Kathleen Ferrier was born on 22 April 1912 in a house on Blackburn Road, Higher Walton, Preston. There is a modest memorial garden in the village beside the River Darwen.

In 1937, she entered the Carlisle Festival open piano competition and, as a result of a small bet with her husband, signed up for the singing contest too. She easily won the piano trophy; in the singing finals she sang Roger Quilter's To Daisies, a performance which earned her the festival's top vocal award.