Emily Rosannah Feild of Hubbeston, Pembrokeshire

Description

Photograph submitted by Rosemary May of Surrey, England

Emily Rosannah Feild was Rose's grandmother. Emily Feild was born in 1889 at Observatory, Hubberston, Pembrokeshire, the daughter of William Andrew Feild, a local farmer, and Florence Thomas. The Feild family had been prominent ship builders and farmers in the Milford area since the latter part of the 17th century. Emily had a very chequered life. She started as a lady's maid to the Dowager Duchess of Kensington who lived at Kensington House, a large Georgian mansion overlooking the sea at St Bride's in Pembrokeshire. Kensington House later became a hospital. Emily travelled widely with the Kensington family and in April 1912 was on board the ship Carpathia the night the Titanic sank, and witnessed the survivors being rescued and taken on board. Emily is said to have brought Lady Kensington's ashes back to Britain from India when she died whilst there in 1910.

Image 1:

Emily Feild (right) in 1910 with her friend Cyn. Unfortunately very little is known of Cyn; possibly she too was in service with the Kensingstons.

Emily never kept in touch with her family after leaving Pembrokeshire. She moved to London about the time of the Great War of 1914-1918, presumably for the high wages that were being paid at that time. In 1917 she was working at the Woolwich Arsenal munitions factory, packing fuses into shells. After the war she moved to Sussex and became a cook for a hotel in Brighton. In 1924 she married William Joseph Bright and settled in Burgess Hill about 1936. At the age of 79 Emily emigrated to Canada with her son and his family and died in Port Albernie, British Columbia, aged 93.

Image 2:

Emily Rosannah Feild

Acknowledgement Many thanks to Rosemary May for allowing me to use her photograph and family details. To contact Rose, send her an e-mail.

• http://www.jlb2011.co.uk/walespic/oldwales/feild.htm (link opens in new window)