Mary Jenkins was born 1833, one of 7 children to John and Jane fisher people of Llangwm. There was no school at that time so Mary was not able to sign her name and any learning came from her attendance at Galilee Chapel. She helped her parents in their fishing tasks and when 11 she became one of the fisher girls in the village. In such a large family life was hard and lacking in comforts.

In 1852 aged 19 she married John Palmer of Guildford and despite hardships they managed to raise a family of 9 children, all surviving, over the next 20 years. She helped John with fishing and took the catch off to markets in Tenby and Pembroke in all weathers even walking the 38 miles to Carmarthen with the catch of a hundredweight on her back. 

Such was their hard work and careful management of their finances that by 1861 they had built their own house on Main Street, Elm Cottage. She was able to find the time and the strength to help with the building works; digging foundations, mixing mortar and carrying stones whilst still looking after her growing family.

Sadly in 1888 John died and as the children left home to begin their own families Mary was left alone in the cottage but lived long enough to benefit from the introduction of the old age pension when she reached the age of 70. She was reputed to be the first woman in Llangwm to receive the pension … a sum of 5 shillings.  Not enough in her view!

She first came to the notice of the ‘authorities’ when she played a part in the Llangwm Riots of 22/23 November 1900.  Incensed by the attempted eviction of her neighbour Jane Palmer from Llangwm house just opposite, she joined in the affray and was seen to throw stones at the Constable trying to execute the eviction order. She was charged along with 11 others of “riotous assembly” but released when the charges were later withdrawn.

At aged 80 her second court appearance was on account of her refusal to pay extra water rates for another water supply to the village. Undeterred by the court proceedings she made quite an impression by her defiance and was featured in a newspaper article in the Daily Mirror on 30th January 1913 “Welsh Fishers take fleet to sea and build cottages aged widow’s pluck”

Mary died November 1921 aged 89 having lived a life of hardship, underpaid work and endurance.

*With thanks to Ann Maria Thomas of Llangwm.

Ganed Mary Jenkins yn 1833, un o 7 o blant y pysgotwyr John a Jane o Langwm. Nid oedd ysgolion yn bodoli ar y pryd, felly nid oedd Mary yn gallu llofnodi ei henw, a’r unig addysg a ddaeth i’w rhan oedd drwy fynychu Capel Galilea. Bu’n helpu ei rhieni yn eu tasgau pysgota, a phan oedd yn 11 oed daeth yn un o’r merched oedd yn bysgotwyr yn y pentref. Mewn teulu mor fawr roedd bywyd yn anodd heb fawr o gysuron.

Yn 1852 yn 19 oed priododd John Palmer o Guildford, ac er gwaethaf y caledi, llwyddodd y ddau i fagu teulu o 9 o blant, a phob un yn goroesi, dros yr 20 mlynedd nesaf. Bu’n helpu John gyda’r gwaith pysgota gan fynd â’r pysgod i’w gwerthu yn y marchnadoedd yn Ninbych-y-pysgod a Phenfro ym mhob tywydd. Bu hyd yn oed yn cerdded y 38 milltir i Gaerfyrddin gyda chanpwys o bysgod ar ei chefn.  

Cymaint oedd eu gwaith caled a’u rheolaeth ofalus ar eu cyllid fel eu bod erbyn 1861 wedi adeiladu eu tŷ eu hunain ar y Stryd Fawr a elwid Elm Cottage. Roedd Mary wedi llwyddo i ddod o hyd i’r amser a’r nerth i helpu gyda’r gwaith adeiladu, yn cloddio sylfeini, cymysgu morter a chario cerrig tra’n dal i ofalu am ei theulu cynyddol.

Yn anffodus yn 1888 bu farw John ac wrth i’r plant adael eu cartref i ddechrau eu teuluoedd eu hunain, cafodd Mary ei gadael ar ei phen ei hun yn y bwthyn, ond roedd hi wedi byw yn ddigon hir i elwa ar gyflwyno’r pensiwn henoed pan gyrhaeddodd 70 oed. Yn ôl pob sôn, hi oedd y fenyw gyntaf yn Llangwm i dderbyn y pensiwn … swm o 5 swllt. Dim digon yn ei barn hi!

Daeth i sylw’r ‘awdurdodau’ gyntaf pan gymerodd ran yn Nherfysgoedd Llangwm ar 22/23 Tachwedd 1900.  Wedi’i chythruddo gan yr ymgais i droi ei chymydog Jane Palmer allan o’i chartref yn Nhŷ Llangwm gyferbyn, ymunodd â’r gwrthdystio ac fe’i gwelwyd yn taflu cerrig at y Cwnstabl oedd yn ceisio gweithredu’r warant troi allan. Cafodd hithau ac 11 o bobl eraill eu cyhuddo o drefnu “terfysg”, ond fe’u rhyddhawyd unwaith y tynnwyd y cyhuddiadau yn ôl yn ddiweddarach.

Yn 80 oed, ymddangosodd eilwaith yn y llys oherwydd ei bod wedi gwrthod talu trethi dŵr ychwanegol ar gyfer cyflenwad arall o ddŵr i’r pentref. Heb ei digalonni gan yr achos llys gwnaeth eithaf argraff gan ei hymateb herfeiddiol, a chafodd sylw mewn erthygl papur newydd yn y Daily Mirror ar 30 Ionawr 1913 pan nodwyd “Pysgotwyr Cymru yn byw ar gynnyrch y môr ac yn adeiladu bythynnod, gwroldeb gwraig weddw oedrannus”.  

Bu farw Mary fis Tachwedd 1921 yn 89 oed ar ôl byw bywyd o galedi, gweithio am y nesaf peth i ddim, a llwyddo i ddal ati.