First Matron of Fishguard Cottage Hospital
Mary Owens had been born in St Dogmaels in 1866 and undertook her nursing training in St Thomas’ London, before returning to Pembrokeshire to work at the County Hospital in Haverfordwest where she rose to become the Deputy Matron.
Seeing an advertisement on the hospital noticeboard one day for “an enterprising nurse to pioneer the opening of a Cottage Hospital in Fishguard” – Mary Owens decided to apply and was duly appointed the first Matron. see Fishguard Cottage Hospital
As well as caring for any in-patients, Matron Owens was also required to visit patients in outlying areas. Apparently, Mary, dressed in a red down filled petticoat and a voluminous skirt rode, either side saddle or perched on the back of a farm cart, visiting her patients in all weathers.
Her kindness was renowned. One newspaper report recorded how a young mother from Cwm Gwaun who had been arrested for the murder of her baby, was accompanied to court by the Matron who treated her with tenderness – today, that unfortunate mother would quite possibly have been diagnosed with severe post natal depression.
Although thought by some to be “an old maid” – Mary, at the age of 33 met her future husband, John Evans of Treboeth when visiting a patient at the farm on Llanwnda. After their marriage in 1900 they lived for a while in the hospital and it was here that their first child, Julia Mary better known as “Mali” was born. In the Autumn of 1901, the hospital was forced to move premises and at this time, Mary decided that she would tender her resignation and instead assist her husband in his butchery business.
By 1911 the family were living in 1 Vergam Terrace where John and Mary ran a successful butchers shop. Unfortunately ill health forced John to give up being a butcher and instead he opened a music shop. Music was his great love and he became an authority throughout Wales on Tonic Solfa and revelled in passing on his knowledge to others including his daughter, Mali who served as music teacher at the High School for many years. Mali was also international renowned Eisteddfodau music adjudicator. To read about Mali, link to Miss Mali Evans
Much of this information is from an interview with Miss Mali Evans, published in 1986 in the Pembrokeshire Magazine to whom full acknowledgement is given.
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