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<p>The 1911 Census records that Florence Anstey was born in Bath, Somerset and was 44 at the time the Census was taken and that she was not a Welsh speaker. There were seven Assistant Mistresses, aged between 27 and 33, resident at the school at the time. Five spoke only English the other two spoke English and Welsh.
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<p>79 pupils are recorded; most were born in Wales or England. Three pupils were born in Bombay, Madras and Shanghai respectively.
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<p>One of the pupils (Dorothy May Davies) aged 16 and from Liverpool, was to go on to become something of a legend at DWS. She retired in 1961 after 42 years teaching.
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<p>The DWS Homefront 1914 gallery pages on this site reveal how the school 'did its bit', affording glimpses of the impact of the war in rural Wales and on one school community. Miss Anstey must have been a source of inspiration for all their efforts.
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Miss Florence Anstey, Headmistress 1906-1924

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<p>This auxiliary military hospital opened for two years during the First World War, closing on the 22 March 1919. There are stories in the school magazine about the entertainments, eggs and newspapers provided by the girls and staff of DWS for the wounded soldiers while they were convalescing at Caernynwch.
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See the Related Story links on this page.
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Caerynwch Auxiliary Military Hospital, patients and nurse

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Military hospital World War 1 Caerynwch

<p>Miss Owen left at Christmas to prepare for her marriage.
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More pupils were being accommodated.
<br>Form 11 increased to such 'an alarming extent that it was found necessary to make a separate First Form'. Three little Belgian girls who are refugees in Dolgelley are placed in this form.
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<p>Great excitement was caused by a visit of part of the Welsh Army Corps on January 20th on a route march through Merionethshire.
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A page of snippets from the July 1915 school magazine

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magazine 1915 refugees Welsh Army Corps World War 1

<p>A page from the 1915 School magazine includes an item about a lecture by a Miss Tungate, an American lady, who 'kept her audience enraptured for more than an hour' talking about her experiences in Belgium at the outbreak of war.
A collection was made for destitute Belgians left in their own country.
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<p>Another item notes the celebrations for the school's 37th birthday on February 7th.
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<p>The snippet at the top of the page completes an item about a route march by the Welsh Army Corps as it goes past the school during dinner. It afforded 'An excellent view of the splendid looking men who are doing their best for King and Country'.
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Miss Tungate's 'Delightful lecture' on being in Belgium 1914

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Magazine World War 1 Belgium School Birthday

<p>A page from July 1915 school magazine lists the various societies pupils supported by making clothes. The garments were sent weekly to the Red Cross,the Sailors' Institute, Queen Mary's Needlework Guild,the Zenana Mission (for Indian soldiers wounded or at the Front),local territorials and refugees in Aberystwyth, Barmouth and Dolgelley and also to destitute Belgians left in their own devastated country.
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<p>Socks seem to have been in demand, judging by this page.
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Sewing for the Red Cross, Refugees, destitute Belgians 1915

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magazine World War 1 Refugees Red Cross sewing

<p>Gifts to the museum recorded in the July 1915 School magazine included:
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<p>A piece of the Bell of Nieuport Cathedral in Belgium, shattered by bombardment
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A Belgian Railway ticket
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<p>Biscuit, as supplied to our Soldiers, presented by Majel Fennell
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Swallows Egg and Staghorn Moss from Cader
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<p>and an item identified thus: 'The Roman Matrons giving up their jewels to carry on the war against Hannibal (cf. German Women in 1915)
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A bell shattered by bombardment in Belgium, Museum gift 1915

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magazine museum 1915 World War 1

<p>Gifts to the school museum, noted in the school magazine February 1916, included cartridges taken from a Turkish soldier in Gallipoli, a glass float from a net to catch submarines found on the Carnovonshire coast, 'curiosities' from Bolivia, a shell case from Northern France (donated by Captain Cecil Gwynne Thomas) and birds' eggs.
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Gifts to the Museum included cartridges from Gallipoli, 1916

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Gallipoli World War 1 museum France submarine

<p>This article, published in the July 1917 school magazine, describes the Bazaar as 'The great event of the year'. One,for which, the girls had worked since July 1916. As a result of their efforts £50 was sent to the Red Cross, £50 to the Dolgelley Sick and Wounded Fund,and £12 to a Fund for Disabled Soldiers.
There was a sale of garments and decorative handwork and an exhibition. The school dining room was transformed into a 'first class restaurant'. The entertainment on offer included a play, Welsh duets and an action song called 'Red Cross Nurses'. Interestingly there was also an 'amusing costume song on Women's Rights'
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The Red Cross Bazaar - fundraising event, December 1916

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Fundraising bazaar 1916 women's rights Red Cross World War 1

<p>The school magazine July 1917 records a list of items donated to the museum. Objects range from a hand grenade, to pressed flowers, to shells from Harlech beach,to part of a bomb dropped by a Zeppelin in Norfolk, an emu's egg from Australia and a replica of Lusitania medal. The 'anna' was then a unit of currency in India.
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Pressed flowers and a hand grenade to the school museum 1917

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museum World War 1 1917

<p>A page from the July 1917 school magazine describes girls and mistresses 'doing their bit' for food production by preparing the soil and planting potatoes in a newly ploughed field near the school. Their own gardens had been planted with early potatoes before they went home.
Prize giving was cancelled so that any available funds could be distributed to the Red Cross.
Even the school birthday celebrations were affected.There was no icing on the cake and the 38 candles remained unlit.
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Food production campaign and the school birthday 1917

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Food production. school birthday World War 1

Closure of the Caerynwch Military Hospital, Brithdir 1919

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Caerynwch Military Hospital World War 1 Mrs. Richards Miss Anstey

<p>This item, from the July 1919 'School Notes', records how the news came at 11.30 a.m. It was a 'great surprise'. Lessons stopped, flags were found from nowhere, church bells pealed again after a long silence, everyone cheered, the girls marched. A huge bonfire was lit and mistresses and girls encircled it, singing patriotic songs until they had no voices left. Then they all went in and danced.
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News of the Armistice, November 11th 1918, DWS celebrated

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Armistice Day celebrations World War 1 1918

Dr Williams’ School
Dolgellau
1878 - 1975

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Miss Florence Anstey, Headmistress 1906-1924

Caerynwch Auxiliary Military Hospital, patients and nurse

A page of snippets from the July 1915 school magazine

Miss Tungate's 'Delightful lecture' on being in Belgium 1914

Sewing for the Red Cross, Refugees, destitute Belgians 1915

A bell shattered by bombardment in Belgium, Museum gift 1915

Gifts to the Museum included cartridges from Gallipoli, 1916

The Red Cross Bazaar - fundraising event, December 1916

Pressed flowers and a hand grenade to the school museum 1917

Food production campaign and the school birthday 1917

Closure of the Caerynwch Military Hospital, Brithdir 1919

News of the Armistice, November 11th 1918, DWS celebrated