Jemima Nicholas (also spelt Niclas; bapt. 2 March 1755 – 16 July 1832), also known as Jemima Fawr, was a Welsh heroine during the 1797 Battle of Fishguard (commonly known as the last invasion of mainland Britain).
Jemima Nicholas | |
|---|---|
 Memorial stone for Jemima Nicholas outside St Mary's Church, Fishguard | |
| Born | Llanrhian, Wales |
| Baptised | 2 March 1755 |
| Died | 16 July 1832 (aged 82) Fishguard, Wales |
| Occupation(s) | Cobbler, homemaker |
Early life
editJemima Nicholas was the daughter of Elinor and William Nicholas of Llanrhian, and was baptised on 2 March 1755 in Mathry.[1] She was a cobbler,[2] or a cobbler's wife.[3]
Battle of Fishguard
editIn 1797, 1,400 French troops, many of them drawn from prisons,[4] sailed from Camaret and landed at Llanwnda in Wales.[5] According to folk legend, armed with a pitchfork, Nicholas led a group of women and rounded up 12 French soldiers who had been drinking, and held them captive inside a church overnight. The French surrendered shortly afterwards at the Royal Oak pub.[1] She was awarded a lifetime pension for her efforts.[6]
A Jemima Nicholas was also involved with rioting in Fishguard in 1824, though she was not convicted of any crime.[7]
Legacy
editNicholas died at the age of 82 on 16 July 1832.[2] A memorial stone was installed in the churchyard of St Mary's, Fishguard, in 1897, on the occasion of the invasion's centennial.[8] She is featured in the Last Invasion Tapestry commissioned by the Fishguard Arts Society for the 200th anniversary of the invasion. The 100-foot-long tapestry is housed in its own gallery on the first floor of Fishguard Town Hall.[9][10]
In 2019, a hat said to have belonged to Jemima Nicholas sold by one of her brother's descendants at a charity auction, for £5,000. The buyer was a distant relative who lived in Australia.[11][12]
The town of Fishguard has an official Jemima Nicholas re-enactor. She was played by Yvonne Fox, until her death in 2010,[13] and has been portrayed by Jacqui Scarr since 2013.[14]
A children's book about Nicholas, Jemima Nicholas: Heroine of the Fishguard Invasion by Sian Lewis, was published in 2012, as part of a series on Welsh women's history.[6][15]
Jemima Nicholas was included in the list of 100+ Welsh women who have made a significant contribution to Welsh life produced by WEN Wales.[16]
In February 2024, a Purple Plaque in her memory was installed in Fishguard.[17]
References
edit- ^ a b "Invasion heroine's records find". BBC News. 4 April 2006. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
- ^ a b "Jemima Nicholas, a Fishguard Heroine". Coastal Cottages. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
- ^ Hayward, Will (28 October 2017). "The Welsh woman with a pitchfork who faced down an invading army". WalesOnline. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
- ^ Shakespeare, Andrew-Paul (22 February 2019). "The Glorious Army of France, Beaten by a Bunch of Girls!". Medium. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
- ^ Johnson, Ben. "The last invasion of Britain by the French at Fishguard". Historic UK. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
- ^ a b "The Royal Oak, Fishguard". Land of Legends. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
- ^ Lewis, Mike (3 May 2017). "Did heroine Jemima have a later brush with the law?". County Echo. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
- ^ "Fishguard". Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
- ^ "The Last Invasion Tapestry". Fishguard Library. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
- ^ "Jemima the Great and the Fishguard Tapestry". Historic Houston. 1 September 2016. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
- ^ "War heroine's traditional hat sells for £5,000". BBC News. 25 August 2019. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
- ^ Lewis, Mike (1 August 2019). "Last Invasion heroine Jemima Nicholas' relative flies in from Oz". County Echo. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
- ^ Hancock, Lucy (2019). "Jemima Nicholas, a Fishguard Heroine". Coastal Cottages. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
- ^ "New actress to play invasion heroine". BBC News. 11 April 2013. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
- ^ Lewis, Siân, 1945- (2012). Jemima Nicholas : heroine of the Fishguard Invasion. Howells, Graham. Llanrwst: Gwasg Carreg Gwalch. ISBN 978-1-84527-364-4. OCLC 782986756.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Jemima Nicholas". 100+ Welsh Women. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
- ^ Morris, Steven (24 February 2024). "Welsh woman 'who took on French invaders' with pitchfork wins recognition". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 February 2024.