Kate Bürger

Mrs Kate Bürger, 1930s. Trafford Local Studies collection, cat. ref. TL0097

Born in Zehlendorf, Berlin, Germany on 1 May 1890, Katharina Hedwig Emilie Roeschel was an artist, mother and wife who would establish the Altrincham and District Society of Artists (ADSA) in 1937.

Katharina (Kate) married husband Arthur Wilhelm Bürger on 16 December 1919 in ‘S-Gravenhage, a city located in South Holland, now known as The Hague. Arthur was born in Barton upon Irwell, Lancashire, on 1 February 1893 and in later life would follow in his father’s footsteps by becoming a Chemist. Kate and Arthur would have two sons (Thomas and Peter) born a year apart from one another. Thomas, the eldest, was born in Barton upon Irwell in 1923 with Peter born in Chorlton in 1924. Records show that the Bürgers lived at 14 Fairview Road, Timperley, for the majority of their lives.

Ordnance Survey map showing 14 Fairview Road, Timperley, Altrincham Sheet XVIII.3. 1935. Trafford Local Studies Collection, cat. ref. 96275464

Kate was one of 18 original members who established ADSA, now called the Atrincham Society of Artists (ASA). In the beginning members originally met at each other’s homes before hosting meetings at the old Altrincham Library on Lower George Street, Altrincham. Within the first twelve months membership would grow to sixty-five highlighting the society’s popularity. Eighty-four years since ASA was established the society currently has over 150 artists.

Founding members were predominately painters, sharing an interest in the traditional mediums of applied arts. Kate was an influential figure in the founding of the society, co-creating the twelve rules that would establish the society’s core values and hierarchical structure. Rule Two of the ASA handbook stated ‘The society shall exist for the furthering of the applied arts – oil and water-colour painting, sketching, handicraft, etc.-as shall become desirable in the opinion of the committee’.

ASA held weekly meetings in the basement of the Library until the outbreak of war in 1939, resulting in the group being suspended. Sadly the war would cost Kate the life of her eldest son, Thomas, who died aged 21, serving as an RAF Volunteer reserve pilot. Eleven days before his death on 29 January 1944 Thomas was decorated with an RAF award.

Post war, Kate exhibited works at several annual ASA Spring exhibitions, with records showing she displayed pieces in every show between 1948 and1953. The 1948 annual exhibition would display multiple of Burger’s works including the exhibition’s most expensively priced piece, Miss L, priced at thirty-one shillings and ten pence which roughly converts to over a full day’s average pay in 1948. The last record of Kate exhibiting work in the annual exhibition is in 1953 with ‘Spring Flowers’ being her only submission.

Kate held multiple titles during her involvement with ASA including Honorary Secretary in 1948, Chairman in 1953 and Vice President in 1961. The last record of her involvement with ASA is a letter written on 31 March 1964 which states her title as Co-Vice President. The only high ranking title Kate didn’t hold was society President which was held by Lord Stamford from its creation in 1937 until his death in 1976. By February 1965, Kate had left Timperley and was resident in Spelthorne, Middlesex, three years after her husband Arthur’s death in 1961. Kate Bürger died on 6 October 1980 resident at 6 St Peters Close, St Albans, Hertfordshire, but would be cremated back in Manchester.

Sources

Trafford Lifetimes Trafford Lifetimes - Search - Trafford Lifetimes

Trafford Local Studies Centre

Altrincham Society of Artists http://www.altrinchamsocietyofartists.org.uk/

Cheshire Fliers Decorated – Liverpool Daily Post http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk

Altrincham Society of Artists Rule Book, 1937, page 3

Ancestry Library Edition https://www.ancestry.co.uk

Find My Past https://www.findmypast.co.uk

Marriage Certificate https://www.wiewaswie.nl/en/search/

Altrincham Society of Artists Spring Exhibition booklets 1948,49,50,51,52,53.