Gertrude Fairclough

Place of birth: Lancashire, 1880

Service: Wife and Mother

Notes: Gertrude Fairclough was the wife of Major Rowland Fairclough, Royal Welch Fusiliers, and spent her married life in Mold, Flintshire. Family traditions says that once her husband had joined his regiment in France (despite being 48 in 1914), she moved into a hotel.

Reference: WaW0076

Gertrude Fairclough c.1915

Gertrude Fairclough née Appleby, wife of Major Rowland Fairclough, Royal Welch Fusiliers.

Gladys *

Place of birth: Cardiff

Service: Girl

Notes: Photograph of a teenage girl dressed in the uniform of a regular soldier in the Royal Artillery (too large for her) complete with swagger stick, seated in a chair. Her hair is tied back with a large bow, indicating that she is probably no older than 16 or 17.; Reverse of photograph indicating it was taken at Gale’s Studios Ltd, Queen’s Street, Cardiff. Inscribed in ink ‘From Gladys / To Ada’.

Reference: WaW0077

Photograph of Gladys, Cardiff

Photograph of Gladys, a teenage girl, dressed in the uniform of the Royal Artillery, c.1914

Reverse of photograph of Gladys

Reverse of photograph, taken at Gale’s Studios Ltd, Queen’s Street, Cardiff, inscribed 'To Ada From Gladys'.

Jean Arbuckle

Place of birth: Scotland

Service: Schoolgirl

Notes: 'My mother, Jean Wardlaw Arbuckle, was born in Scotland and spent her early years there in various small towns and villages in the central belt from Gourock in the west to Preston Pans in the east. She was the third of twelve children. When she was about 11 years old, the family moved to the coal-mining valleys in Wales, as her father sought promotion in the coal industry.My mother was 15 years old when World War I broke out. The memories she passed down to me were of the extreme difficulty in obtaining food, and its high cost, until rationing was brought in. She said that it was extremely unfair for poorer families, and that rationing made the situation much fairer. At the beginning of the War the family lived in Tondu, just north of Bridgend, but moved to Llanharan, eight miles from Bridgend some time during 1915. She attended Bridgend County School during those years, travelling by train from Llanharan station. The scarcity of staff seems to have caused some level of amalgamation of the boys and girls schools. It seems to have been quite a lax regime with a considerable amount of truancy. The pupils often disappeared during the day, walking to Merthyr Mawr, boys and girls together.One day she decided to leave school early, and hitched a lift with a farmer, riding in his horse-drawn trap back to Llanharan on the then narrow and twisting road. My grandfather had one of the few cars in the area at that time, and she heard it coming towards them along the road. She knew that if he saw her she would get the strap, so she jumped off the trap, over the hedge, and then walked the rest of the way home.The family were members of the Plymouth Brethren, but this does not seem to have stopped the children running a bit wild.' Janet Davies 13.11.2015.

Reference: WaW0078

Mimmi (Sarah) Richards

Service: Mother

Notes: Mother, Mimmi (Sarah) and sister, Edith, to her left, at Tom’s graveside, c.1920; Gunner Thomas Sidney Richards,‘killed in action’, Armentieres, France, 14 March 1918, aged 20 in northern France, c. 1920

Reference: WaW0079

Sarah (Mimmi) and Edith Richards

Photograph of Mimmi (Sarah) and Edith Richards, Mother and sister of Gunner Thomas Sidney Richards, at his grave in France, c.1920; Tom Richards was ‘killed in action’, Armentieres, France

Thomas Richards

Tom Richards was ‘killed in action’, Armentieres, France

Edith Richards

Service: Sister

Notes: Mother, Mimmi (Sarah) and sister, Edith, to her left, at Tom’s graveside, c.1920; Gunner Thomas Sidney Richards,‘killed in action’, Armentieres, France, 14 March 1918, aged 20 in northern France, c. 1920

Reference: WaW0080

Edith and Mimmi (Sarah) Richards

Photograph of Edith and Mimmi (Sarah) Richards, Mother and sister of Gunner Thomas Sidney Richards, at his grave in France, c.1920; Tom Richards was ‘killed in action’, Armentieres,France

Thomas Richards

Tom Richards was ‘killed in action’, Armentieres, France

Olivia Griffiths

Place of birth: Cilgerran

Service: Lecturer

Notes: Olivia Griffiths was an Assistant Lecturer in the Education department of Aberystwyth University in 1916. Later she moved on to Bangor Normal College (1920s).

Reference: WaW0081

Olivia Griffiths in academic dress, c 1910 ; ; .

Olivia Griffiths in academic dress, 1910. She obtained a first class degree in German at Aberystwyth University despite the death of her mother during the exam period

Olivia Griffiths as a schoolgirl (standing next to the teacher)

Olivia Griffiths as a schoolgirl (standing next to the teacher) c.1905

Abigail James

Service: Munitions Worker

Notes: Abigail James lived in Brynhyfryd Swansea. She worked in the Swansea National Shell Factory as a Thread Miller.

Reference: WaW0082

Abigail James, Swansea National Shell Factory

Close up of Abigail James, Swansea National Shell Factory, 1915 - 1917 Abigail James (middle row, 1st left) with fellow workers Swansea National Shell Factory, 1915 - 1917; Swansea National Shell Factory workers c. 1915-1917. Abigail James sits 6th from right front row.

Abigail James with fellow workers, Swansea National Shell Factory

Abigail James (middle row, 1st left) with fellow workers Swansea National Shell Factory, 1915 - 1917

Swansea National Shell Factory workers c. 1915-1917

; Swansea National Shell Factory workers c. 1915-1917. Abigail James sits 6th from right front row.

Hannah Isaacs

Service: Munitions Worker

Sources: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/dec/24/soldiers-letters-bring-first-world-war-christmas-truce-to-life

Reference: WaW0083

Margaret Ann Lloyd

Place of birth: Morriston 1894

Service: Munitions Worker

Notes: Margaret Ann Lloyd from Morriston (on the left) and friend (unknown) when they worked in the Mannesman Ammunition Factory manufacturing shells in Morriston – age early 20s. c. 1914-8

Reference: WaW0084

Margaret Ann Lloyd (L) and friend

Margaret Ann Lloyd (seated) and a friend, Mannesman Ammunition Factory, Morriston, c.1915 or 1916

Minnie Bevan

Place of birth: Swansea

Service: Munitions Worker

Notes: Suffered from shock but survived the accident that killed Gwendoline (Gwenllian) Williams and Sarah Jane Thomas 8th January 1919

Reference: WaW0085

Newspaper report of explosion

Minnie Bevan mentioned in a newspaper report, Carmarthen Journal Jan 1919