Anne [centre] outside Buckingham Palace with her sister,
Cissie [right] and sister-in-law [left].

Anne Lewis-Davies [or ARLD as she was frequently called] was a native of Llangranog, Cardiganshire, a niece of Rev. E. Lincoln Lewis, Archdeacon of St David's, sister of Dr Beynon Davies of Kidwelly and Dr E.C.Davies of Llandyssul.   After graduating from the University of Wales and with a Diploma in Education from St Andrews, she spent some three years teaching in Llandyssul, before moving to Pembrokeshire in 1927 to become head of English at St David's Grammar School.   She also taught Latin and German there - one of her pupils being James Nicholas the poet, who became Head of Mathematics at Pembroke Grammar School before being appointed headmaster of Ysgol Y Preseli Crymych.

In 1945 she was appointed Senior Mistress and Head of English at Pembroke Dock Grammar School by the headmaster, H.M. (Harold Mansel) Dowling - although she did not actually serve under him, as he left at the end of the summer term to become headmaster of Crewe Grammar School. She said later that she certainly appreciated his expertise as a specialist in Elizabethan Drama and in the poetry of Shelley, two areas of his research, and his skills as Chief Literary Critic of the Western Mail.

Three younger male teachers also remain stamped on my memory. Stuart (Sammy) Shaw, taught English, Religious Education and directed the school plays. It was through him that I developed a love of drama. I was not among his chosen leads but I sat in the wings as a prompter for “Merry Wives of Windsor” and “Coriolanus”. Under his tutorage, I became of age as far as Bible reading is concerned. I learnt so much about the compilation of the Gospels, was introduced to commentaries on the Bible and was challenged to begin to understand my own faith in a way that no church has ever been able to do before or since. He had a tremendous sense of humour and was never thrown by the ribald comments of the fourteen and fifteen year old boys, constantly out to embarrass him in front of the girls. He had very healthy approach to sexuality and an understanding of the need for teens to challenge the establishment on all occasions. If we did this in the presence of Sammy he usually turned the negative into a positive experience.

Margaret Luke (Thomas)

Being Educated- 
A Memoir by Mike Knill