[2] Fotheringhame was a daughter of James Lewis ( – ) and Mary Ann Blanshard (c. 1819 – 23 August 1894) of Escrick, near York, England.
Her first assignment, as an inexperienced 17 year old, was as founding editor of the "Women's Letter" society column, under the byline "Mab" in 1881, in competition with Mrs. Gullett's page in The Daily Telegraph.
[3] Working at the Bulletin brought her into contact with many of Australia's leading writers and artists: Henry Lawson, Harold "The Pilgrim" Grey, Victor Daley and George Augustus Sala.
She left journalism after marrying James Fotheringhame, introducing as her replacement the vivacious Ina Wildman who, writing as "Sappho Smith", had an illustrious career before dying of nephritis.
She was successful in creating high quality zinc printing blocks from photographic negatives, so has been recognised as Australia's pioneer of the process.