Jabarkan Kehidupan masa kecil dari Catherine Tizard

Catherine Anne Maclean lahir di Auckland, Selandia Baru pada 4 April 1931 dari imigran Skotlandia bernama Neil dan Helen Maclean. Catherine tumbuh di Waharoa, dekat Matamata, Waikato. Neil adalah seorang pekerja pabrik di pabrik susu setempat Waharoa. Ia berkuliah di Matamata College dan mendapatkan University Bursary pada tahun 1948. Pada tahun 1949, Catherine mendaftar di jurusan zoologi Auckland University College.

While at university, Catherine met Bob Tizard, then president of the Auckland University Students Association. On their second date, Bob told Catherine he was "going into politics. And I'm going to marry you." They married in 1951 and had four children in six years; their daughter Judith Tizard also had a career in New Zealand politics.

During these years, she served on the committee of her local Playcentre and later became its president. She was also elected to the Board of Governors of the Eastern Suburbs Secondary Schools.

In 1961 Tizard returned to university to complete her degree in zoology. She then taught and worked at Auckland University from 1962 to 1983, during which time she co-authored at least two papers with Patricia Bergquist on sponges, and provided technical assistance as preparator for a third.