Welsh Journals

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Mrs Thoday had been responsible for establishing a home for refugees in Llanfairfechan in 1938 and much of the work of the NWWPC during the war was centred on this. In 1939, a Czech family and a Jewish family from Vienna were living in the home and the children attended St Winifred's School in Llanfairfechan. A Bangor Famine Relief Committee was also established which arranged that food be sent to Belgium. This committee also published a Welsh translation of Vera Brittain's pamphlet, 'One of these little ones'.67 Full relations with the WILPF were maintained and Mrs Thoday continued to attend monthly meetings of the executive committee. Local meetings also took place and in 1942 a two-day conference on 'Monetary, Social, Colonial and Economic Reform' was organized in Bangor. Delegates from Manchester, Liverpool, London and north Wales attended and were addressed by a number of speakers. Mrs Emrys Evans gave the inaugural address and Dr W Arthur Lewis of the London School of Economics spoke on 'The Future of Colonies'. Mrs Duncan Harris, 'chairman' of the WILPF, was present and gave news of the activities of other branches. In 1943, Mrs Moore Pataleewa addressed meetings in Bangor, Colwyn Bay, Llandudno, Rhyl, Caernarfon, Holyhead and Wrexham on 'Women in the Soviet Union'. In the same year, a meeting was called in Bangor to protest against the massacre of Jews in Europe and the growth of anti-Semitism in Britain.68 The NWWPC remained active throughout the war and emerged from that period a united and active body. The Bangor branch of the WILPF stayed in existence well into the 1960s and Mrs Dilys Pritchard, who had acted as secretary for a number of years, supported, and spent time at, the Greenham Common peace camp in the early 1980s. The efforts of these outstanding women kept the movement alive in this part of north Wales for over forty years. This stands as testimony to their great commitment and organizational ability in sustaining a united and effective organization over such a long period. The activities of the NWWPC bring to our attention an extraordinary group of women who worked untiringly for the cause of peace. Discovering their history enables us to celebrate their individual efforts and place the activities of the group in the larger picture which 67 UCNW, Bangor MSS, 26143, Annual Report, 1942-3. 68 Ibid.