Obituary: Kathleen Hamilton

Kathleen Hamilton started her career in research as an interviewer in 1978 and became an area manager for the Independent Research Bureau in 1980. She worked for MVA and many other companies, and became a freelancer in 1996.

Kathleen received a certificate of full membership of the MRS in 1987 and became a Fellow in 2003. She was also elected as chair of MRS Scotland and organised many meetings and events.

She joined the Market Research Benevolent Association (MRBA) as an area manager for Scotland in 1993 and continued as the regional cases manager, as they became known, until 2023. 

When she became area manager, she was already well known amongst the Scottish research community, and Scotland quickly became the source of the highest number of MRBA cases per capita in the UK, due to Kathleen’s networking, her recognition of potential cases and that applicants knowing she would have empathy with them and would support them through their times of difficulty. 

Marian Stringer, MRBA’s national cases manager, recalls meeting Kathleen for the first time at Glasgow Central Station, and says that she was always welcomed into Kathleen’s home whenever she was in Scotland. A loyal Scot, she was proud that she represented the whole of Scotland, something that no other regional manager could claim.

For many years, Kathleeen and Jim attended the MRS and the MRBA annual general meetings in London, when they were on the same date. After catching the night sleeper home, Kathleen would arrive just in time to organise a Marie Curie coffee morning in her home.

Outside of market research, Kathleen was a life skills district counsellor and president of the Citizens’ Theatre Society in Glasgow. 

Kathleen’s funeral service takes place on Monday 8^th January at Broomhill Hyndland Parish Church, where Kathleen was a very active member, especially helping young people..

By Linda Henshall and Ian Brace