Kathleen Ferrier was born on 22nd April 1912 in a small village called Higher Walton, between Preston and Blackburn, Lancashire. When she was eighteen months old her family (parents and older siblings George and Winifred) moved to Blackburn, where Kathleen grew up. Because family resources had dwindled after educating Winifred and George, Kathleen had to leave school at fourteen and take her first job at the local telephone exchange as a telegram runner within the building. Her interest in music had already begun to show, so she took piano lessons from an early age and sang in local choirs together with members of her family. She participated in competitive music festivals as a pianist and did well, particularly at one in Manchester in November 1928 where she was awarded the first prize, an upright piano. By winning this regional round she was then sent to London to the finals held at the Wigmore Hall. She got nowhere, was totally overawed, and felt intimidated by her first encounter with a Steinway grand piano. The following year she was awarded her ARCM diploma, but did not get very far in the Blackpool Music Competition where she appeared in two classes but was not placed.

Blackpool Music Festival 1929

Test piece: Preludio e Toccata by Riccardo-Pick Mangiagalli (1882–1949)

Kathleen M. Ferrier, Blackburn [she was No.2 of 34 competitors]

Class 49 Pianoforte Solo (Open) at 9am in the Grand Foyer of the Opera House

Open to boys and girls over 16 and under 18 years of age.

Adjudicator: John Ireland

First Prize One Guinea and a Gold Medal presented by Messrs. Sharples Pianos Ltd.

Class 50 Pianoforte Sight Test (Open) at 2.30pm

Open to boys and girls over 16 and under 18 years of age.

Kathleen M. Ferrier, Blackburn [she was No.16 of 18 competitors]

Despite these ups and downs she went on to accompany many local musicians, began to win top prizes at local music festivals, gave a short recital on the BBC in 1930, and in 1931 gained her LRAM diploma. It was during the course of this year that she began to take tentative steps in singing and elocution but, as she had at no time received any formal musical education at a college of music, she never considered the possibility of a career in music.