Two Kirkpatrick sisters spent time in St Ives in the 1890s, and Ethel was the younger. She had the distinction of being born in Cold Bath Fields Prison, Clerkenwell, London where her father was the resident prison governor. Ida KIRKPATRICK (1866-1950), was her sister and further biographical information about the family can be found in her entry. Both sisters were exhibiting artists. Ethel outlived her sister Ida by 16 years. 

Ethel studied at the RA Schools. She also attended London's Central School of Arts and Crafts in 1899, where she studied enamelling and woodcut, the latter presumably under Frank Morley Fletcher. She and her sister are also known to have been students at Academie Julian in Paris, before coming to St Ives for intermittent visits. They were also regular visitors to Polperro during the 1890s. Ethel produced paintings and woodcut work in colour, exhibiting frequently at the Alpine Club Gallery and with the Society of Women Artists, among other venues.

In addition to the time spent in St Ives, Ethel and Ida associated themselves with the arts colony at Walberswick, with visits over a twenty year period. Recent research by Charles Clarke has established that a colour woodcut by Ethel entitled 'Mounts Bay' was illustrated in 'The Studio' of 1917, indicating that she did work in Cornwall.