{"product_id":"the-last-invasion-hywel-m-davies-9781837722372","title":"The Last Invasion: War, Women and Memory, 1797-1997","description":"\u003cb\u003eBrings popular stories of Welsh women and their bravery during the French invasion of 1797 into the light.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e This study presents a cultural history of the French invasion of Pembrokeshire in 1797, using primary sources both in English and Welsh to debate how the invasion is remembered and assess its historical and cultural imprint. What is now known as \"the last invasion of Britain\" terrorized the people in and around Fishguard, though the French surrendered, mostly a result of their own unruliness and the fury of the locals than any French military shortcomings. Almost immediately, stories of women in red livery appeared in propaganda and travel accounts, and subsequently acts of individual heroism. Jemima Nicholas, who plied her trade as a cobbler and shoemaker in Fishguard at the time of the invasion, later became celebrated for her heroism in singlehandedly capturing twelve Frenchmen and marching them to captivity. She was remembered as a \"tall, stout, masculine female\" with pitchfork in hand, who Nonconformist ministers thought was too fond of her beer. She became an iconic figure, an example of female fortitude and independence, praised by suffragettes and women in public life in Wales. The telling and retelling of this story peaked at times of fear of invasion and war--be it against Napoleon, the Kaiser, or Hitler--and, resilient to public doubt and professional scorn, the \"legend\" of the women survived into popular memory.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Hywel M. Davies\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1837722374\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781837722372\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e University of Wales Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 05\/20\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 296\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.00lbs","brand":"Hywel M. Davies","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":46526443356415,"sku":"9781837722372","price":31.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_c37ceb72-dd9b-4272-94e1-a19ffb7b1154.jpg?v=1737556200","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/the-last-invasion-hywel-m-davies-9781837722372","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}