy industry and, incidentally, in the development of New Zealand tax law.-Early life:Todd was born...
, Andrew
Andrew Todd (New Zealand)
Andrew Todd was one of four brothers who built one of New Zealand's biggest industrial and commercial enterprises. He was an important figure in the car assembly industry.-Early life:...
, and Sheila) of Charles Todd
Charles Todd (New Zealand)
Charles Todd , fellmonger, wool-scourer, motor car importer and assembler, petrol importer and retailer, industrialist and community leader; he was a leading New Zealand businessman and was a principal founder of the Todd Corporation-References:...
, an auctioneer and stock and station agent
Station agent
In many countries, the station agent is the person in charge of a railway station Variants of station agents can also work at other transit terminals such as airports, ferry terminals, etc....
who founded a firm that became the Todd Corporation and his wife, Mary Hegarty. Kathleen Todd was educated at St Dominic’s College
Kavanagh College
Kavanagh College is a Catholic Secondary school in Dunedin, New Zealand. The school in its present form dates from 1989 but its origins as a secondary school go back to 1871....
, Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
(of which she was dux in 1915) and then completed medical degrees (M.B.Ch.B) at the University of Otago
University of Otago
The University of Otago in Dunedin is New Zealand's oldest university with over 22,000 students enrolled during 2010.The university has New Zealand's highest average research quality and in New Zealand is second only to the University of Auckland in the number of A rated academic researchers it...
in 1923. She obtained junior medical positions, but for women doctors professional options were limited in New Zealand at that time. She carried out further studies in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
hospitals and did further courses in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
and Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
in relation to psychological medicine and child psychiatry in which she had decided to specialise. She later obtained a diploma in psychiatric medicine (DPM) in London.
Career
Todd returned to New Zealand in 1930 and for five years she headed the psychological clinic at the Auckland Mental Hospital, AvondaleAvondale, Auckland
Avondale is a suburb of Auckland, New Zealand, located in the Whau ward, one of the thirteen administrative divisions for the Auckland Council. It is commonly considered to be part of West Auckland. It was originally called "Te Whau", which is the common name, of Māori origin, for Entelea...
. In 1935 she commenced studies at the West End Hospital for Nervous Diseases, and at the Tavistock Clinic
Tavistock Clinic
The in London was founded in 1920 by Dr. Hugh Crichton-Miller, a psychiatrist who developed psychological treatments for shell-shocked soldiers during and after the First World War. The clinic's first patient was, however, a child. Its clinical services were always, therefore, for both children...
, both leading centres of psychoanalysis and psychotherapy. Todd increasingly worked in child guidance clinics, where multi-disciplinary teams of specialists diagnosed and treated children who had mild emotional and behavioural problems, and also their parents. She was appointed assistant director of the child guidance department at West End Hospital and became a staff member at the Tavistock Clinic and at the psychological clinic at Hill End Hospital. In 1941 she became director of the London Child Guidance Clinic and Training Centre. She wrote the influential Child treatment and the therapy of play with Lydia Jackson. Published in 1946, it was aimed at professionals and parents and became a best seller. In 1947 she contributed a section on the child guidance clinic to the practitioner handbook Child health and development . Todd was elected a Member of the British Psychological Society
British Psychological Society
The British Psychological Society is a representative body for psychologists and psychology in the United Kingdom. The BPS is also a Registered Charity and, along with advantages, this also imposes certain constraints on what the society can and cannot do...
in 1938 and a Fellow in 1942; a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine
Royal Society of Medicine
The Royal Society of Medicine is a British charitable organisation whose main purpose is as a provider of medical education, running over 350 meetings and conferences each year.- History and overview :...
in 1941; a Member of the Royal Medico Psychological Association in 1943.
Todd also conducted a private practice first in Wimpole St and then in Harley Street. She lived with her sister Moyra Todd, her life’s companion, in Hampstead; New Zealand doctors studying or practising in England were often entertained there. In 1943 Kathleen was diagnosed with breast cancer and when she returned to New Zealand for a holiday three years later, decided not to return to London. From 1949 to 1963 she ran a private practice from her home in Melling
Melling, New Zealand
Melling is a suburb of Lower Hutt, to the north of Wellington in the North Island of New Zealand. It is on the west bank of the Hutt River, on State Highway 2, the Wellington-Hutt main road, and directly across the river from the centre of Lower Hutt...
, Lower Hutt
Lower Hutt
Lower Hutt is a city in the Wellington region of New Zealand. Its council has adopted the name Hutt City Council, but neither the New Zealand Geographic Board nor the Local Government Act recognise the name Hutt City. This alternative name can lead to confusion, as there are two cities in the...
, but was able to continue her involvement with wider professional issues. She used her considerable means to establish a fund to provide fellowships for young psychiatrists to engage in postgraduate study in Europe. This grew from her firm belief that psychiatrists, more than other medical specialists, needed the broad cultural background they could acquire in Europe. However, she stipulated that recipients return to New Zealand to practise.
Todd also developed an active interest in the convalescent home at Qui Nhon
Qui Nhon
Qui Nhơn , also Quy Nhơn, is a coastal city in Binh Dinh province in central Vietnam. It is composed of 16 wards and five communes with a total of 286 km². Quy Nhon is the capital of Bình Định province. As of 2009 its population was 280,900. Historically, the commercial activities of the city...
, South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
, which had been established by the London branch of the Save the Children Fund adjacent to the New Zealand surgical unit. With her sister, Moyra, she made a large grant to her local branch of the fund.