Born into the distinguished English aristocratic Radnor family in Berkshire, Katherine became interested in potting at the Central School of Arts and Crafts, London, where she studied ceramics under Dora Billington. She first met Bernard LEACH at an exhibition of his, and after an initial refusal from him to become a student at the pottery in St Ives, she was invited to attend at the point of Shoji HAMADA's departure; as the new kiln being built by MATSUBAYASHI was in progress, she could be helpful 'doing odd jobs', and learning from Leach and Matsubyashi.

At the Leach Pottery between 1924-5 (Michael CARDEW was doing similar assistance work at the same time) Katherine also made the acquaintance of Norah BRADEN, who would join her in future years. When she left in 1925, with a specialised knowledge and lasting interest in stoneware, she returned home to take over and convert an old mill to become her pottery in Coleshill, Berkshire. This she did with the help of Matsubayashi and a student friend, Ada MASON.

Norah Braden was to join her from 1928-36, and together they developed a wide range of vegetable dyes to extend the quality and vitality of stoneware effects in varied tones of glazed and matt surfaces. Norah helped her set up her final pottery at the Maltings, Kilmington, Dorset, by building an oil-fired kiln, and then an electric one, for her domestic stoneware and experiemental pieces.