Amy Dillwyn

Elizabeth Amy Dillwyn was born in Wales, UK, on 16 May 1845, in Sketty in Swansea. She was the daughter of Lewis Llewelyn Dillwyn and Elizabeth (née De la Beche). She had an older sister and brother, Mary (b. 1839) and Henry (b. 1843) and a younger sister, Sarah (b. 1852).

Her uncle was John Dillwyn-Llewelyn of Penllergare who, along with his wife Emma Thomasina Talbot, his sister (Amy's aunt) Mary Dillwyn and his daughter (Amy's cousin) Theresa Story Maskelyne (née Dillwyn-Llewellyn) were pioneers of early photography. Her paternal grandfather was the naturalist Lewis Weston Dillwyn and her maternal grandfather was geologist Henry De La Beche. The Dillwyn family were originally Quakers and her great-grandfather was William Dillwyn, the anti-slavery campaigner from Pennsylvania, USA who returned to campaign in Britain.[1]

Her father became a Liberal MP (1855-1892), and was the owner of the Dillwyn Spelter Works at Swansea. In 1864 her fiancé, Llewelyn Thomas of Llwynmadog, died shortly before their planned wedding. Research into Dillwyn's life has also shown a close relationship with Olive Talbot through letters, who she called her 'wife' in diaries.[2] From this, some theorize the unrequited love in her novels was inspired by this real relationship. In 1866 her mother died. Between 1880 and her father's death in 1892 she had six novels published.

Amy Dillwyn and her brother Harry, photographed by Mary Dillwyn.

Following the deaths of her brother in 1890 and her father in 1892 Amy Dillwyn lost the family home at Hendrefoilan due to it being entailed to the male line, but inherited her father's debts of over £100,000 (£8 milion or more today). She wore a bright purple skirt, with a yellow rose in her belt and flowers in her hat to her father's funeral, in a statement against the Victorian conventions of elaborate funerals, which could cause families to get into debt buying mourning clothing in haste.[3]

She was able to rescue her father's spelter works at Llansamlet, which she managed herself and thus saved 300 jobs. Dillwyn lived in lodgings until the business was saved, eventually moving into Tŷ Glyn, her home for the rest of her life. It took until 1899 for “Dillwyn & Co.” to pay off the last of its creditors, and begin returning a profit. In 1902, Dillwyn registered the business as a registered company.[4]

She was a strong supporter of social justice and gave her support to striking seamstresses.[5] Her unorthodox appearance, her habit of smoking cigars and lifestyle made her a well-known figure in the local community. When the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies was formed at the turn of the century, Dillwyn joined as one of the earliest supporters in Wales. Although rejecting the militant actions of some members, she was still a staunch member of the movement.[6]

She died in Swansea on 13 December 1935, at the age of ninety, was cremated and her ashes buried in the churchyard of St Paul's Church, Sketty. Probate was granted to Rice Mansel Dillwyn and her estate was valued at £114,513 7s 9d.

Her house, Tŷ Glyn (now Mumbles Nursing Home), still stands at West Cross, Swansea and a Blue plaque has been installed on its boundary wall.

Currently Professor Kirsti Bohata, cited below, is writing a study of Amy Dillwyn as part of a research project at CREW, Centre for Research into the English Literature and Language of Wales at Swansea University.

In 2018, Dillwyn (representing women in business) was chosen as one of the top 100 Welsh Women by Women’s Equality Network Wales, in their project to mark the centenary of the Representation of the People Act 1918, granting some women the vote.[7]

Amy Dillwyn's life has inspired works of art[8] and drama.[9]

Amy Dillwyn started writing in the 1870s, stating 'I've an idea I will try and write one chapter and see how I like it'.[10] The Rebecca Rioter (as The Rebecca Rioter: A Story of Killay Life) was published by Macmillan in 1880, by 'E. A. Dillwyn.' Telling the fictionalized account of a Rebecca rioter, loyal to the cause even when transported to Australia, the novel shows Dillwyn's political views, liberal toward the Rebecca riots and against English rule, despite her father's part in squashing the riots.[11][12] Both The Rebecca Riots and Chloe Arguelle were translated into Russian by liberal intelligentsia.[13] Painting and Bohata identify recurring themes in her novels of crusading social reform, unrequited love, criticism of the upper class.[14][15] Feminist concerns predominate, however, and many of her stories had tomboyish women as protagonists. Dillwyn also anonymously contributed to the Spectator regularly in the 1880s.

• The Rebecca Rioter (1880) (reprinted 2004 by Honno)
• Chloe Arguelle (1881)
• A Burglary; or Unconscious Influence (1883) (reprinted 2009 by Honno)
• Jill (1884) (reprinted 2013 by Honno)
• Nant Olchfa (serialized in The Red Dragon: The National Magazine of Wales, Vols X-XI, 1886-7)
• Jill and Jack (1887)
• Maggie Steele's Diary (1892)

• David Painting, Amy Dillwyn (1987)
• David Painting: Amy Dillwyn, Cardiff : University of Wales Press, 2013, ISBN 978-0-7083-2672-5
• Jane Aaron, Nineteenth Women's Writing in Wales: Nation, Gender and Identity, Llandybïe: University Press.

• The Dilwyn Project - Research project by Swansea University
• The Life and Fiction of Amy Dillwyn - Research project by Swansea University, led by Dr. Kirsti Bohata.