As communities and volunteers have been transcribing the 390,296 signatories from the 1923 Welsh Women’s Peace Petition to America, many have been identifying and uncovering the stories behind this generation of women who stood against war. Who were they – and what messages might they have for us 100 years later.

‘Hidden Histories’ project led by the WCIA invited people across Wales to uncover and share ‘peace stories’ behind the 390,296 women who signed the Peace Petition – not just ‘the great and the good’, but the thousands of ordinary women across Wales moved in the aftermath of World War One to petition for peace.

This story and supporting material was contributed by Enid Lewis, that explored the history of Martha Prosser [nee Adams].

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I can understand this (My gran signing). The war memorial in Cwmcarn is opposite no6. Where my gran lived. Her brother George Adams was in the war 1914 -1918 and had his foot shot off. He also had shell shock and was put in a mental hospital in Abergavenny. Gran used to visit him regularly. She supported peace.  

Martha was 35 in 1923, she was married to William James Prosser who was a winding engineman at Abercarn Colliery and they had 2 daughters Dorothy and Eileen. Sadly Eileen died aged 10. I was named after her.  

Martha was the 4th of 6 children born to Henry and Amelia Adams. Her brother George was the youngest born in 1895. Amelia also signed the petition. George was a horse soldier. He rode horses that pulled the big field guns into position on the battle field.  

My grandmother trained in Cardiff and Bristol for her S.R.N. AND C.M.B. Qualifications and her first job was in Whitchurch Mental Hospital . See photo of letter. Also a photo of her in her nurses kit. This was edited from a group photo of all the midwives and the Matron when Martha worked at 30 Herbert St Newport. This was where the midwives lived. Their H.Q. in Newport. The date on the letter is 1908. I have her certificate of marriage, there are two dates on it. 1913 and 1917. There are so many typo's and errors in these records. She would have given up her job as soon as she married.