A FAR-SIGHTED WOMAN       GWELEDIGAETH I’R DEILLION
Channel: A48 Theatre Company
Date: 2021-03-31

Francis Batty Shand was the youngest daughter of planter John Shand and his long-term partner, a free woman of colour called Frances Brown. She was born in Jamaica but removed to Scotland when she was 4 years old, probably in the care of her aunt Helen Shand of Elgin, Moray. All of Frances Brown’s seven children were taken from her. She had a portrait painted when each one left and, on writing her will in 1834, asked that each child be given their portrait as a momento of her.While living with her brother in Cardiff Francis Batty Shand was instrumental in founding the Cardiff Institute for the Blind: "Miss Shand was concerned with the “ragged” children she saw in Cardiff and toured the city offering help and support. Miss Shand first opened a small workshop in the Canton area of Cardiff, employing four blind men making baskets for the coal ships sailing from Cardiff ports. Within a year, larger premises were purchased at Byron Street in the Roath area, and ten men were employed. In 1868 a third move was made to Longcross Street off Newport Road, and a fourth move to the iconic Shand House."In her will, Frances left c. £2,600 in small legacies, £1,000 and a life interest in her property at Moss Terrace, Elgin to Ann Allardice, £1,000 to the trustees of the Cardiff Association for Improving the Social Conditions of the Blind for the 'Shand Memorial Fund' and the residue to the Glamorganshire and Monmouthshire Infirmary for the maintenance of a children's ward named for her late brother John Shand as the 'Shand Memorial Ward'. Her estate in Scotland was valued for probate at £11,777 2s 5d.

Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frances_Batty_Shand Scotland, Africa and slavery in the Caribbean
http://www.abdn.ac.uk/slavery/5p3.htmUCL
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/woman-who-gave-name-prominent-15370142 
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/person/view/2146642837From Sight Life – RNIB: https://player.fm/series/rnib-connect/ep-558-frances-batty-shand-founder-of-cardiff-institute-for-the-blind

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Gwyneth’s interest in creative writing was re-ignited after her kids left home. Retirement gave her more time to write, to attend creative writing courses and connect with other writing groups, including ‘Living Lines’. The ‘Graveyard Voices’ project drew her to this particular group – and the thrill of writing in a chapel. Learning more about the history of South Wales has provided a wonderful spin-off. Outside this group Gwyneth’s writing is two-pronged: historical writing, particularly inspired by her family history in the Yorkshire textile industry, and children’s fantasy and time-travel stories.

Merch ieuengaf y plannwr John Shand a'i bartner hir-dymor, menyw o liw o'r enw Frances Brown oedd Francis Batty Shand. Ganwyd yn Jamaica ond symudodd i'r Alban pan oedd hi'n 4 oed, yng ngofal ei modryb Helen Shand o Elgin, Moray mae'n debyg. Cymerwyd pob un o saith o blant Frances Brown oddi arni. Cafodd bortread ei beintio pan adawodd pob un ac, wrth ysgrifennu ei hewyllys ym 1834, gofynnodd i bob plentyn gael ei bortread fel momento ohoni. Wrth fyw gyda'i brawd yng Nghaerdydd, roedd Francis Batty Shand yn allweddol wrth sefydlu Sefydliad y Deillion Caerdydd: "Roedd Miss Shand yn poeni dros y plant 'carpiog' a welodd yng Nghaerdydd, a theithiodd y ddinas yn cynnig help a chefnogaeth. Agorodd Miss Shand gweithdy bach yn ardal Treganna yng Nghaerdydd, a chyflogodd bedwar dyn dall i wneud basgedi ar gyfer y llongau glo â hwyliodd o borthladdoedd Caerdydd. O fewn blwyddyn, prynwyd adeilad mwy yn Byron Street yn ardal y Rhath, a chyflogwyd deg dyn ym 1868. Yna yn drydydd, symudwyd i Longcross Street oddi ar Ffordd Casnewydd, a phedwerydd symudiad i'r 'Shand House' eiconig. "Yn ei hewyllys, gadawodd Frances c. £ 2,600 mewn cymynroddion bach, £1,000 a buddiant bywyd yn ei heiddo yn Moss Terrace, Elgin i Ann Allardice, £1,000 i ymddiriedolwyr Cymdeithas Caerdydd am Wella Amodau Cymdeithasol y Deillion ar gyfer 'Cronfa Goffa Shand' a'r gweddillion i Inffyrmari Sir Forgannwg a Sir Fynwy ar gyfer cynnal ward plant a enwir ar gyfer ei frawd hwyr John Shand fel 'Ward Goffa Shand'. Gwerthwyd ei hystad yn yr Alban ar gyfer profiant ar £11,777 2s 5d.

Am Yr Awdur

Fel llawer o bobl, mae diddordeb Gwyneth mewn ysgrifennu creadigol wedi cael ei ail-danio ers i’w phlant dyfu i fyny a gadael cartref (wedi gadael cartref go iawn, ar ôl ychydig o ymarferion dros dro). Mae ymddeol wedi rhoi mwy o amser iddi ysgrifennu, mynychu cyrsiau ysgrifennu creadigol a chysylltu â grwpiau ysgrifennu eraill, gan gynnwys ‘Living Lines’. Y prosiect ‘Graveyard Voices’ a dynnodd hi at y grŵp penodol hwn - a’r wefr o ysgrifennu mewn capel. Mae dysgu mwy am hanes De Cymru wedi darparu deilliant hyfryd. Y tu allan i’r grŵp hwn mae ysgrifennu Gwyneth yn ddeublyg: ysgrifennu hanesyddol, wedi’i ysbrydoli’n arbennig gan hanes ei theulu yn niwydiant tecstilau Swydd Efrog, a straeon ffantasi a theithio amser plant.