Helen Smith (Thomas)

Place of birth: Swansea

Service: Child

Death: 1993, Swansea, Cause not known

Notes: Helen Smith, born 1908, was the daughter of Alfred and Elizabeth Smith of Swansea who emigrated to America when Helen was a few months old. In 1915 they decided to return to Swansea, and sailed on the Lusitania. When the ship was torpedoed on 7th May 1915 Helen had become separated from her parents and baby brother Hubert. They died, but she was rescued by a Canadian journalist, Ernest Cowper. She was reunited with her aunt Cecelia Owens, another passenger who had lost her two sons in the sinking. She later married John Henry Thomas and lived the rest of her life in Swansea.

Sources: http://www.rmslusitania.info/people/second-cabin/helen-smith/

Reference: WaW0227

Helen Smith

Helen Smith with her rescuer Ernest Cowper. Photograph taken in Queenstown, County Cork, Ireland. Helen is wearing new clothes donated by local well-wishers.

Newspaper report (1)

Report of the story of Lusitania survivor Helen Smith (1). Cambrian Daily Leader 10 May 1915

Newspaper report (2)

Report of the story of Lusitania survivor Helen Smith (2). Cambrian Daily Leader 10 May 1915

Newspaper report (3)

Report of the story of Lusitania survivor Helen Smith (3). Cambrian Daily Leader 10 May 1915

Mary E Smith

Place of birth: Dolgellau

Service: Forewoman, QMAAC

Death: 1918-08-21, Dolgellau, Sickness / Salwch

Memorial: War memorial, Dolgellau, Merionethshire

Notes: aged 42. Buried St Mary's Dolgellau.

Sources: http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Merionethshire/Meirionnydd/Dolgellau.html\r\nhttp://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/671636/SMITH,%20MARY%20ELIZABETH

Reference: WaW0056

Dolgellau Way Memorial

Name of Mary E Smith, Park Lane, on Dolgellau War Memorial

Gladys May Snell

Place of birth: Cadoxton, Barry

Notes: Gladys Snell was arrested on 7th May 1919 for the infanticide of her illegitimate 21 month-old son Ieuan Ralph. He had been drowned. She was sent for trial from the magistrates’ court to the Assize Court in Swansea. The jury there could not agree, and she then appeared at the November Assizes, where Gladys, then 19, was found guilty of manslaughter rather than murder. She was sentenced to nine months imprisonment. A number of well-wishers across S Wales, including the Boy Scouts, contributed to a fund to pay for her defence. The full story appears on the front page of the Cambrian Daily News, 25th July 1919.

Reference: WaW0364

Newspaper report

Report of the arrest of Gladys May Snell for infanticide. Barry Dock News 9th May 1919.

Newspaper letter

Letter appealing for defence funds for Gladys Snell. Barry Dock News 16th May 1919.

Defence fund accounts

Donations to Gladys May Snell defence fund, Barry Dock News 27th June.

Newspaper report

Report of jury’s failure to agree a verdict. Cambria Daily Leader26th July 1919.

Newspaper report

Newspaper report of jury’s verdict of manslaughter. Barry Dock News 7th November 1919.

Marion Crosland Soar

Place of birth: Kent

Service: Scientist, Chemist

Notes: Marion Soar entered University College, Bangor in 1913, and graduated BSc in 1917. She then became an assistant lecturer in chemistry at King’s College of Household and Social Science, specialising in bio-chemistry. In 1920 Marion was one of the first cohort of 20 women admitted as fellows to the Chemistry Society (along with Phyllis McKie [qv]), after a very long struggle. Women had been actively attempting admission since 1892.

Sources: Chemistry Was Their Life: Pioneer British Women Chemists 1880 – 1949. Marelene Rayner-Canham & Geoff Rayner-Canham Imperial College Press 2008

Reference: WaW0467

scientific report

Report of the formation of ferrous sulphide in eggs. Biochemical Journal April 1, 1920

Beatrice Elise Solly-Flood (née Hanbury, formerly Martin)

Place of birth: Monmouth ?

Service: Military wife and widow, committee woman

Notes: Elise Solly-Flood was married to zoologist Lieutenant Charles Martin of Abergavenny, a reservist who was killed in May 1915. In June 1916 she remarried, Brigadier-General Arthur Solly-Flood, a professional soldier. Elise supported all the local charities and organisations, including an inspection of the Abergavenny army cadets. She became involved as a reluctant witness in the fraud case against Nellie Prosser [qv] whom she had employed as a servant.

Reference: WaW0385

Marriage announcement

Announcement of the forthcoming marriage between Brigadier-General Arthur Solly-Flood and Mrs Charles Martin. Abergavenny Chronicle 19th May 1916.

Newspaper report

Report of the inspection of the Abergavenny cadets. Abergavenny Chronicle 11th May 1917.

Newspaper letter

Letter from Mrs Solly-Flood about reviving the Abergavenny Company of Girl Guides. Abergavenny Chronicle 22nd February 1918.

Enid Spedding

Place of birth: Goginan

Service: Clerk ?, WAAC, 1917 -

Notes: Enid seems to have joined the WAAC in Autumn 1917.

Reference: WaW0310

Newspaper photograph and report

Newspaper photograph of Enid Spedding, WAAC. Cambrian News 3rd May 1918.

Daisy Colnett Spickett

Place of birth: Pontypridd

Service: Nurse, VAD

Notes: Daisy, a lawyer’s daughter, joined the VAD when it was formed in 1910. She served in hospitals in Wales and England, and on hospital ships. Follow the link for a very interesting interview with Daisy recorded 1974 (IWM). There are 8 reels of tape amounting to about 2 hours of recording.

Sources: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80000510

Reference: WaW0128

Red Cross record card

Red Cross record card for Daisy Spickett (reverse)

Red Cross record card

Red Cross card for Daisy Spickett

Daisy Spickett VAD

Daisy Spickett in VAD uniform.

Jane Charlotte Stapleton Cotton (née Methuen)

Service: WI President

Notes: Jane Stapleton was the wife of Col Richard Stapleton Cotton, a land-owner and keen promoter of agricultural and social improvements. He introduced the idea of forming a Women’s Institute in Llanfairpwll, Anglesey, after meeting the Canadian Mrs Margaret Watt, who was involved in early Women’s Institutes in Canada. The first institute opened in June 1915, with Jane Stapleton as President. The programme was very much dictated by Col Stapleton Cotton; he and his dog Tinker remain the only two males to have been full WI members.

Sources: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01sdvv0; www.afwi.org.uk/the-first-wi-in-britain.html

Reference: WaW0241

Mrs Jane Stapleton Cotton

Mrs Stapleton 1st President of Llanfairpwll Women’s Institute

Col Stapleton Cotton and his dog Tinker

Col Stapleton Cotton and his dog Tinker were the only males ever to be full members of the Women’s Institute.

Newspaper report

Report of Llanfairpwll WI’s first Annual Meeting. North Wales Chronicle 22nd Sept 1916

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