OUR HIDDEN HEROINES

“Better known by her bardic name of Cranogwen, Sarah Jane Rees was a pioneer in many fields – from poetry to journalism. She defied all the suffocating restrictions of Victorian womanhood to enjoy a ground-breaking career rich in experiences, achievement and adventure. Her first claim to fame was as a master mariner. From the time she was a little girl in Llangrannog, Cranogwen was determined to live a less conventional life. Her parents wanted her to be a dressmaker, but she persuaded her sea captain father to take her on board ship. For two years she worked as a sailor on cargo ships between Wales and France before returning to London and Liverpool to further her nautical education.

She gained her master mariner’s certificate – a qualification that allowed her to command a ship in any part of the world. Back in West Wales – overcoming opposition to the appointment of a woman - she became a head-teacher at 21, educating the children of the village, and taught navigation and seamanship to local young men. Many men who would later go on to sail and captain ships across the world’s oceans were trained by Sarah Jane Rees at this small school on the coast of Ceredigion.

In 1865 her writing skills turned her into an instant Welsh celebrity as she became the first woman to win a poetry prize at the National Eisteddfod – beating the major male Welsh poets of the day, Islwyn and Ceiriog. Writing under the name of Cranogwen, her winning poem Y Fodrwy Briodasal - The Wedding Ring - was a moving satire on the married woman’s destiny, using the wedding ring as a recurring symbol.

She went on to be one of the most popular poets in Wales, winning more eisteddfod prizes and exploring themes from Welsh patriotism to shipwrecks. Her first collection of around 40 poems was published in 1870. And in 1879 she became the first woman to edit a Welsh-language women’s magazine – Y Frythones, a role she relished for 13 years. Packed with stories, poems and features, it campaigned for girls’ education and even had a problem page.

As an editor, Cranogwen also encouraged the talents of other women. Several of the female writers she gave a platform to in Y Frythones went on to successful literary careers.

Cranogwen was brilliant with the spoken as well as the written word. At a time when public speaking by women was frowned upon, she embarked on a career as a lecturer, Temperance campaigner and preacher – travelling across America twice. She often faced considerable opposition from male preachers when she took to the pulpit but was hugely popular with audiences who warmed to her vivid use of language and compelling delivery.

Temperance was an important issue for Cranogwen. She saw the impact of alcoholic excess on family life in much the same way we would view the dangers of drug abuse today. In 1901 she founded Undeb Dirwestol Merched y De (South Wales Women's Temperance Union). By the time of her death in 1916 there were 140 branches throughout South Wales. One of her most progressive ideas was a refuge for young women. And while she didn’t live to see this dream of a house for homeless girls built, the shelter Llety Cranogwen was opened in her memory in Tonypandy in 1922.

So many pioneering achievements for a woman born 180 years ago.”

Professor Jane Aaron, biographer of Cranogwen and member of the Cranogwen Monument Steering Group

Listen to  Professor Aaron talking about Cranogwen at the launch of our fund raising for the Cranogwen statue here.

Yn fwy adnabyddus yn ôl ei enw barddol, Cranogwen, roedd Sarah Jane Rees yn arloeswr mewn nifer

o feysydd - o farddoniaeth i newyddiaduraeth. Cafodd ei ddisgrifio fel “merch Gymreig fwyaf

nodedig y bedwaredd ganrif ar bymtheg."

Enillodd ei thystysgrif prif forwraig - cymhwyster a oedd yn caniatáu iddi reoli llong yn unrhyw ran o'r

byd. Daeth yn brifathrawes yn 21 oed, a diolch i'w sgiliau ysgrifennu, daeth yn seren dros nos yng

Nghymru gan mai hi oedd y wraig gyntaf i ennill gwobr farddoniaeth yn yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol.

Ar adeg pan nad oedd hi'n dderbyniol i fenywod siarad yn gyhoeddus, cychwynnodd yrfa fel

darlithydd a phregethwraig - gan deithio ledled Cymru ac America ddwywaith.

Hi oedd y fenyw gyntaf i olygu cylchgrawn Cymraeg i fenywod - Y Frythones. Roedd hwn yn

ymgyrchu dros addysg marched. Hi hefyd sefydlodd Undeb Dirwestol Merched y De. Ac er na fu hi

byw i weld ei breuddwyd o dŷ i ferched digartref yn cael ei adeiladu, agorwyd y lloches Llety

Cranogwen er cof iddi ar ôl ei marwolaeth.

Author, television dramatist and evolutionary theorist, a true Renaissance woman of Wales who excelled in both the arts and science.

From the humblest of beginnings in Hopkinstown, Elaine changed the world yet never abandoned her valleys roots. An award-winning scriptwriter she helped create some of the seminal dramas of the 60s, 70s and 80s, from Testament of Youth to The Life and Times of Lloyd George. 

She brought equality to evolutionary theory with her pioneering book The Descent of Woman – which become a key text in the Women’s liberation movement and saw her feted by the major American feminist thinkers of the day. And Elaine’s advocacy of the Aquatic Ape theory of evolution brought her global recognition. At the age of 89 the Ted Talk she gave on evolutionary theory attracted more than a million viewers, which you can see here.

Roedd Elaine Morgan yn fenyw â llawer o ddoniau a newidiodd y byd o'i desg yn yn Aberpennar. Roedd yn rhagori yn y celfyddydau ac mewn gwyddoniaeth, a daeth yn awdures deledu flaenllaw, ac yn ddamcaniaethwraig arloesol ym maes esblygiad.

Enillodd nifer o wobrau a sgriptiodd rai o’r dramâu mwyaf annwyl yn hanes y teledu yn y 60au, 70au ac 80au - gan gynnwys  Testament of Youth a The Life and Times of Lloyd George.

Trodd Elaine ei ffocws at wyddoniaeth, gan herio nerth y sefydliadau gwrywaidd eu byd gyda ei llyfr The Descent of Woman. Yn cael ei hystyried yn America fel arwres ffeministaidd, daeth llyfr Elaine yn destun allweddol ym mudiad Rhyddhad y Merched. Aeth ymlaen i gyhoeddi llawer mwy o lyfrau ar esblygiad - gan gynnwys The Aquatic Ape  a wnaeth unwaith eto ddal sylw byd-eang. Gwyliodd fwy na miliwn o bobl y ddarlith ar y rhyngrwyd a roddwyd gan Elaine pan oedd yn 89 oed.

Margaret Haig Thomas (Lady Rhondda) may have been a Welshwoman of privilege but she used that privilege in the best way possible – to fight for the rights of ALL women.

She did things few other women of her background would have dared. A suffragette who made the fight for the vote front page news, she was sent to prison where she went on hunger strike. She continued to campaign until all women got the vote in 1928. 

During World War I, she oversaw the recruitment of women into the services. She was the greatest global businesswoman of her era, sitting on the board of 33 companies and chairing seven of them. 

She also became the first female to head the Institute of Directors. As a journalist she created a ground-breaking magazine that featured the biggest literary names of the 20th century. And she was the “persistent peeress” whose four decades of campaigning ensured females could finally take their seats in the House of Lords.

Click here for an article in  Nation.Cymru contributed to by MWW member and historian Angela V John.  Also, if you would like to here the BBC Radio 4 Great Lives programme on Lady Rhondda, click here.

 Roedd yr Argwlyddes Rhondda yn fenyw freintiedig ond defnyddiodd y fraint honno yn y ffordd orau bosibl - i ymladd dros hawliau BOB menyw.

Fe wnaeth hi bethau na fyddai ond ychydig o fenywod eraill o’i chefndir wedi meiddio eu gwneud. Roedd hi’n swffragét a wnaeth y frwydr am y bleidlais yn newyddion tudalen flaen. Cafodd ei hanfon i'r carchar, lle aeth hi ar streic newyn. Fe wnaeth hi barhau â’r frwydr ar gyfer y bleidlais i ferched a arweiniodd at yr holl ferched yn cael pleidlais yn 1928.

Yn ystod y Rhyfel Byd Cyntaf fe wnaeth hi sicrhau fod merched yn chwarae rhan hollbwysig, gan eu recriwtio i’r gwasanaethau merched. Hi oedd menyw fusnes fyd-eang fwyaf ei hoes - roedd hi'n eistedd ar fwrdd 33 o gwmnïau ac yn cadeirio 7 ohonynt.

Hi oedd y fenyw gyntaf i fod yn Llywydd Sefydliad y Cyfarwyddwyr. Fel newyddiadurwraig, creodd bapur wythnosol arloesol a dylanwadol iawn o'r enw Time and Tide, a oedd yn cynnwys rhai o gewri llenyddol yr ugeinfed ganrif.

Ac Arglwyddes Rhondda yw'r rheswm y gall merched eistedd yn Nhŷ'r Arglwyddi heddiw. Ymladdodd am ddeugain mlynedd i gael arglwyddi benywaidd.

A Welsh-speaking Rhondda seamstress who left school at 13, Elizabeth became one of the most politically active Welsh women of the early 20th century. 

This suffragist and miner’s wife put the needs of women and children at the heart of her campaigns. She told the world how mining affected colliers’ families too, fighting for pit-head baths and better housing. She encouraged women to become politically engaged and use their hard-won vote, setting up women’s groups which she called “working women’s universities”. 

She also became one of Britain’s first female magistrates. And at a time when “domestic issues” were rarely discussed in male-dominated local government, she campaigned for maternity rights, childcare and founded one of the earliest nursery schools in Wales.

Roedd Elizabeth Andrews, gwniadwraig o’r  Rhondda a oedd yn siarad Cymraeg , yn un o weithredwyr gwleidyddol benywaidd mwyaf dylanwadol Cymru yn nechrau'r 20fed ganrif. 

Fel etholfreinwraig  a gwraig i löwr, rhoddodd  anghenion menywod a phlant wrth wraidd ei hymgyrchoedd. Siaradodd yn rymus am effaith y pyllau ar fywyd teuluol  a daeth yn ffigwr blaenllaw yn yr ymgyrch ar gyfer baddonau pen pwll a safonau byw gwell. Daeth a ag anghenion menywod dosbarth gweithiol i'r arena wleidyddol, a sefydlodd adrannau a chynghorau cynghorol i fenywod, gan eu disgrifio fel "prifysgolion i fenywod sy'n gweithio."

Hi oedd un o ynadon benywaidd cyntaf Prydain. Trodd Elizabeth ei sylw hefyd at wella gofal mamolaeth a gofal plant, gan sefydlu gwasanaeth clinigau, bydwragedd, ymwelwyr iechyd ac un o'r ysgolion meithrin cyntaf erioed yng Nghymru

The child of Butetown who was told by her teacher a working class black girl could never aspire to the academic heights proved her doubters wrong in the most inspirational way.

She became Wales’ first headteacher to be a woman of colour and championed her nation’s multicultural heritage throughout her life. No wonder Nelson Mandela sought her out on his only visit to Wales. Her school became a template throughout the UK for good practice in multicultural education while Betty also helped create Black history Month.

She continued to influence Welsh life through a series of public appointments, serving as an independent councillor for Butetown, a board member for BBC Wales, a member of the Home Office’s race advisory committee and a member of the Commission for Racial Equality.

Dywedwyd wrth Betty Campbell na allai merch ddu o'r dosbarth gweithiol byth lwyddo, ond profodd bod yr amheuwyr hyn yn anghywir.

Daeth yn brifathrawes ddu gyntaf Cymru a bu'n hyrwyddo treftadaeth amlddiwylliannol ei chenedl trwy gydol ei hoes. Nid yw'n syndod bod Nelson Mandela wedi gofyn am gwrdd â hi ar ei unig ymweliad â Chymru. Lledaenodd enwogrwydd Betty y tu hwnt i Gymru gan fod ei hysgol hi wedi dod yn dempled ar gyfer addysg amlddiwylliannol. Helpodd hefyd i greu Mis Hanes Pobl Dduon.

Tyfodd ei dylanwad ar fywyd cyhoeddus pan ddaeth yn aelod o'r Comisiwn Cydraddoldeb Hiliol, ac yn aelod o bwyllgor ymgynghorol cynghori hil y Swyddfa Gartref. Roedd hi hefyd yn eiriolwr angerddol dros bobl Tre-biwt fel cynghorydd, wrth i'r gymuned wynebu newid sylweddol drwy ddatblygiad Bae Caerdydd.