Gwladys Rowlands

Place of birth: Talywain

Service: Assistant Cook, WAAC/QMAAC, 1917/09 - 1919/10

Notes: Gwladys joined the WAAC in September 1917 when she was working as a housemaid in Pontypool Hospital. Her WAAC papers survive in the National Archives, including a letter to Lady Mackworth (Margaret Haig Thomas) in August 1917, enquiring about the possibility of joining a women’s army corps. She served as an assistant cook, first at Bisley near London, then at Catterick Camp in Yorkshire. Gwladys was discharged from the WAAC on compassionate grounds in October 1919.

Sources: National Archives WO-398-193-26

Reference: WaW0291

Reference for WAAC admission

Gwladys Rowlands’s reference from Pontypool Hospital.

Uniform list

WAAC uniform for Gwladys Rowlands (1)

Uniform list

WAAC uniform for Gwladys Rowlands (2)

Roll of Honour

Name of Gwladys Rowlands on the Roll of Honour at Pisgah Baptist Church, Talywain.

Sarah Ann Rees

Place of birth: Newport

Service: Assistant Cook, WAAC, Ionawr - Mawrth 1918 / January

Notes: Ann Rees applied to the WAAC as a kitchen maid; her current employment was flour packer at Star Mills, Newport. Curiously, though her religion is given as C of E, her references are from Father Hickey, Priest of St Mary’s Church, Stow Hill, and Sister Agnes of St Joseph’s Convent, and she went to Holy Cross school. Apparently she joined the WAAC without her parents’ knowledge or consent early in 1918; following correspondence from her and her mother, Ann was given a compassionate discharge on 14th March 1918.

Reference: WaW0379

Letter

Letter from Sarah Ann Rees asking for discharge from the WAAC. National Archives.

Letter

Letter from Mrs Bridget Rees, Ann’s mother, explaining why she is needed at home [1]. National Archives.

Letter

Letter from Mrs Bridget Rees, Ann’s mother, explaining why she is needed at home [2]. National Archives.

Letter

Letter from Mrs Bridget Rees, Ann’s mother, explaining why she is needed at home [3]. National Archives.

Editha Elma (Bailey), Lady Glanusk (Sergison)

Place of birth: Haywards Heath, Sussex

Service: ‘Active war worker’, Red Cross

Notes: Lady Glanusk was born in 1871 and married the 2nd Baron Glanusk in 1890. From the outbreak of war she became very involved in wartime activities, and was an indefatigable writer to the newspapers, calling for young women to encourage their men to join up, and demanding the internment of enemy aliens. She was the President of the Red Cross in Breconshire, (for which she was awarded a CBE in 1920), and was heavily involved in the Penoyre Red Cross Hospital in Brecon. Two of her three sons were killed in the war, one a 17-year-old midshipman.

Reference: WaW0228

Lady Glanusk

Lady Glanusk with the matron and staff of Penoyre Hospital, Brecon.

Newspaper letter

Letter to ‘The Women of Breconshire’ published in the Brecon County Times 5th November 1914.

Newspaper letter

Letter ‘The Alien Enemy Danger’ published in the Brecon County Times 25th March 1915

Red Cross record card

Red Cross record card detailing the service of Lady Glanusk

Red Cross record card (reverse)

Red Cross record card detailing the service of Lady Glanusk (reverse)

London Gazette

Citation for award of CBE to Lady Glanusk, London Gazette (Supplement) 30th March 1920

Ethel Davies

Place of birth: Bodhyfryd, Holyhead

Service: ‘member’

Memorial: Armenia Chapel, Holyhead, Anglesey

Notes: Nothing is known of Ethel Davies, whose name appears on the Roll of Honour in Armenia Chapel, Holyhead

Sources: http://www.anglesey.info/holyhead-armenia-chapel-war-memorials.htm

Reference: WaW0160

Roll of Honour

Record of the war service of Ethel Davies, Bodhyfryd, member, on the Roll of Honour of Armenia Chapel Holyhead

Marjorie Wagstaff

Place of birth: Newport ?

Service: ‘Shaving lady’, VAD ?

Notes: Marjorie Wagstaff was a volunteer from Newport who would go in to the Newport Section of the 3rd Western General Military Hospital twice a week to shave the patients. By the end of the war she had performed over 2,000 shaves. Her picture featured in the Daily Mirror as well as the South Wales Argus.

Reference: WaW0336

Marjorie Wagstaff

Marjorie Wagstaff, pictured in the South Wales Argus. Thanks to Peter Strong.

Elsie Williams

Place of birth: Abetillery ?

Service: Baling Hand, Women\\\'s Forage Corps

Notes: Elsie’s name appears on a list of names of women who died working in the Women’s Forage Corps. Her next of kin is given as Mrs Williams, 7 Cyrils Place, Abertillery. Nothing further is known of her.

Reference: WaW0223

Elsie Williams

Place of birth: Abertillery ?

Service: Baling Hand, Womens Forage Corps (WFC)

Notes: Elsie’s name appears on a list of names of women who died working in the Women’s Forage Corps. Her next of kin is given as Mrs Williams, 7 Cyril Place, Abertillery. Nothing further is known of her.

Reference: WaW0146

Nominal Roll

List of members of the WFC who died in service.

Violet Pearce

Place of birth: Swansea

Service: Booking clerk, NWR

Death: November 1918, Swansea, Influenza / y ffliw

Notes: Violet Pearce was a booking clerk at Swansea Victoria Station when she died of Spanish Influenza in early November 1918.

Reference: WaW0373

Newspaper report

Report of the death of Violet Pearce. Cambrian Daily Leader 5th November 1918.

Not known / Anhysbys

Place of birth: South Wales

Service: Brickmaker

Notes: This young woman puddling silica clay was photographed for the Employment of Women collection at the newly established Imperial War Museum, c.1917.

Reference: WaW0182

Brickmaker

Young woman puddling clay

Not known / Anhysbys

Place of birth: South Wales

Service: Brickmaker

Notes: This young woman puddling silica clay was photographed for the Employment of Women collection at the newly established Imperial War Museum, c 1917.

Reference: WaW0183

Brickmaker

Young women puddling clay