A talk presented by Susan Davies Sit and Ellen Walker Siuta to celebrate one of the most important moments in Welsh women’s history: the peace appeal and petition sent by the women of Wales to the women of the United States in 1924 and to mark the opening of the Peacemakers exhibition in the National Library of Wales.

Susan and Ellen are members of the Heddwch Nain/Mam-gu (Grandma’s Peace) USA group who have worked relentlessly to tell the story of the Women’s Peace Petition. They will share the history of the Petition, but the focus will be to shed new light on Elined Prys, one of the three women selected to serve as delegates for the Welsh Women’s Peace Appeal.

Modern researchers have been able to learn a great deal about the other two delegates, Annie Hughes Griffiths and Mary Ellis, but Elined was more of a mystery until recently. Thanks to the generosity of Elined’s family and financial donations, they have discovered many personal letters written by Elined to her family during the crucial postwar years, between 1919 and 1924.

The talk will use those letters and other information to explore why Elined was chosen to serve as a peace delegate for Wales. Susan and Ellen aim to paint a picture of Elined as a woman of intelligence and wit who possessed a strong will and remarkable empathy.

Susan Davies Sit was born in Colwyn Bay and moved overseas in her late twenties to work in the Hospitals and Hospitality industry. She now lives with her family in Connecticut, USA. In her retirement she is a member of Heddwch Nain/Mam-gu USA, the President of the Welsh Society of Western New England, a team member of Cymdeithas Madog, a Welsh language learning organisation in America.

Ellen Walker Siuta was born in Criccieth and moved to the United States of America in 1980. She has travelled with her family, both overseas and in the USA, and now lives in Leesburg, Virginia. She is a retired teacher and director and a member of Heddwch Nain/Mam-gu USA and the Washington DC Welsh Society.

An English language talk