Nancy Davies

Place of birth: Swansea

Service: Child performer

Notes: ‘Little Nancy Davies’, was billed as ‘Swansea’s little star’. She was a highly regarded child comedienne who appeared in fund-raising concerts in the Swansea area in 1918 and became a regular at the Swansea Empire. She also appeared on the bill of the Cardiff Empire.

Reference: WaW0456

Newspaper advertisement

Nancy Davies’s name on the bill of the Swansea Empire. Cambria Daily Leader 18th April 1919

Newspaper report

Review of Nancy Davies at the Swansea Empire. South Wales Weekly Post 10th May 1919

Newspaper report

Promotional piece about Nancy Davies. Cambria Daily Leader 15th November 1919

Violet Annie Davies

Place of birth: Llanelli

Service: Telephonist

Notes: Aged 15. Received the Medal of the Order of the British Empire 'For courage in remaining at her post at the telephone during a severe explosion'.

Sources: The Carmarthen Journal and South Wales Weekly Advertiser;

Reference: WaW0006

Newspaper report

report of presentation in The Carmarthen Journal and South Wales Weekly Advertiser 19th April 1918

Newspaper report

Report of presentation Cambrian Leader 30 April 1918

Violet Davies (reverse)

Reverse of photograph showing Violet Annie Davies's handwriting

Violet Annie Davies

Violet was 15-year-old telephonist at a munitions factory, awarded the MOBE for staying at her post during an explosion

Elisabeth De Saedeleer

Place of birth: Sint-Martens-Latem, Belgium

Service: Textile artist, painter

Death: 1972, Belgium, Cause not known

Notes: Elisabeth, born 1902, was the second of five daughters of the Belgian artist Valerius de Saedeleer. He was among a group of artists encouraged by Gwendoline and Margaret Davies [qv] to come to Wales as refugees in 1914. The family settled in Aberystwyth, with strong ties to University College, Aberystwyth. Elisabeth and her older sister Marie became interested in weaving and tapestries (encouraged by a meeting with William Morris’s daughter May); both taught in the newly formed Arts and Crafts department of the college, together with their father. On her return to Belgium in 1921 Elisabeth became noted as a designer and weaver of textiles and tapestries. She set up a workshop, besides writing several books on the craft and undertaking many public commissions.

Sources: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1177&context=tsaconf\r\nhttps://www.aber.ac.uk/en/media/departmental/informationservices/pdf/specialcollections/the-davies-family-and-belgian-refugee-artists-and-musicians-in-wales.pdf\r\nArt in Exile: Flanders, Wales and the First World War. 2002\r\n

Reference: WaW0331

Elisabeth De Saedeleer

Elisabeth De Saedeleer at her loom. Early 1920s.

Newspaper report

Report of an exhibition fundraising for a students’ union building, a memorial to the war dead of University College, Aberystwyth. Cambrian News 25th April 1919

Carpet

Carpet woven by Elisabeth to a design by Edgard Tytgat, c 1925.

Marie De Saedeleer

Place of birth: Sint-Martens-Latem, Belgium

Service: Weaver

Notes: Marie was the eldest of five daughters of the Belgian artist Valerius de Saedeleer. He was among a group of artists encouraged by Gwendoline and Margaret Davies [qv] to come to Wales as refugees in 1914. The family settled in Aberystwyth, with strong ties to University College, Aberystwyth. Marie, like her sister Elisabeth, [qv] became interested in weaving. They both taught in the newly formed Arts and Crafts department of the college, together with their father. On her return to Belgium in 1921 Marie worked with her sister Elisabeth at the Arts Centre they set up in Etikhove, Belgium.

Reference: WaW0332

Marie de Saedeleer and her sisters

Marie is one of the two girls standing at the front by their loom. Elisabeth is at the back.

Newspaper report

Report of a concert in aid of Dr Barnardo’s. Cambrian News 23rd August 1918.

Mabel Dearmer

Place of birth: Llanbleblig, 1872

Service: Volunteer, Red Cross/Y Groes Goch

Death: 1915-07-11, Serbia, Typhus/Pneumonia Teiffws/ Niwmonia

Notes: Mabel Dearmer, born 1872, was a successful writer, dramatist and illustrator of adult and children’s books. She and her husband the Rev Percy Dearmer were both pacifists and supporters of the Church League for Women’s Suffrage. When her husband accepted a post as chaplain to the British Red Cross in Serbia, she volunteered to go too, and died in July 1915. Her letters home were published posthumously as ‘Letters from a Field Hospital’.

Sources: http://britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk/untoldlives/2014/08/mabel-dearmer-in-serbia.html https://www.amazon.com/Letters-field-hospital-Mabel-Dearmer/dp/117677140X#reader_117677140X

Reference: WaW0092

Mabel Dearmer's grave, left.

Grave, on the left, of Mabel Dearmer, Kragujevac Central Cemetery, Serbia

Mabel Dearmer

Mabel’s photograph was collected by the Women’s Subcommittee of the Imperial War Museum as part of its collection of women who died during the War

Book illustration

One of Mabel Dearmer’s characteristic children’s book illustrations, 1901rnrn

Stobart Hospital Staff List

List of the staff of the Stobart Hospital, Kragujevac, Serbia. ‘Dearmer, Mrs Percy’ is listed under ‘Women Orderlies’ and her husband The Rev Dr P Dearmer is the Hon Chaplain. Emily Hill [qv] is listed under ‘Nursing Sisters.

Augusta Devisch (née Dekien)

Place of birth: Belgium

Service: Refugee, wife

Death: 2nd February 1916, ‘long and lingering illness’/ ’salwch hir a throfaus’

Notes: Augusta, born c 1895, was a refugee from Belgium living with her husband Edward, two step children and other family members in Siloa Buildings, Aberdare. The community worshipped at Siloa Chapel which allowed the Belgian Catholics to use the building.

Sources: Aberdare leader 12th February 1916

Reference: WaW0137

Aberdare Leader

Newspaper report of funeral

Esther Devonald

Place of birth: Swansea

Service: Munitions Worker

Death: TNT poisoning/Gwenwyno gan TNT

Sources: http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums

Reference: WaW0009

Newspaper report of Inquest

Newspaper report of Inquest into death of munitions worker Esther Devonald

Lilian Dove

Place of birth: Cardiff

Service: Nurse

Notes: Lilian Dove was the daughter of the former minister of Roath Road Wesleyan Methodist Church, Cardiff. She survived the sinking of SS Osmanieh, in which Margaret Dorothy Roberts died, on 31st December 1917. The Roath Road Roamer reported that she was 'rescued and is apparently none the worse for her unsought adventure and the exposure, shock and explosion, except that she unfortunately lost all her belongings’. She nursed in Alexandria until the end of the War. information courtesy of Glamorgan Archives (DWESA6).

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

Reference: WaW0113

Hilda Jessie Downing

Place of birth: Newtown

Service: Nurse, 1914 - 1918

Death: 1918-10-10, Newtown, Influenza / Y Ffliw

Memorial: War memorial, Newtown, Montgomeryshire

Notes: aged 29. Worked in military hospital Broadstairs, Kent.

Reference: WaW0010

Newtown War Memorial

Name of Nurse Hilda Jessie Downing on Newtown War Memorial

Maude Downs

Place of birth: Barry ?

Service: Locomotive cleaner , Barry Railway Company

Notes: The Barry Railway accident book reveals that Maud, aged 23, was injured while working underneath an engine on 17th September 1917. A large spring fell on her foot. Her wages are recorded as 23 shillings a week.

Sources: Women and the Barry Railway.Blog by Mike Esbester on March 22, 2021

Reference: WaW0480

Photograph

Women locomotive cleaners at work