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 were contributed by Shelagh Fishlock.

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Florence Lindley, Lowther College, Bodelwyddan.  

Petition ref. 7/13 p.1

Florence was born in 1874 in West Bromwich, Staffordshire, daughter of a pawnbroker. Aged only 22, she founded Lowther College in Lytham, Lancashire, as a girls’ school to provide an education to rival the best boys’ public schools.

In 1898 Florence married George Lindley and together they grew the school over the following years. During the First World War Florence ran the school whilst George joined the Red Cross.

After the war the Lindleys wanted to expand the school so moved it to Bodelwyddan Castle in 1920. They “retired” in 1935, moving to Kinmel Hall to establish a health spa. In World War Two Kinmel Hall was requisitioned by the military so the Lindleys moved into The Lodge. George died in 1950 and Florence in 1952.

The Lowther College names on the Petition are nearly all pupils. Few were 18 and the youngest only 12. Given what we know of her, it would not be surprising if Florence allowed or even encouraged her pupils to sign, whether they were 18 or not. However, it is notable that the petition they signed (7/13) is in Welsh. Probably few, if any, of the College signatories understood Welsh. Perhaps Mrs Lindley was genuinely unaware of the “18 & over” rule.