Women in Archaeology

 

On a spontaneous trip to Basingstoke, I visited The Holy Ghost Cemetery, first opened in 1215, and situated in the heart of modern day Basingstoke.  

The purpose of the visit was to photograph John Aidan Liddell VC’s headstone. John was awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system, in 1915, whilst serving with the Royal Flying Corps. During a reconnaissance mission over Ostend-Bruges-Ghent, Belgium, the plane was raked from enemy fire. Injured, John who was losing height and consciousness succeeded to bring the plane and the observer back safely to the Allied Lines, for these actions he was awarded the VC. John had his leg amputated and sadly died a month later. Today, the VC is on display at the Lord Ashcroft Gallery in the Imperial War Museum. His body was repatriated to Basingstoke for burial. However, on the other side of the headstone is an inscription in memory to his sister, Dorothy Liddell.

 Dorothy, who like her brother, served during the First World War. Their family home, Sherfield Manor, Basingstoke was converted into a convalescent hospital which closed after John’s death. Dorothy went on to serve with the Red Cross at La Panne. For her service she was awarded the MBE.

Dorothy however, was a pioneering archaeologist who died in 1938, which led me to question how many female archaeologists were there and how many hailed from Wales?

I didn’t have to look very far for the answer, as Audrey Williams was the notable female Welsh archaeologist.

Audrey was born Audrey Davies in Dinas Powys in 1902. The family soon moved to Swansea where Audrey’s education was undertaken at Swansea Girl’s High School, later in 1920 – the same year that women had the right to undertake a degree – she studied English at Somerville College, Oxford.

Following her degree, Audrey taught at a local school. She married Percy Williams, who was interested in Swansea ceramics, Audrey then became involved with Swansea Museum and Royal Institute of South Wales, becoming the first female president. During this time Audrey worked with William F. Grimes – Assistant Keeper of Archaeology at the National Museum of Wales. Audrey excavated three of the Iron Age Forts on the Gower Peninsula. During the 1941 to 44, Audrey was appointed the Inspector of Ancient Monuments by the Ministry of Works. After the Second World War, Audrey left Swansea and was appointed curator of Verulamium Museum, St. Albans. Later she worked with Grimes on several excavation sites in London that were bomb damaged.

Pwlldu

Audrey married three times, the aforementioned Percy, whom she divorced 1950. A second marriage to Illtyd Stockwood during 1952, again this marriage ended in divorce in 1956. Three years later, in 1959, William F. Grimes was husband number three.

The couple returned to Swansea in 1973, and spent their retirement living in Brynmill. Audrey died in 1978, and her ashes were scattered at Pwlldu Bay.

A final thought on Pwlldu Bay – during the Second World War under the cover of darkness a German U-boat surfaced, the crew landed to replenish fresh water and disappeared back into the darkness.

Copyright - The Bay Magazine, May 2022