Margaret Dawkin – A Life Marked by Change

From Glamorgan to Ebbw Vale

Margaret Dawkin was born in Llanblethian, Glamorgan, in May 1822, the daughter of a gardener. By 1841, her family had moved to Llandaff, a small town near Cardiff. Llandaff, historically significant for its cathedral and ties to Welsh nobility, was an interesting place for a working-class family. The move to a growing urban centre suggests Margaret’s father may have sought better employment opportunities.

After her relationship with Albert ended, Margaret relocated to Ebbw Vale, a move that likely reflected the economic realities of single motherhood in the Victorian era.

Ebbw Vale – A Town Built on Industry

Ebbw Vale was undergoing a dramatic transformation in the 19th century. What was once a small agricultural settlement was becoming a powerhouse of industry, fuelled by the rise of the iron and coal sectors.

• The Ebbw Vale Iron Works, established in 1778, had rapidly expanded, making it one of the most significant sites of metal production in Britain. By the mid-19th century, it was supplying iron for railways, construction, and shipbuilding.
• Several coal mines had also opened in the region, providing jobs but also hazardous working conditions.
• By the 1930s and 1940s, Ebbw Vale’s steelworks would become one of the largest in Europe, but in Margaret’s time, it was already a booming industrial town attracting workers from across Wales and beyond.

Why Did Margaret Choose Ebbw Vale?

Unlike large cities such as Cardiff or Bristol, Ebbw Vale offered plentiful employment but lower living costs. For a single woman raising a child, this would have been an important factor. Additionally, industrial towns often had tight-knit working-class communities, where women could find support from neighbours and religious groups.

The Difficulties of Being a Single Woman in the Victorian Era

As an unmarried mother, Margaret faced social stigma and economic hardship. The Victorian period was unforgiving to women who bore children outside of wedlock. Many unmarried mothers were forced into workhouses, where conditions were harsh, with high rates of disease and infant mortality.

Margaret, however, managed to avoid institutionalisation by working as a dressmaker and milliner. These occupations, while respectable, were low-paying and physically demanding. Women in the textile and clothing industry often suffered from:

• Poor eyesight due to long hours working in dimly lit conditions
• Chronic pain from hunched-over sewing work
• Lung diseases caused by exposure to fabric dust

Yet, despite these challenges, Margaret never remarried and remained self-sufficient, a remarkable feat for a woman of her time.

A Close-Knit Religious Community

Margaret and Alice lived in Briery Hill, Ebbw Vale, near two significant religious institutions:

• Zion English Baptist Church
• Tabernacle English Independent Chapel

Nonconformity was a defining feature of Welsh working-class identity. Unlike the Anglican Church, which was associated with the English elite, Baptists, Congregationalists, Methodists, and Unitarians played a critical role in Welsh political radicalism. They:

• Advocated for workers’ rights
• Promoted education
• Held community events such as choral festivals

For women like Margaret, the nonconformist movement provided a sense of belonging and social support, something Anglican institutions often failed to offer.

Margaret Dawkin’s story is one of resilience and adaptation. Moving from rural Wales to an industrial powerhouse, she managed to navigate a world that was hostile to single mothers, carve out a livelihood, and ensure her daughter Alice had opportunities for a better future.