Annie Sanders

Place of birth: Cardiff

Service: Post Woman, Post Office / Swyddfa Bost

Notes: Litlle is known of Annie Sanders, except that she was associated with Roath Road Wesleyan Methodist Church, Cardiff. The Roath Road Roamer, published monthly from November 1914, contained information about women war workers as well as men. Annie was one of ‘our Lady Roamers’. Her blue serge uniform was introduced by the Post Office in 1914. Image and information courtesy of Glamorgan Archives (DWESA6).

Sources: https://archifaumorgannwg.wordpress.com/

Reference: WaW0108

Annie Sanders, Postwoman

Annie Sanders, Postwoman, Cardiff, in her navy blue serge uniform

May Selwood

Place of birth: Newport

Service: Wife, widow

Death: 1995-11-03, Cause not known

Notes: May’s husband William Henry Selwood died of shell shock on 1st January 1919. She remained a widow for her remaining 76 years – credited with being the longest WW1 widow in Britain. She is buried in Christchurch Cemetery, Newport.

Reference: WaW0106

Grave of May Selwood

Grave of May Selwood who is credited with being the longest WW1 widow in Britain. Christchurch Cemetery, Newport

Death Notice of William Henry Selwood

Death Notice of William Henry Selwood, died 1st January 1919

Maud Starkie Bence

Place of birth: Suffolk

Service: Volunteer, 1914 - 1916

Death: 1916-06-01, Folkestone, Cause not known

Memorial: Memorial brass, St Brynach, Aberhonddu

Notes: Maud Starkie Bence was a former professional golfer, and friend of Lord Glanusk, Lord Lieutenant of Breconshire. At the outbreak of war she undertook registering all motor vehicles in the county for emergency use. Her first appeal was published 13th August 1914. By 20th August she had details of 552 vehicles, with 150 already offered. She went on to raise money for ‘comforts’ for the South Wales Borderers. When she died aged 48 in 1916 a plaque was erected in her memory by the South Wales Borderers.

Sources: The Brecon County Times Neath Gazette and General Advertiser for the Counties of Brecon Carmarthen Radnor Monmouth Glamorgan Cardigan Montgomery Hereford 10th September 1914; The Brecon County Times Neath Gazette and General Advertiser for the Counties of Brecon Carmarthen Radnor Monmouth Glamorgan Cardigan Montgomery Hereford 6th July 1916

Reference: WaW0057

Maud Starkie Bence

Maud Starkie Bence playing golf c 1890

St Brynach's Church, Llanfrynach

Plaque commemorating Maud Starkie Bence, St Brynach's Church, Llanfrynach

Lizzie Dora Stephens

Place of birth: Y Trallwng

Service: Worker, QMAAC

Death: 1918-04-24, Cause not known

Memorial: War memorial, Y Trallwng, Montgomeryshire

Notes: aged 23, buried at Aldershot Military Cemetery

Sources: http://tanyabirnie.blogspot.it/2014/09/worker-m-f-brown.html

Reference: WaW0058

War Memorial Welshpool

Name of Lizzie Dora Stephens, War Memorial Welshpool

Edith Townsend

Place of birth: Cardiff

Service: Waitress, QMAAC, 1918 -

Notes: Edith Townsend and her sister Gladys were associated with Roath Road Wesleyan Methodist Church, Cardiff. They described their early experiences in the Roath Roamer (Vol.44, p.6). After training they spent time near Woolwich (and experienced three air raids), before being sent north to Newcastle - 'very much like Cardiff'. Image and information courtesy of Glamorgan Archives (DWESA6).

Sources: https://archifaumorgannwg.wordpress.com/

Reference: WaW0120

Edith and Gladys Townsend, QMAAC

Sisters Edith and Gladys Townsend in QMAAC uniform, 1918.

Gladys Townsend

Place of birth: Cardiff

Service: Waitress, QMAAC, 1918 -

Notes: Gladys Townsend and her sister Edith were associated with Roath Road Wesleyan Methodist Church, Cardiff. They described their early experiences in the Roath Roamer (Vol.44, p.6). After training they spent time near Woolwich (and experienced three air raids), before being sent north to Newcastle - 'very much like Cardiff'. Image and information courtesy of Glamorgan Archives (DWESA6).

Sources: https://archifaumorgannwg.wordpress.com/

Reference: WaW0121

Edith and Gladys Townsend QMAAC

Sisters Edith and Gladys Townsend in QMAAC uniform, 1918

Mabel Mary Tunley

Place of birth: Pontypridd, 1870

Service: Acting Principal Matron, QAIMNS, 1903 - 1925

Notes: After serving in the Boer War, Mabel Tunley joined QAIMNS in 1903 as a staff nurse, rising to become Acting Principal Matron in France and Flanders during WWI. Among other awards, she received the Military Medal for 'exceptionally good work in assisting getting all the patients, 260, down to the cellars, so that when the Clearing Station was eventually hit not one of the patients received a scratch. Her cheeriness and courage were instrumental in keeping everyone who came in contact with her up to the mark. She was slightly wounded and remained at duty.' Bethune, 7th August 1916.

Sources: http://anurseatthefront.org.uk/names-mentioned-in-the-diaries/other-people/medical-colleagues/mabel-mary-tunley/

Reference: WaW0087

Mabel Mary Tunley

Matron Tunley

Mabel Mary Tunley (reverse)

Matron Tunley (reverse)

Lizzie Veal

Place of birth: Cardiff

Service: Railway Worker, GWR

Notes: Lizzie Veal was associated with Roath Road Wesleyan Methodist Church, Cardiff.The Roath Road Roamer, published monthly from November 1914, contained information about women war workers as well as men. Lizzie was one of ‘our Lady Roamers’, featured in April 1919. At that time she would have been one of over 1000 women employed by the GWR as porters and ticket collectors. Image and information courtesy of Glamorgan Archives (DWESA6).

Sources: https://archifaumorgannwg.wordpress.com/

Reference: WaW0109

Lizzie Veal, Railway Worker

Lizzie Veal was a Great Western Railway worker. She may have been a porter or a ticket clerk.

Annie Whyte

Place of birth: Ely, Cardiff

Service: Forewoman Waitress, WRAF, 1917 - 1919?

Notes: Annie Whyte was associated with Roath Road Wesleyan Methodist Church, Cardiff. She initially joined the WAAC but transferred to the WRAF on its formation in spring 1918. She worked primarily at the Royal Flying Corps Armament School at Uxbridge. Image and information courtesy of Glamorgan Archives (DWESA6).

Sources: https://archifaumorgannwg.wordpress.com/

Reference: WaW0116

Annie Whyte

Annie Whyte WRAF

Catherine Williams

Place of birth: Colwyn Bay

Service: Staff Nurse, QAIMNS

Death: 1919-08-04, Cause not known

Memorial: War memorial, Colwyn Bay, Caernarvonshire

Notes: aged 38. Buried Bron-y-Nant cemetery Colwyn Bay.

Sources: http://historypoints.org/index.php?page=colwyn-bay-memorial-fww-surnames-s-y

Reference: WaW0064

War Memorial Colwyn Bay

Name of Catherine Williams on Colwyn Bay War Memorial