The Penparke or Darllenfa Sewing Circle - Part One

At the outbreak of war in 1914 women were faced with very limited choices in the ways that they could contribute to the war effort. The choice was basically between nursing or sewing or knitting items for the troops.  In Aberystwyth there were several groups which met together to sew or knit often linked to churches or chapels. One of the most active of the groups was the Penparke Women’s Sewing Society, also known as the Darllenfa Sewing Circle. The Society, inaugurated on October 14, 1914, consisted of 16 members. The group was non sectarian and met one afternoon a week in Y Darllenfa (The Reading Room,) a wooden building which at that time was located behind St Anne’s Church, Penparcau

To begin with a grant was received from the Red Cross Society through Lady Pryse of two rolls of flannel and five and a half pounds of wool plus an additional grant of £5 for extra material. When this supply was used up, friends kindly donated materials and members often used their own materials to make or finish garments. Supporters who were unable to attend the meetings knitted garments at home.

In spite of local people’s generosity, there was a constant need to buy more material to work with and the Penparke ladies often had to set about raising money themselves. A  collection in Penparcau raised £11 and eighteen shillings and nine pence  which  included £3  from a concert by John Jenkins in the church and £2 and six shillings from a lecture and recital held in Ebenezer Chapel. 

The society was very fortunate in having among its members some professional shirt makers. The cutting out was done by experts and close attention was paid to the quality of work so that the garments produced should, the words of a Cambrian News reporter, “bear no marks of the amateur needlewoman”.

In a few months 245 articles had been made including 77 Welsh flannel shirts (two members being responsible for 39 of these) 42 pairs of socks, bed jackets, balaclava helmets and mittens. These were sent out to a wide range of needy soldiers including the Motor Machine Gun Service, the Army Flying Corps, Belgian women refugees at Alexandra Palace and of course local Welsh soldiers  Some early items  for local soldiers were sent to Cambridge where The Cardiganshire Battery was stationed but later on  items to them had to be sent abroad. One parcel was described by the recipient in his thank you letter as being opened “not many yards away from the German trenches.”

Whilst on leave from the front Major Abraham Thomas, a doctor serving with the Cardiganshire Battery, paid a visit to the Sewing Circle at their usual weekly meeting. He offered to take items from the Penparcau Sewing Circle to six local men who were serving in his unit. His suggestion was promptly accepted and on his return to France Major Thomas took charge of a canvas bale containing shirts, socks, soap, candles and writing materials which was then divided up to make separate parcels for individual soldiers.  The soldiers all wrote back promptly, their letters being quite lengthy and often written in pencil. The items were clearly very much appreciated and as well as being very practical keeping the men warm they also helped to boost morale.

Here is a typical letter sent in January 1916 with the address “Somewhere in France”

I wish to thank the ladies of the Darllenfa Sewing Class on my behalf for their kindness in sending such a most useful parcel of articles which I received today from Major Rea.  As they were just what I required here as the weather has been so wet and cold here lately. We are all in the best of health and spirits here and all doing well. Again please convey my best thanks also accept the same yourself. I remain
Yours sincerely D.J. Jones

The Aberystwyth War Items books compiled by George Eyre Evans and his sister are full of many such thank you letters from people in places all over the world which reflect the gratitude of those who received the garments. Here are two examples:

Both letters reproduce by permission of NLW

During the war the Penparke group  frequently responded to direct requests from various groups and organisations. For example, they sent pyjamas and draw sheets to the Welsh Hospital at Netley where the Aberystwyth nurse Emilie Evans was the matron;  shirts and socks to The Welsh Horse serving in the Dardanelles  at the request of George Pryse: to The Motor Machine Gun Service at the request of Lieutenant Colonel R.W. Bradley and to the Women’s Patriotic  League in response to a request from Mrs Parker, sister of Lord Kitchener, Secretary of State for War,  to  send  comforts and clothing to Serbians who were in terrible need of anything that could be sent.

Blog by one of our project volunteers 
Source: George Eyre Evans papers, National Library of Wales