 She was born in Montreal to Alexander Lockerby, a grocer, and Barbara Cox and had seven siblings, whom four survived to adulthood.According to the family bible, the family grew up in a number of houses on MacKay street in Montreal

She studied at the Art Association of Montreal with William Brymner and Maurice Cullen winning two awards, one for her drawing in the "antique class" (1902) and another for composition (1911).In 1914 she began to exhibit in the annual Spring Exhibition at the Association and continued to paint throughout the war.