Minnie James from Dowlais, Merthyr opened Wales’ Temple of Peace on 23 November 1938, on behalf of WW1 war-bereaved mothers of Wales and the world. She had lost 3 sons in the war – David, Thomas and Jack James – and her story as one of the nation’s ‘most tragic mothers’ articulated the interwar generation's 'desire to strive for peace and justice into the future' (her words at the opening). The Minnie James Collection brings together her 3 fallen sons' letters from the trenches, postcards, medals and mementoes, what Minnie described to the press as her 'box of treasures'. This Hidden History, written by WCIA Placement Sam Mutter in 2023, curates the many items to tell a narrative of each of the James family boys - David James, Thomas (Tom) James and Jack (John) James of Dowlais, Merthyr.

The archive items themselves can be viewed at: https://www.wcia.org.uk/minnie-james-collections/